Barbara Elmore's books and more Category:  Young Adult/Teen Publisher: Royal Fireworks Press ISBN-10:  0880921099 Type: Fiction Pages: 126 Copyright: 1994 ISBN-13: 9780880921084 An 11-year-old girl named Alberta has asthma, and must learn how to keep it from controlling her life.  "Sometimes I think Mary Lou believes yelling is the cure for asthma," says Alberta Sims. "She sure does enough of it."   Mary Lou is Alberta's mother, and Alberta suffers (but doesn't want anyone to know it) from asthma. She would rather be running or playing with dogs or hanging around with Bethesda, her best friend.     Alberta never misses a chance to irritate her overprotective mother, Mary Lou. Even when she's not trying, she provokes Mary Lou and suffers the consequences.   Set in the Texas Hill Country of Marble Falls, Breathing Room tells the story of how Alberta conquers her asthma with the help of many people, including Bethesda.    Breathing Room, Barbara Elmore's first book of fiction, was published in 1994 by Royal Fireworks Press and won the Texas Institute of Letters Best Book for Children or Young People Award.    The author conquered her own asthma, thanks to cutting edge medicines and research, and a very good doctor.    Breathing Room, in paperback, is available in many places: Order from Amazon.com or Royal Fireworks Press in Unionville, N.Y. (845) 726-4444.    Excerpt I was six when I started waking up in the middle of the night unable to breathe. That still happens today, and I still get scared. I always holler for someone to come, and Mary Lou always does, bringing with her the latest medicine some drug salesman pushed off on Dr. Wells. And if that doesn't work and the asthma attack is really scary, she has to get dressed and drive me all the way to the hospital in Marble Falls for a shot.

Breathing Room
Comments from seventh-grade readers, first names only

Natalie: I like that the two friends are total opposites and I can relate to that. I don't have asthma, but my mother is very protective of me.

Krystle: I liked Breathing Room because the girl had asthma. I like books like this because I have asthma and know how the girl feels. Sometimes I feel like no one knows how I feel and I'm embarrassed. I think that I can do nothing because of my asthma. In Breathing Room, Alberta felt just the same.

Preston: It made me feel that there are some people who are different and still function like normal adults.

Robert: My brother has asthma. I recommended that he should read it.

Sean: ...Mary Lou is just like my mother; they speak or yell before they think...I have a cousin with asthma and a few weeks ago he was put on the cross country team. I'm like Bethesda. She's cool, a little bossy, fun to be around, etc.

Jason: Mary Lou is exactly like my mother. When I have a cold or a sprained ankle she won't let me do anything.

Sarah: Bethesda is my favorite character because she's kind of like me because I like primary colors. I also liked Mary Lou because she's kind of like my mom.

Natalie: My sister Crystal has asthma like Alberta. She uses a machine, and my mom got her a little chee-wawa, and named her Pebbles. Now she is feeling better.

Rosa: I like {Alberta} because she took cross country 'cause I was in cross-country, too. It's fun but then one day I was going to drop out. But then I read the book...and then I didn't drop out.

Stephanie: I know how Alberta felt about asthma because my brother has it. But he does everything we do.

Thomas: I really enjoyed the book...because it showed how a person that has a disability can go on and do what she wants to do. Alberta can do things that other people can't imagine.

Ebony: I wish there were more people out there that would talk to you even if they don't know you. I guess I'm a little like Alberta. I don't have many friends and I would give anyone a chance if they talked to me.