Olivia is a thirteen-year-old; she is excited for having a road trip with her sister and family, a few years ago they made the same trip and were the most happy memories. Olivia wants to recreate those memories and made her sister happy again. Ruth is the oldest and battles with depression; some days are good, and sometimes she gets into what they name The Pit; Olivia hates it, she only wants to help her sister.

This is a story about sisterhood, Olivia misses her old relationship with her sister, and she keeps monitoring her sister for signs that she is getting worse. She has this perfect plan that if they recreate old games everything will be fine, but things don't go as planned.

Ruth finds refuge in music. Olivia in photography (I would love to see Oli's Instagram and Ruth's playlist.) Olivia sees the world in a special way and wants to share it with the world, especially with Ruth, Olivia always seems optimistic and complacent but in reality she always pays attention to her sister and forgets about her when in reality she matters as much as Ruth, and her family will show her.

It is a beautiful, very realistic and educational book, perfect for everyone.

If you are want a have a discussion with your middle school child about depression and mental illness than this is the book to help get the conversation started. In Breathing Underwater 13 yo Olivia watches her 16 yo sister battle depression and Olivia just doesn't know how to help her sister. A great story about sisters and mental illness. This book takes place in numerous parts of the country as they travel in a RV adding some fun and adventure to a somber topic.

To begin, as an older sister, I was drawn to this book right away. Olivia and Ruth are sisters on a road trip. Years ago, before Ruth fell into The Pit, the sisters took a road trip that incorporated a cross-country scavenger hunt. While Ruth’s depression has been getting worse, Olivia hopes replicating their previous scavenger hunt will be just what Ruth needs.

This book incorporates sisterhood and adventure. It resonated with me from the very beginning and I really connected with it. I loved all characters involved, especially Aunt Ellie, and appreciate the lens with which we observed Ruth, who is living with depression. I felt the love, care and concern Ruth’s family and friends have for her. On the flip side, I saw the hurt in Olivia when she couldn’t make things better for her sister.

“How waiting and watching, being able to offer no tangible comfort, feels like being on a stationary bike trying to catch up to someone far ahead who’s calling out for help. How I’d jump at the task of climbing Everest if only it meant bringing my family, bringing Ruth, some peace.”

Breathing Underwater had a quick, yet satisfying ending. This book is filled with beautiful quotes as well. One I will treasure for a long time.

CW: mental health issues (specifically depression)

The human mind can be a mystifying place, especially when the tendrils of mental illness begin to infiltrate it. Olivia is thirteen years old, the younger sister to sixteen-year-old Ruth, and an avid photographer. She dreams of being the youngest and greatest contributor National Geographic has ever had, and she spends her days scoping out ways to show others the world she sees. When the sisters get to travel back across the country to their hometown of San Diego by RV with their mother’s cousin and his wife, Olivia sees this as the perfect opportunity to remind Ruth of the joy that she seems to have lost. An epic treasure hunt, miscommunications, and emotional turmoil color the journey, connecting the girls in a way they will never forget.

Depression is the pervasive enemy in this story about two sisters who have grown apart in its wake. Olivia spends her days watching Ruth for any signs of impending trouble and doing everything she can to make sure Ruth is okay. Even when she feels sad, anxious, or angry herself, Olivia suppresses these emotions so her sister and their parents can worry about only one daughter. Readers observe Olivia’s heartbreaking inner thoughts as she struggles to be eternally optimistic.

Olivia’s photographic observations are one of the primary threads of the book, a visual representation of the realization that everyone sees things differently. Despite her best efforts, Olivia does not control Ruth’s feelings and can only express life as she sees it. This is an important message for readers and Olivia alike as the story emphasizes the healing power of love through incongruous observations.

Ruth’s love of music is another powerful theme in this story, serving as an anchor for her through both her good and bad days. Whether classic rock or classical music, Ruth has an innate need to hear music throughout the day. When Olivia finds a way to bring her photographs and Ruth’s music together, it reflects the strength of the bond the girls share.

This story is a spellbinding examination of how two sisters survive the unpredictability of depression. Anyone with a sibling or close friend suffering from this mostly invisible affliction will find support in Olivia’s behavior and feelings throughout this story. Heartwarming and emotional in its execution, Breathing Underwater lovingly captures the nuanced beauty of sisterhood.

