Breathing Room by Marsha Hayles

In May of 1940, 13-year-old Evvy has tuberculosis and must be admitted to a sanatorium for TB patients. Sharing a room with four others, she is not allowed to walk, talk, or even cough; her parents and her twin brother, Abe, may not visit. Evvy is trapped in a cold, sterile, and uncomfortable world. Hayles creates memorable characters in a quiet, deeply felt young adult novel that explores both early twentieth-century medicine and the strength found in the bonds of friendship. Ages 10 and up. (Henry Holt)