First published 2022
This hybrid work combines Reynolds' writing with Jason Griffin's art to explore what it means to exist as a Black person in contemporary America. The book centers on the concept of oxygen and the ability to breathe, drawing connections between physical breath and the suffocating weight of systemic racism. Through ten core sentences expanded across 300 pages of visual storytelling, Reynolds examines generations of struggle for literal and metaphorical breath. The collaboration between author and artist creates a visceral experience that makes the reality of being unable to truly breathe accessible to those who haven't lived it, while offering recognition to those who have. The work functions as both contemplation and manifesto, weaving together vulnerability and fierceness to capture the current moment. At its heart, this is a book about hope existing alongside terror, tenderness coexisting with heartbreak, and the human capacity for both cruelty and resilience.
Genres: fiction, art, african-american, contemporary, social-issues, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking, visceral
Tropes: found-family, vulnerability
Period: Contemporary
384 pages · Hardcover · Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
Content warnings: racism, violence