Breathing Room by Marsha Hayles - ESSENTIAL

Hayles, Marsha Breathing Room, 232 pgs. Henry Holt and Company, 2012. $17.99. Language:G (0 swears, 0 "f"); Mature Content: PG; Violence: G. 

This story is about a 13 year old girl, Evelyn, who has to go to the Loon Lake Sanatorium for tuberculosis. This realistic story tells of the conditions, treatments and struggles of young girls fighting this horrible disease. The year is 1940, just before the U.S. enters WWII.   Evvy, with the support of her twin brother and new friends, finds she can help herself and others have hope and comfort no matter the outcome.  

The authors notes and old photographs bring credibility to the story and she does a good job of bringing details of the time period into the story.  The characters are endearing and the story is touching. 

MS-HS -ESSENTIAL. Reviewer: DM