Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
Breathe Deep & Swim by Jenna Marcus
All 14-year-old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Thomas wants is normalcy. But a global pandemic prevents him from having anything close to a typical teenager’s life. When Wolfgang discovers his father dead in bed from the coronavirus, his world is thrust into even more turmoil and chaos. Wolfgang and his 16-year-old brother, Van Gogh, know that they must do everything they can to stay together and avoid foster care. In a cross-country road trip, they hit the road in their father’s Pontiac to find their only hope: the mother who abandoned them a decade ago.
As they journey for answers to their mother’s whereabouts, they uncover devastating mysteries about her that they never could have imagined. Just as they near their destination, tragedy strikes once more. Wolfgang is drowning in fear and pain, but he must pull it together or lose his family for good. Can this broken adolescent find the strength and courage to Breathe Deep & Swim?
Rave Reviews for Breathe Deep & Swim by Jenna Marcus
“An often moving portrait of brotherly love.” —Kirkus
“…compelling…memorable… The story presents aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic with care and clarity. ” —Kirkus
“…a timely and moving ode to the lengths we will go for our family.” —BookLife
“A fast-paced and timely exploration of brotherly love in the midst of family and political turmoil.” —BookLife
“Jenna Marcus’ incredible story captures the depths of brotherly love and the determination of a spirit faced with insurmountable odds.” — Manhattan Book Review
“I loved Breathe Deep & Swim by Jenna Marcus and want to share it with the world. This book speaks of hope, innocence, and challenges from the perspectives of teenagers. Highly recommended.” —Vernita Naylor, Readers’ Favorite
Perfect for fans of Gayle Forman’s If I Stay and Jandy Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere, this witty and achingly beautiful coming of age story will tackle what it means to be alive, loved, and trusting in a world gone mad…
Kids Lit Book Café’s Review
Breathe Deep & Swim by Jenna Marcus is a mesmerizing, completely gripping young adult tale which will have teens hooked from start to finish. Readers will not be able to put it down!
I was hooked from the opening paragraph, and couldn’t put the book down until I’d reached the very last page. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (aged 14) and Van Gogh (aged 16) are as close as any siblings can be. They look out for each other, and most importantly – they understand each other. Van Gogh wants to be an artist, and in the meantime splashes his graffiti with skill and precision. Wolfgang isn’t sure what he wants to be yet, but boy does he love to read! The two brothers are dynamic young lads – in an understated way; quiet, reserved and private, with a myriad of complex emotions. Their brotherly love was spellbinding to read about, and I will admit I was brought to tears. The author has an obvious flair for evoking reader’s emotions and I will definitely be seeking more of her books. The storyline is somewhat sad, in that their father dies, and their mother left them when they were young. However, their stoic personalities, and Van Goth’s mixture of fortitude and stubbornness, sees them embark on a journey of 1,200 miles to New York in search of their runaway mother. Along the way they discover the meaning of breathe deep and swim, as well as some family secrets. Beautiful, compelling and unputdownable!
Jenna Marcus’s fluent and beautifully eloquent writing takes you on a journey you won’t want to end. The pacing is perfect, the characters haunting and memorable. Classic and perfectly pitched for coming of age and teenagers, Breathe Deep & Swim by Jenna Marcus comes very highly recommended by Kids Lit Book Café.
Buy Breathe Deep & Swim by Jenna Marcus today!!
| Rating Report | |
|---|---|
| Plot |
|
| Characters |
|
| Writing |
|
| Pacing |
|
| Cover |
|
| Overall: | |
Reading recommendations, book suggestions, teen fiction books, best selling young adult books, coming of age novels
Click to find out more about our highly effective book promotions
Click to read our book review policy
CONTACT US for more info and/or to submit your book for consideration for book reviews and/or promotion and our author services and resources.
We look forward to hearing from you, and helping you with the success of your book.
The team at Kids Lit Book Cafe is powered by a qualified, experienced team of professional writers and book reviewers, educated expert book marketers, author awareness advertisers and recognition consultants, active social media promotion specialists and advisers, and skilled computer techs.
book reviews, children’s books, book promotion, book marketing, author visibility, children’s book authors, book sales, kids lit, fiction for teens, picture books, middle grade fiction, mg, pb, chapter books, books for teens, books for children, books for kids, fiction for children, children’s fiction books, author platform, book review sites, free book reviews, editorial book reviews
| Rating Report | |
|---|---|
| Plot |
|
| Characters |
|
| Writing |
|
| Pacing |
|
| Cover |
|
| Overall: | |