Three years ago, Olivia and her older sister, Ruth, moved across the United States. Fast forward to now, Ruth's depression has gotten worse and she's shut herself out from the world. As Olivia, her aunt, uncle, and Ruth travel back to California on the same route, she is determined to make things better for her sister.

Olivia misses her sister a lot. Even though she knows that it is not Ruth's fault that she's sick, she still wishes that they would talk and interact more. Instead, she spends her time watching for signs of sickening symptoms and does her best to avoid them starting up. More and more often, Ruth's world seems to distance itself from Olivia's.

Olivia has planned the perfect way on this RV trip to bring back happy memories for Ruth. Her depression is bad and Olivia's worried that she'll fall into The Pit more and more often. Although getting cured is still a long way, she still hopes this trip and the memories will make things better.

This book was written well. Even though this book is targeted towards younger audiences, I feel like depression was told in an appropriate way. It was touching to see Olivia and Ruth's relationship grow throughout the story.

One thing I loved was how close the family was in the book. Even though communicating was sometimes difficult, Olivia's entire family stuck together and they all tried to find ways to help Ruth. Not only that but her aunt and uncle also helped which I think provided Ruth with more support even though she might not have said so.

Overall Breathing Underwater is a great book I recommend to everyone, even older people. Beware though, that you may tear up while reading this amazing book.

With thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for an early copy in return for an honest review.

One of my favorite genres of books is literary travel - where I am able to travel through the pages of the book. From a travel perspective, this book was fantastic! I have actually taken the road they drove many times and it was fun to learn about new stops along the way.

As for the heart of the story...wow! A powerful story about sisters Olivia and Ruth and their journey across the country in an RV. For kids who live with or know someone struggling with mental health, I think this will be a story where they are able to connect and feel less alone about their journey.

As a side note, I would love to be able to follow Olivia's Instagram page :)

I find it hard to express all of the love I have for this book, but I will be singing its praises everywhere I can. I have so much highlighted on the now tear-streaked pages because it is full of so much beauty, life and hope.

This is a story of a 13 year old girl trying to cheer up her depressed older sister on a cross country road trip. But it's also about her uncovering her own confidence, creativity, voice, and letting go. Olivia's desperate desire to help her sister Ruth but not knowing how to is so sweet and heartbreaking. The subject matter of depression is handled delicately but realistically. The characters and story pulse with so much heart that it's impossible not to internalize Olivia's hope, worry for Ruth, and love them both. I only wish there were more chapters so I could live in their world a bit longer.

The author did a wonderful job at highlighting surprising universal truths. You know those moments where you read something and think "It's not just me! This character does or thinks that too. I wonder if everyone does?" I experienced three of these revelatory gifts in Breathing Underwater. I wouldn't be surprised if some readers experience even more.

This book made me desperately wish Olivia's Instagram page existed as well as Ruth's playlists (marketing idea please?!?). This is a heartfelt gem of a story for all ages.

WOW! What a powerful read! This is an excellent exploration of how mental illness can affect families. This book was painful but accurate. It might not be an enjoyable read for everyone, but wow (I'm speechless) was it moving! I loved it.

Thank you so much NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this touching story of a family stretched to the breaking point by mental illness/eating disorder. The story, with painful accuracy, relates the soul-wrenching truth that a mental illness in a family leaves its indelible mark on everyone. In Breathing Underwater, two sisters struggle to deal with the illness, and the feeling of helplessness as they try to turn back the clock to a happier time. Anyone who has ever lived through the experience of mental illness of a relative will identify with the feelings expressed by all in this unforgettable story.

Lyrical and affecting, Sarah Allen’s BREATHING UNDERWATER (3/30/21) is a literal and figurative journey for two sisters that overflows with hope and love. Sixteen year old Ruth is battling depression and Olivia, 13, wants nothing more than to bring her sister back from the dark place Ruth seems to be sinking into. Olivia has meticulously planned a scavenger hunt on their road trip with unwavering optimism that the photographic treasures they collect will bring back the happiness they felt three years prior before a move across the country. Allen has written such a heartfelt, honest story about a tough topic that approaches middle grade readers with such grace and respect. I loved this story of sisterhood and how Olivia dealt with unsettling feelings of confusion, disappointment, and concern for her big sister. Ruth is never without her iPod and the music aspect of this story brings an added layer to help decipher the strong emotions that each sister is experiencing. With its gorgeous, contemplative cover that so brilliantly depicts the beautiful story within, BREATHING UNDERWATER will absolutely capture your heart.

