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A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe
In this poignant mixed voice, mixed form collection of interconnected prose, poems and stories, teen characters, their families, and their communities grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst fear and loss, these New York City teens prevail with love, resilience and hope. From the award-winning author of Chlorine Sky and Vinyl Moon.
Grief, pain, hope, and love collide in this short story collection.
In New York City, teens, their families, and their communities feel the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst the fear and loss, these teens and the adults around them persevere with love and hope while living in difficult
Malachi writes an Armageddon short story inspired by his pandemic reality.Tariq helps their ailing grandmother survive during quarantine.Zamira struggles with depression and loneliness after losing her parents.Mohamed tries to help keep his community spirit alive.A social worker reflects on the ways the foster system fails their children.
From award-winning author Mahogany L. Browne comes a poignant collection of interconnected prose, poems, and lists about the humanity and resilience of New Yorkers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Grief, pain, hope, and love collide in this short story collection.
In New York City, teens, their families, and their communities feel the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst the fear and loss, these teens and the adults around them persevere with love and hope while living in difficult
Malachi writes an Armageddon short story inspired by his pandemic reality.Tariq helps their ailing grandmother survive during quarantine.Zamira struggles with depression and loneliness after losing her parents.Mohamed tries to help keep his community spirit alive.A social worker reflects on the ways the foster system fails their children.
From award-winning author Mahogany L. Browne comes a poignant collection of interconnected prose, poems, and lists about the humanity and resilience of New Yorkers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published March 11, 2025
16 people are currently reading
493 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
October 7, 2025
What an unexpected, but well written novel!
Please be aware that this book contains descriptions of the COVID pandemic.
What Worked: Mahogany L. Browne never ceases to amaze me. The manner in which she constructs the teen experience should be studied. A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe beautifully captures not only the initial impact of the COVID pandemic and lock down, but also its lasting affects. It also illustrates the ways in which the pandemic disproportionately impacted lower income, marginalized communities. Adults often forget about the way in which major events impact youth. The pandemic forever changed the way teens interact with each other and the world around them. Capturing the emotional, physical, and mental impacts of lockdown was not only a brilliant idea, but also necessary. There is so much literature about adults and the pandemic, but what about teens? The overall structure of the novel is intriguing and gives the reader a sense of interconnectedness and community. I highly recommend checking this one out and adding it to your TBR list.
Please be aware that this book contains descriptions of the COVID pandemic.
What Worked: Mahogany L. Browne never ceases to amaze me. The manner in which she constructs the teen experience should be studied. A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe beautifully captures not only the initial impact of the COVID pandemic and lock down, but also its lasting affects. It also illustrates the ways in which the pandemic disproportionately impacted lower income, marginalized communities. Adults often forget about the way in which major events impact youth. The pandemic forever changed the way teens interact with each other and the world around them. Capturing the emotional, physical, and mental impacts of lockdown was not only a brilliant idea, but also necessary. There is so much literature about adults and the pandemic, but what about teens? The overall structure of the novel is intriguing and gives the reader a sense of interconnectedness and community. I highly recommend checking this one out and adding it to your TBR list.
April 29, 2025
This book is such a gift to young people to reflect back on the pandemic (or learn about it). Really good embodiment of different voices. A loving offering. Some style choices felt too heavy handed or tidy. Overall a sweet and tender look at covid nyc.
July 18, 2025
This is a very emotional collection of poems and stories that takes us back to the pandemic years and all the fear and dread associated with that time, especially for the younger generation. I had not heard of it until a friend recommended it and I loved the title and how relevant it is for the book.
Told in the multiple voices of an interconnected community in NYC, it beautifully touches on the themes of loss, grief, anxiety and disconnection among others. The words convey the sadness in a very poignant way. Though set in NYC,I think the feelings were universal for the youth who were suddenly cut off from their peers and school and every fun aspect of their regular lives and forced to communicate through screens. The isolation of the time is articulated in a variety of styles by each of the characters.
Though the pandemic was a devastating time to live through, there were also shining and unexpected instances of human connection, hope and love, of communities coming together to help each other and that's also highlighted in this collection.
It's difficult to read because of the memories it evokes but it's also important exactly for that reason as it reminds us of what humanity survived and also that some suffered so much more than others and we should all be aware of our own blessings.
There are so many wonderful lines but these were my favourites.
'Love open our eyes each morning, our eyes touch the sky, the sky touch the sun, the sun touch the trees, the trees touch the air, and the air fill up our lungs. That sound like love to me.
