Woman has done it again with another story that brings you back to all the traumas of adolescence. As my son reaches this stage of life, the charm of the characters made me picture him and his friends because the story is so very relatable to life.

This is a perfect companion book to make it a successful trio from Christina Wyman. I'm already making space for Breakout copies next to Jawbreaker and Slouch in our Middle School Library. I appreciate the timelessness of the story and it feel like Ellis could easily be one of our current students. Families who read this together or classrooms as a read aloud will be able to relate to multiple characters and perspectives in the story. There are so many excellent opportunties for group discussions and writing reflections--great option for a middle school book club or literacy circle!

I love how relatable the author made the characters. Cute book that will help middle schoolers feel not as alone. It was enjoyable as an adult and mother to read also. Great reminders about how challenging middle school is for kids.

Ellis is an 8th grader who feels like her acne is the worst of anyone she has ever known. She is the daughter of young, separated parents who do not get along and who struggle to make ends meet, especially since they live in New York City. In addition to her acne, Ellis clearly struggles with anxiety, though it isn't named. The main plot surrounds a major upcoming school project that Ellis has to do. At first, she doesn't know what to do, but eventually she decides to research therapy dogs and their positive effects on teens' stress, as her aunt is a dog trainer.

Never have I ever related to a middle grade character so much, wow. Growing up, like Ellis, I struggled mightily with acne. Like Ellis, my parents disagreed on how to manage it, with my mother hounding me, blaming me, and MASSIVELY embarrassing me about it seemingly constantly. Like Ellis, my mother got me products that were much too harsh (Proactiv) and made it so much worse. Unlike Ellis, my family didn't get me professional help, and unlike Ellis, I didn't have a lovely aunt nearby to help. I absolutely adore that Ellis' mom works hard to get Ellis to a dermatologist, and I adore Aunt Lydia who is always there for Ellis no matter what she needs. Ellis' mom is not perfect, but she shows growth throughout the story.

I loved how realistic everything felt. It makes sense that Ellis' parents might struggle financially, as they had Ellis at 19 and weren't able to go to college. It makes sense that Ellis' mom might resent Ellis' friend Aggy's family, as they are rich and academic and don't have to worry about money. It makes sense that Ellis' mom might date, and that Ellis might be upset about that for awhile. Even the school project felt realistic, and as a teacher, I often find school-related plot devices to be unbelievable. Instead, there was never a time when I felt like something didn't make sense for Ellis' maturity or age level or for the overall plot.

If you have young teens in your life, especially those who struggle with acne, I cannot recommend Breakout enough. I truly felt so seen and wish I had been able to read it when I was 15 or 16.