Breathe: A Ghost Story

Jack is used to danger. His asthma has nearly killed him more than once. Jack is used to tragedy. His father has recently died from a sudden heart attack. Jack is not afraid of death. Whenever he touches objects owned by dead people, memories of the person tingle into his fingers and brain so that he understands past lives. Jack's mother has moved them into a new home for a fresh start to life after his father's death…away from Jack's unusual closeness to death. But, Jack's new home has a danger he's never known before—spirits of the dead. The spirits can't breathe….but in his house they can chase and hide and scream. Only Jack can hear and talk to them as he does on pages 226-227:

"Jack's inhaler was in his bedroom. The biggest (asthma) attack of his life was coming…..'Don't hurt her anymore,' Jack managed to whisper. 'I'll do anything you want.
I'll…..be…..anything you want.'
'You'll never love me.'
'Please….I will….'
'No. I am done with you now, Jack, done with you.'

The Ghost Mother rubbed her lips dry to improve the contact, then clamped herself to Gwyneth again. Jack couldn't do anything to stop her. He gasped, trying to get more air into his lungs. I'm going to black out, he realized. If I do, the Ghost Mother will be able to do whatever she wants. I can't let her…."

Can Jack persevere through crippling asthma attacks to learn secrets of the ghosts in time to save himself and his mother from what even spirits are scared to death of? Read Breathe: A Ghost Story to find out who survives in this world and the next.

McNish, C. Breathe: A Ghost Story. Minneapolis. Carolrhoda Books Inc, 2006. Print.