This was such a fantastic read! I loved the visuals, combined with the factual information and the powerful stories shared. this book was extremely educational in a very intesting and amazing way!

I found this graphic novel to be marvelous. It follows the stories of four individuals of diverse identities and ages, encapsulating the findings of the authors' research on the use of binders within the transgender community. Each narrative delves into the motivations behind their decisions and the journey they embarked on to find the correct tools to manage a safe practice. They offer a range of physical and mental health exercises to provide healthy ways of finding what works best and how to detect when you need to change strategies. Lastly, the novel presents the most precise research results regarding the physical consequences versus the mental health benefits.
The information was incredibly insightful and beautifully articulated. I believe everyone should read this at some point, especially young readers eager to understand how to feel better in their own bodies.

Great information, very inclusive, lots of tips. I don't bind myself, but it would be a great book to initiate trans kids into healthy binding. Great resource

What an informative and accessible little book!

We are not so far removed from when binding advice only came through word-of-mouth (or word-of-Tumblr-post). In fact, the only other piece of printed media that I own on the topic is a zine. So I was super happy to see that this little piece of graphic nonfiction was being published — especially with the involvement of Maia Kobabe, author of my favorite graphic memoir, Gender Queer.

Breathe offers a lot to individuals who are curious about binding or perhaps having difficulty with the process. It explores multiple experiences from individuals who do or did bind their chests. It asks the reader to reflect on what they want or expect to get out of binding in a very realistic way. And it offers a lot of helpful information about how to bind SAFELY, a topic of great importance for our trans youth who are often desperate for anything that will bring them some degree of gender affirmation (especially in today’s political climate).

As with a lot of books of this nature, I only wish that the ADULTS who need to read this — the unaccepting parents of trans youth — actually would. That’s because the authors also do a fantastic job of explaining how binding becomes much more dangerous when individuals have to hide the practice. How closeted or judged youth will often not be able to access the safest options while simultaneously avoiding disclosure of any health complications that may arise from unsafe alternatives.

So yes, while the comic book style is fantastic for youth, the information held within is also perfect for any adult who loves a trans child or teen. And the fact that it’s short enough to read in one sitting makes it an even less intimidating introduction for scared or hesitant parents.

I would recommend Breathe in a heartbeat!

I found this to be a nice little primer on binding safely. There are a number of stories from different people - different ages, genders, etc. - and how and why they bind. The characters in the book are composites of many real people, and that helps to let the reader feel represented - there is someone like them talking about something that is often ignored.

Each chapter is about a different person. The illustrations are excellent (the ARC was in black and white, so I'm looking forward to seeing them in color) and the language used throughout the book was open and honest.

One thing I didn't care for was the way each chapter sort of winds up with the person saying that they are happy now that they are binding. It felt cutesy, which took away from the book. The book is intended for teens, so maybe that was why it was decided to go that way and end on a really positive note.

This is a very short book, which could go either way with its audience. It shouldn't be longer, but I wonder if it couldn't be a chapter/section of a longer book.

My thanks to NetGalley, PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, and Dutton Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was super helpful and insightful about binding. Not only is it helpful with gender affirming care but it’s also helpful to know some exercises to do and how to care for oneself when binding. I am thankful that Maia put together this resource for those who are interested in binding as a starting place.

Informative, empathic and a perfect blend of narrative and guidance. While I am not interested in binding myself, this helped me understand the ways it can be used. the reasons, and how it can be part of a positive part of person's life. The individual anecdotes were very inclusive of different ages, choices, and body types. The many references to dangerous choices teens often make when they feel a need to hide binding from their parents make me wish more parents would read it and find a way to make information about binding part of general puberty health curriculums. Same for health professionals in regards to the hesitancy of many people to talk to someone about physical symptoms.

This is such an important book for trans folks. This is written for teens but it can also be a viable read for adults. Breathe shares stories from real trans* people young and old who tell their tale of binding and explain the positive affects it had on them. But also shedding light on the do's and don'ts of binding.

At the back of the book there are exercises and stretches, Peitzmeier explains how binding can affect the body. But overall, this guide is POSITIVE. It never once paints binding in a bad light, it only shows the benefits and briefly talks about what not to do. There's also affirming language and tips for binding healthily.

I love that this exists because I would've loved to have this when I was first coming into my transness and started binding. Now as an 30-yo trans man, it will benefit me.

