Breathe and Count Back from Ten
Verónica has had many surgeries to manage her disability. The best form of rehabilitation is swimming, so she spends hours in the pool, but not just to strengthen her body. Her Florida town is home to Mermaid Cove, a kitschy underwater attraction where professional mermaids perform in giant tanks . . . and Verónica wants to audition. But her conservative Peruvian parents would never go for it. And they definitely would never let her be with Alex, her cute new neighbor. She decides it's time to seize control of her life, but her plans come crashing down when she learns her parents have been hiding the truth from her — the truth about her own body.
Culture/Community: Peruvian / Peruvian American
Heritage & History: Hispanic Heritage and History
Book Awards: Pura Belpré Award & Honor Books
Themes for Middle Grade/YA: Love and Romance, Sports, Coming of Age, Disability, Family and Friends, Health and Wellness, Identity, My Body, Hair, and Skin
Genre: Fiction
Audiobook: Yes
Age Level: Young Adult
Book Series: Award-Winning Books: 2023
9780358536864