Deepest Breath, The

Reach for this book when your child is beginning to experience the dizzying, confusing, and often overwhelming physical sensations of a first crush. It is a perfect choice for the sensitive preteen who finds it difficult to put their feelings into words or who feels a sense of quiet panic when faced with new, unfamiliar emotions. Stevie is an eleven-year-old girl who loves facts because they are solid and dependable. However, when she starts feeling a physical flutter around her friend Chloe, she realizes that some things cannot be looked up in a typical encyclopedia. This gentle verse novel explores her internal journey from anxiety to self-acceptance. It is an incredibly soft and age-appropriate introduction to LGBTQ+ identity, focusing on the emotional experience rather than social or political labels. Parents will appreciate how the story models a healthy, supportive relationship between a child, her mother, and a trusted community figure like a librarian.