Breathe and Count Back from Ten

In Breathe and Count Back From Ten, Verónica, a Peruvian-American teen with hip dysplasia, wants to be mermaid in a mermaid show at a theme park in her town.

I related to this book so much as an immigrant to this country. There is a quote in the book that really resonated with me. Veronica is talking about her parents “who constantly remind you, either in words or by actions, that the endless hard work they endure in this country is so you can have a better life than they did.”

I really felt this growing up. I knew I… show more.

I loved Natalia Sylvester’s tender and gripping YA novel about a young woman living with hip dysplasia yearning to be a mermaid because it reminded me of the big dreams I had as a young teenage girl.

Verónica will do just about anything to get a job as a real-life mermaid at Mermaid Cove, however her parents are not having it. They want Verónica to be a “serious” young woman and pursue jobs and opportunities that will benefit her future and they think they know what’s best for her body and her disability.

I resonated with this deeply because I… show more.

Veronica dreams of getting a job as a mermaid in her Florida hometown’s famous mermaid tourist attraction. And I mean—who wouldn’t dream of that, especially since moving in water is so much easier than moving on land when you have hips dysplasia (which both this main character and author have)? I’ve always secretly wanted to work at an amusement park or tourist attraction and can seriously relate to the freedom that water brings to painful bodies. I loved living vicariously through Veronica as she trained in secret (her ultra-strict Peruvian parents definitely do not approve) and pursued her dream. Getting… show more.