Thank you NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for an eARC in exchange for review. All opinions are my own, as usual.

TW: Depression
Wow. Fun fact about me: I rarely cry when reading books. The only book I cried while reading in 2020 was my 5th favorite book of the year. This is only the second book I've read in 2021 and I'm pretty sure this is going to be in my top 10 for the year. There's kind of a major reason why this book got to me, but I can definitely see many people getting teary eyed over this.
Breathing Underwater follows 13-year-old Olivia and her 16-year-old sister Ruth on a cross country trip with some family-friends. Olivia is the light of her family, always the one to cheer people up, while Ruth suffers with diagnosed depression. I think this is an incredible middle grade book to introduce kids into the struggles of depression. Olivia, as well as the family-friends taking the girls on the road trip, is all around a great role model for how to comfort someone without patronizing them. It also has the super important message that depression is no one's fault.
If I could give this book all the stars in the world for a rating, I would.

This book leads you on a cross country trip with Olivia (age 13) works through her emotions over her depressed sister Ruth (age 16) who is also working though this mental illness. Often they real the raw emotions, love and frustration on Olivia's part and Ruth not being able to move on. Olivia wants to bring about some joy in Ruth's life but finds she really can't, just love. The story has strong family support and the aunt and uncle driving them cross country with a goal to meet up with the parents to dive on shipwrecks have good communication skills. Not so much a happy story but one that reaches out to you.

Breathing Underwater by Sarah Allen

Breathing Underwater is a Middle-Grade book about two sisters, Olivia (13 - the story is told from her perspective) and Ruth (16). Ruth battles depression which started to show shortly before the family moved across the country 3 years ago. The sisters are on an RV trip back to their hometown with their aunt and uncle, and Olivia has planned a surprised photo/music scavenger hunt to recreate the one the sisters did on their move 3 years ago, and hopefully cheer up Ruth.

This story really centers around Ruth’s depression and Olivia’s desire to keep Ruth from a really dark place, The Pit, as she calls it. Olivia is actually very anxious herself and worries very much about her sister. She is also a naturally optimistic person and can typically find the good in any situation or person. Yet, she takes so much on herself trying to make everyone cheer up and feel her joy.

Breathing Underwater covers a heavy, important topic and doesn’t sugar-coat anything. I do think it is light enough and easy enough to understand for the middle-grade audience and it is, again, an important topic. I appreciate how the family works together and shows a lot of love, flexibility and understanding,and how therapy, medication, and other coping mechanisms are discussed. Depending on maturity level and prior-knowledge, a follow-up discussion could be helpful for some young readers.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and netgalley for the advance e-copy of the book

Breathing Underwater by Sarah Allen is a middle-grade novel just overflowing with emotions in such a wonderful way. The story is about two sisters on a road trip with their aunt and uncle. Olivia has seen her sister Ruth navigate depression her whole life. She sees Ruth's depression is especially bad, and she wants to help. She devises a scavenger hunt to remind Ruth of good times. She hopes these moments will bring joy to her sister as they search for treasures that allow them to reminisce. This was an honest and emotional look at what it's like to navigate someone else's mental health struggles. It was told in a way that was accessible to the target audience, but also got someone many years past that audience in her feels. Thanks to NetGalley for the early look at this March 2021 release!

This book was received as an ARC from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group - Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thought expressed in this review are completely my own.

From the title alone I was expecting more of an adventure story but when I read that there is a struggle with mental illness specifically depression and Olivia is determined to bring joy in her sister Ruth's life by uncovering their time capsule filled with so many memories. Olivia later realizes that no matter how hard she tries, she can not change her sister or control her depression but she can love her sister just the same and still bring joy into her life. Everyone can relate to the struggle with depression and how no matter what they will always have a strong family support system. This book should be in every household, classroom, and library and there are many life lessons to be learned in this book.

We will consider adding this title to our JFiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

"Breathing Underwater" is a terrific middle grade book for those readers who appreciate an easy to read novel with substance and a strong theme of family loyalty. Sarah Allen delivers a lovely story about family, love, and the gift of understanding one another. Two sisters are at the forefront of this beautiful book, one who struggles with mental illness, and the other being her always supportive and caring younger sister. An RV road-trip across the country brings the girls many surprises and ultimately brings them closer to each other than they could have imagined. Thank you so much NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the advanced eCopy. Definitely an enjoyable read for young and old alike.