I mean, love is not a vaccine. But when we take care of one another, man…Love is the cure.'
'The pandemic arrived and reminded us we all have one thing in common: We Must Live.'
Told in the multiple voices of an interconnected community in NYC, it beautifully touches on the themes of loss, grief, anxiety and disconnection among others. The words convey the sadness in a very poignant way. Though set in NYC,I think the feelings were universal for the youth who were suddenly cut off from their peers and school and every fun aspect of their regular lives and forced to communicate through screens. The isolation of the time is articulated in a variety of styles by each of the characters.
Though the pandemic was a devastating time to live through, there were also shining and unexpected instances of human connection, hope and love, of communities coming together to help each other and that's also highlighted in this collection.
It's difficult to read because of the memories it evokes but it's also important exactly for that reason as it reminds us of what humanity survived and also that some suffered so much more than others and we should all be aware of our own blessings.
There are so many wonderful lines but these were my favourites.
'Love open our eyes each morning, our eyes touch the sky, the sky touch the sun, the sun touch the trees, the trees touch the air, and the air fill up our lungs. That sound like love to me.
I mean, love is not a vaccine. But when we take care of one another, man…Love is the cure.'
'The pandemic arrived and reminded us we all have one thing in common: We Must Live.'
August 24, 2025
Listen vis Libby.
Favorite Stories:
-Yusef: Six-by-eight
-Social Workers’ Haikus: Q&A with their clients
Wow! This was done rather well. Just made me reflect on a time millions of us had to live through. How this is our history and in the book we get different POVs. People will be able to years from now can use this book a reference of what that time was like.
Also the other stories outside of the pandemic were pretty heavy emotionally. So things kids should never have to go through and no human period should have to go with out.
Amazing read and audio. Highly recommend.
Favorite Stories:
-Yusef: Six-by-eight
-Social Workers’ Haikus: Q&A with their clients
Wow! This was done rather well. Just made me reflect on a time millions of us had to live through. How this is our history and in the book we get different POVs. People will be able to years from now can use this book a reference of what that time was like.
Also the other stories outside of the pandemic were pretty heavy emotionally. So things kids should never have to go through and no human period should have to go with out.
Amazing read and audio. Highly recommend.
May 9, 2025
Wow. Just...wow. This was a very quick read, but I believe it will be one of those titles that will stay with me forever. I haven't considered - really considered - how the COVID shutdown impacted young people at that time. This "quilt of New Yorkers" is so beautiful and raw. Being from a rural area, my experience with the shutdown was drastically different - I actually enjoyed it. Furthermore, I didn't lose anyone close to me because of it. Reading the stories and perspectives of the book's characters had me crying and angry.
"She always tells the story like it's the first time. And they let her, waiting patiently for her to finish so they can be alone together with their sadness. Together in a safer place where memory keeping doesn't feel like a blindfolded jaunt through an emotional land mine."
"She always tells the story like it's the first time. And they let her, waiting patiently for her to finish so they can be alone together with their sadness. Together in a safer place where memory keeping doesn't feel like a blindfolded jaunt through an emotional land mine."
December 30, 2024
A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe is a deeply emotional and tragic mixed form collection of prose depicting the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown in New York City. Told through mixed voices, this read tells the story of an interconnected community struggling through the terrifying and grief-ridden time that was the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown.
The writing is tragically beautiful and the reader is immediately returned to the uncertainty of 2020, combined with the necessary resilience, hope, and love that kept people moving forward during this terrible time. This is really a story of community and perseverance, but is by no means a light-hearted read; indeed, the story is downright depressing for the vast majority. But as many tragic stories are, it’s also a very important and crucial read for generations going forward.
Thank you to Mahogany L. Browne, Random House, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.
The writing is tragically beautiful and the reader is immediately returned to the uncertainty of 2020, combined with the necessary resilience, hope, and love that kept people moving forward during this terrible time. This is really a story of community and perseverance, but is by no means a light-hearted read; indeed, the story is downright depressing for the vast majority. But as many tragic stories are, it’s also a very important and crucial read for generations going forward.
Thank you to Mahogany L. Browne, Random House, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.
January 26, 2025
This collection of poetry and short stories was beautifully written. I liked the parts about Malachi and his letter to his mother.
The social worker haikus were also interesting to me.
I appreciate reading about an experience different than mine during the pandemicn but admittedly, I do not have a lot of interest to read things heavily based around the pandemic.
I didn't know that until I read this.
It still doesn't take away how well written, unique, and thoughtful the collection is.
