ALA Booklist (Wed Sep 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Typically, the weather in 12-year-old Avalyn's Arizona town is close to perfect, but a recent uptick in dust storms is doing her severe asthma no favors. She's convinced the storms are tied to the arrival of Adam, a mysterious new boy in her class. Quiet and messy in appearance, he quickly becomes the target of bullies, a group that Avalyn is all too familiar with. She can sense Adam's simmering anger as well an inscrutable something else that she can't persuade him to confide in her. As the dust storms worsen, Avalyn puts her health on the line to discover the dark secret Adam is keeping. Bowling's latest digs into bullying, child abuse, and the power of both words and silence, but she also weaves in a thread of the supernatural that manifests in unexpected ways and casts empathy as a superpower. The stakes and emotions are high in this one, but Bowling guides her characters to clearer skies by the story's end. Appended with an author's note, resources on consent and child sexual abuse, and discussion questions.

Kirkus Reviews

There isn't much going on in Clear Canyon City, the small Arizona town where Avalyn and her parents moved for the climate after her severe asthma nearly killed her.But all she needs are Dillon and Nan, her two best friends, and her passion for competitive spelling. Though she struggles with her asthma and food and environmental allergies, life is mostly normal-until, all at once, unprecedented dust storms hit and middle school bullying ramps up. These dangers are marked by the arrival of Adam, a sullen and withdrawn new student. He and Avalyn form a growing connection over a love of X-Men comics and feelings of isolation, and his presence and the increasingly severe weather seem to be connected. Avalyn must gather the courage to help protect Adam when no one else can and perhaps share her deepest secret: that she suspects she's an empath, able to sense the emotions of others. This is a skill she'll need to draw upon to confront the horrible truth of Adam's family life. Despite many pop-culture references that seem to stand in for deeper characterization, Avalyn's difficult, matter-of-fact daily negotiations with her health and the unforgiving desert surroundings are well realized. Her determined sleuthing will draw in readers, and the different abuses Avalyn and Adam each face are presented with care and not glossed over. Most main characters are cued White; Nan is Mexican American.An investigation of hard choices and empathy. (author's note, discussion questions) (Fiction. 8-12)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

An asthmatic 12-year-old with the power to read emotions through touch stands up against bullying and a friend’s abusive homelife in this lightly speculative offering from Bowling (Across the Desert). Ever since she almost died from an asthma attack, Avalyn has carried an inhaler, which helps her combat the feeling of “breathing air mud” while living in Clear Canyon City, Ariz. At school, she befriends new student Adam, the two bonding over their shared love of X-Men. But Avalyn is keeping her ability a secret from her new friend. When popular bullies target introverted Adam, calling him “Dirt Head” for his unkempt appearance, Avalyn uses her powers to help him, but what she detects (a “dark dungeon feeling”) prompts worry for her friend. Meanwhile, Avalyn’s breathing problems worsen as dangerous dust storms escalate. The integration of Avalyn’s superpowers into her everyday situations is sometimes bluntly handled, but Bowling nevertheless deftly portrays Avalyn as a resourceful tween who will stop at nothing to protect a friend, determinedly overcoming her feelings of frustration and isolation surrounding her asthma and pervasive allergies. An author’s note and discussion questions conclude. Avalyn and Adam cue as white. Ages 8–12. Agent: Shannon Hassan, Marshal Lyon Literary. (Aug.)

School Library Journal (Sun Oct 01 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Gr 4–7 —Ten years ago, when Avalyn's asthma almost ended her life, her parents decided to move to a crisp, clean air town in Arizona. Having fresh air to breathe daily is a gift for Avalyn, and though bullies at school won't let her forget her asthma, Avalyn has learned to focus on her friends and her love of spelling. Everything changes with the arrival of Adam and the dust storms. Who is Adam and why is the town experiencing unprecedented weather? Avalyn intends to find out. Bowling uses a deceivingly simple plot to broach an important conversation with readers about safety and bodily autonomy. Avalyn and Adam are both dealing with daily attacks; for Avalyn, it's school bullies and asthma; for Adam, it's something much darker happening at home. Their emotional responses to their situations are revealed with touches of magical realism, which aids the reader in understanding their struggles. The overarching theme of speaking up is tied neatly into Avalyn's battle with breathing. Breath is precious and powerful: what a person chooses to do with it can change a life. An endnote expands on bullying and abuse while encouraging youth to speak out if something happens. Avalyn and Adam both read white. Possible trigger warnings for bullying and sexual abuse. VERDICT A valuable addition to middle grade collections that will serve as a conversation starter for crucial, sometimes challenging, topics.—Emily Walker