Just Breathe

When his dad goes into hospital, Sam has to go into emergency foster care. His belongings are in a bin bag, grabbed quickly while the paramedics put his dad into the ambulance. Visiting his dad brings back memories of when his mum died two years ago, and Sam often needs to use his inhaler. Then his dad is transferred to a London hospital and Sam follows. Even though his foster carers are kind, walking into a new school with a bin bag means snide comments and bullying from a group of boys. How long can Sam cope before he snaps?  

Part of a Windows and Mirrors series that focuses on teenagers going through difficult times, this book has dyslexia-friendly font, wide spacing and off-white pages. It’s a very short book, but packs a lot in. There are some tough topics explored, including poverty and bereavement, all done in a sensitive way. The author was fostered and adopted herself as a baby, and has consulted contemporary foster families when writing this story. 

This would appeal to teenagers with low reading ability but high interest levels. 

Note: this has a couple of instances of moderate swearing.