This graphic guide made me very happy. I've had top surgery for a year now, so I don't need to chest bind anymore, but I would've LOVED to have a book like this talking about other experiences, breathing exercises, and journaling about my journey as a trans man. Please take care of yourselves, read this guide, it's going to help you more than you can imagine. It's not difficult to read or understand, short and to the point, and is a good reminder for anyone who binds <3

This guide to safe and healthy chest binding is a gentle and welcoming book about learning to engage in necessary self-care.

Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for the eGalley to review!

This is an excellent resource for those seeking information about binding! There are testimonials that are diverse in their experiences, tips and suggestions for types of binding, exercises to prevent problems, a set of worksheets for the reader to get to where they need to be, statistical research about binding, and affirmations, particularly about how pain does not need to be the end goal for gender-affirming practices.

To top it off (no pun intended), the illustrations are marvelously done by Maia Kobabe, giving the entire book excellent visuals in a kind, inviting style. The coloring is done by Ashley R. Guillory, which adds to the comforting vibe.

If I had anyone of any age needing information about what binding is and how to do it safely, I would hand them this book first. Its simple yet thorough breakdown in a digestible size makes it easily a go-to reference book for the collection.

A wonderful little read. Great stories to help anyone wanting to know the binding experience. Great tips and tricks. I really loved the illustrations.

The stretches at the end of the book are amazing.

Good info, some of it was hard to read as far as the format of some sentences. It might have been nice to have the stories interspersed between the more informational chapters.

I remember having a lot of questions when I went off to college and started binding for the first time. I had previously only binded for the purposes of cosplay and for that I was using ace bandages which is not recommended. I was lucky to stumble upon sport bra recommendations which is all I was comfortable with at this time and my feelings regarding binding are constantly shifting.

I really enjoyed this book and the way it interacts with the audience. I like that you get these individuals stories and experiences with binding along with education. I thought it was great to hear from real people about their experiences and also how they each made the decision to bind. I also really enjoyed the art in this and felt that it worked well with the information provided. I didn't find it to distract from the book and added to the stories as well.

BREATHE is excellent. The ranges of ages, genders, and experiences represented are fantastic. I was surprised by this, perhaps because I thought it would be specific to young people. It's even more powerful for people of different ages to read about others' experiences with binding. I really wish that this book could be required reading for all students and their caregivers from now going forward. BREATHE can--and will--empower so many people, but only as long as they have access to it. I'm recommending it to everyone I know!

i honestly don't have much to say about this one. it was short, fairly informative, and can definitely be helpful for a young person beginning their journey of binding. i wish there was a bit more breakdown of each participant's stories that they included, but that's just me wanting more science surrounding why it's not good to bind in certain ways.

i think, overall, i think there may have been better ways to structure this as it is essentially an informational handout that happens to be in the form of a graphic novel. but maybe that's just personal preference

I am so glad that this book now exists in the world!! This graphic guide to healthy chest binding uses both real-life stories from interviews with trans and nonbinary folx, as well as research-backed tips and advice on binding - complete with illustrations. It is a great mix of personal story and resources. And I love that it was inclusive of all body types! There were helpful tools including journal prompts, reflection questions, a mood and symptom tracker, a gender validation pie chart, and more. This guide addresses binding from a holistic angle, including the mental/emotional and physical aspects. It is not a one-size-fits-all type of resource, but a guide to helping individual people begin to understand what is right for them, how to balance the benefits and side effects, and how to care for their body. It is not meant to be a replacement for proper medical care, but rather a companion on the journey. This is going to be a helpful resource for so many people!

This collection of stories are all about people's journeys with binding. Even though this is a pretty short book, I really enjoyed reading everyone's stories. I also like that there are journal prompts and other fun things to do towards the back of the book.

This is a graphic novel that contains a number of small stories about people who bind their chests. They are stories compiled by the authors after they did a study at the University of Michigan. The book is a great way to help explain how it feels for a person to bind their chest and also the many different reasons that a person may choose to bind. I read an ARC digital version. The images were black and white. I don’t know if the final version will be in color or not but these images were pretty good even though it was a draft. It was obviously a book for older teens or adults. The subject matter is very specific. I don’t know that I would give it to a Middle Schooler to read without parent permission. Although, I do know several kids who are questioning their identity who would probably benefit from the information. The book also contains swear words which, I know the kids hear and use but it still is something for more mature readers. Oh, they also use terms that I was not familiar with as a heterosexual female. Things like AFAB or “T”.

Other than that, the stories were well written and it gave me insight into what it was like to be a trans or queer person who was trying to bind for the first time.

Wow, what a monumental book about the safety and care of the trans community. This is perfect for teens with binding questions and adults who are new or used to it. I really appreciated the personal stories and trackers as a practical way to improve someone’s binding practice. A must read.