Breathe Deep & Swim

"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... 


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?