I love how this book tackled a big subject! The way it describes depression is so spot on. I think this book will help people understand how others struggle or how they even struggle themselves. It didn't make it seem like it was something to be ashamed of and it was written truthfully and raw. I really connected with both Ruth and Olivia in the story. I deal with my own depression and anxiety like Ruth but I also try to keep everyone happy like Olivia does. I did get a little bored and felt like it was drawn out a little bit in a couple parts but I still really enjoyed it. For being a middle grade, it helped me explain some of the things I'm going through and how my actions and words affect others when I'm at my low points. I really recommend this if you are trying to figure out how to talk to your middle schoolers about mental health or just want to understand a little bit more yourself.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley.com and the publishers to read and review.

"One of the worst parts about depression is that it's not like an outside illness, where you can see the broken bone or the red swollen nose. It's an inside illness where you have to know the subtle signs."

Olivia and Ruth moved across the country 3 years ago with their parents, and after the move, Ruth seemed to change. Her depression got worse, and now Olivia is scared her sister is never going to be the same as she was before, when they played pirates together and had treasure hunts. On a trip across country again, this time for a visit, Olivia makes a plan to try to bring her sister back to the joyful person she was before. Somehow, she wants to get the magic of their last trip to come back, and help draw Ruth back out of the darkness.

Breathing Underwater is a Middle Grade book, but it handles the subject of depression in a mature way. It isn't sugar coating the things that Ruth is going through, nor does it hide the way that depression can affect the people around the one who's battling it. Ruth is angry sometimes, her mind goes in what she calls "tidal waves", and she gets overwhelmed. Words "feel like broken glass in her veins" when things are particularly rough. Olivia just wants to help her sister be happy again, but when even medications can't always do that, it seems like nothing can.

That doesn't mean this story is hopeless. It's not. Though real and true to what it's putting out there in the world, it reminds us that there is always hope. That sometimes being loved can be a balm that soothes, even though it can't heal.

This book broke me. I cried, and I spent 20 minutes writing a message to my mom about it. About a certain thing that Ruth said that summed up perfectly what my relationship with my mom was when I was Ruth's age (16). I'm not going to put it here, because it's important to read it in the book itself... but know that when I say this book got things so right? I mean every word. I just finished it, and I'm crying again, and I am so grateful for it. Grateful for a book that is geared toward a younger audience that says that depression is hard on everyone around it. That it's okay to be angry about it. That it's okay to be scared or happy or worried if someone you love is depressed. That hope can still exist in the darkness depression lays over a family.

The publishing date for Breathing Underwater is March 30, 2021. Put it on your lists of anticipated reads. Pre-order it. Pick up a copy when it comes out. Put this book out into the world in a significant way, because it deserves it.

Breathing Underwater is a wonderfully-written, heartwarming tale of two teen sisters trying to hold on to and pursue what's important to them while balancing a difficult situation. 16-year-old Ruth has been battling depression and 13-year-old Olivia has taken it upon herself to be a watchful caretaker of sorts-- without being obvious or annoying her sister. They're embarking on a cross-country road trip following a similar route to one they took 3 years prior. Olivia is hoping to recapture some of the magic of those days and rekindle the closeness she had with her sister. I especially appreciated the enthusiasm and optimism of Olivia who has ambitions to be an adventuring National Geographic photographer. It's fun to see the characters take in some iconic cities and experiences in the US. It treats the subject of depression thoughtfully, especially for the intended middle-grade audience.

Olivia's and Ruth's sisterhood reminds me of the relationship between my own sister and me. We were best friends one minute and mortal enemies the next. In Breathing Underwater, Olivia, is longing to reconnect with her older sister, Ruth, who is battling depression. On a cross country road trip, Olivia, attempts to secretly recreate a "treasure hunt" game that the sisters had done years earlier. Olivia is convinced that by showing her sister how much fun they used to have together, it will bring her out of her depression. This is a great book that showcases realistic interactions between sisters as well as realistic depictions of what life might be like living with someone battling depression. Yet despite the intense topic, the book manages to stay light and easy to read.