The social worker haikus were also interesting to me.
I appreciate reading about an experience different than mine during the pandemicn but admittedly, I do not have a lot of interest to read things heavily based around the pandemic.
I didn't know that until I read this.
It still doesn't take away how well written, unique, and thoughtful the collection is.
March 14, 2025
Kind of a mess with bright spots. I think for many teens it’ll be hard to tell the science fictiony parts from the realistic parts, and the use of Electra/Chorus feels inconsistent.
September 18, 2025
This was a whole different look at the pandemic for me: through the eyes of kids, specifically teens, and through the lens of New York City. It was eye-opening to see these different views and I liked how the stories connected. As with anthologies, I didn’t love all the stories and one of the voices sounded younger than she was supposed to be (the reader AND how she was written) but overall this will be a great piece to preserve so future generations can see some of what some of us went through in 2020/2021.
March 8, 2025
A hauntingly realistic snapshot of the anxiety, loss, resilience, and hope experienced by young people at the height of the Covid pandemic. Full review posted at BookBrowse.
July 3, 2025
probably beautiful but i for some reason did not realize it was entirely about covid and i was not AT ALL in the headspace for that rn. sorry 💔
August 3, 2025
This book exudes the loneliness and fears that stopped the world during the COVID 19 pandemic. Set in New York City and told with lyrical prose it had the ingredients to be a book that young adults could possibly relate to but sadly it failed.
eligible-in-2025
March 5, 2025Our thanks to Edith Campbell for the recommendation: https://edicottonquilt.com/2025/03/04...
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April 18, 2025I don't feel like I can accurately rate this because it was very conflicting for me.
This is a collection of stories from multiple points of view and characters that are experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic in NYC. Many of these stories are coming from young people but some are from adults, and the people are all connected to each other in some way. There was also a chorus of two girls that commented on the stories as we transitioned between them, but not every time. I listened to the audiobook version of this, and the cast of narrators did a fantastic job of bringing each story to life (I especially liked Marigold). However, I don't know if the audio made it this way, but the first story was incredibly hard to follow and I had no idea it wasn't a fictional story written by Malachi- maybe the print version has something to indicate that? There's also just A LOT of topics being tackled here in such a short book and I wonder if it is trying to do too much.
My main issue is whether this will resonate with teens or not. I don't see many of them gravitating toward it unless they are familiar with the author and/or like poetry and poetic writing, and the title doesn't help in that regard. I wonder how accurate this is to how teens experienced the pandemic, too? It's such a difficult thing to write about for many reasons but especially for this age group. The teens that experienced it the way it is written here have mostly aged out of YA and aren't the target demographic, and those who are the target age now had such a different experience. It's important to read about others' experiences, but will it resonate? And is it too soon/too raw?
This is a collection of stories from multiple points of view and characters that are experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic in NYC. Many of these stories are coming from young people but some are from adults, and the people are all connected to each other in some way. There was also a chorus of two girls that commented on the stories as we transitioned between them, but not every time. I listened to the audiobook version of this, and the cast of narrators did a fantastic job of bringing each story to life (I especially liked Marigold). However, I don't know if the audio made it this way, but the first story was incredibly hard to follow and I had no idea it wasn't a fictional story written by Malachi- maybe the print version has something to indicate that? There's also just A LOT of topics being tackled here in such a short book and I wonder if it is trying to do too much.
My main issue is whether this will resonate with teens or not. I don't see many of them gravitating toward it unless they are familiar with the author and/or like poetry and poetic writing, and the title doesn't help in that regard. I wonder how accurate this is to how teens experienced the pandemic, too? It's such a difficult thing to write about for many reasons but especially for this age group. The teens that experienced it the way it is written here have mostly aged out of YA and aren't the target demographic, and those who are the target age now had such a different experience. It's important to read about others' experiences, but will it resonate? And is it too soon/too raw?
December 22, 2024
When I picked up this book, I thought that maybe 2020 was far enough in the past for me to read about it with some distance. But Mahogany L. Browne's writing pulled me right in, and I found myself having to read it in chunks to really process it. 'A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe' is incredibly intimate, feeling almost like it's speaking directly to you.
Browne beautifully captures the voices of a wide range of characters, immersing the reader in each vignette. Between these vignettes we hear from the "chorus” of two teens who know these characters and are following the stories with us. The stories are woven together in a kaleidoscopic way, highlighting the connections within the community – which makes the isolation and loneliness even more poignant.
This book threw me right back into 2020, but it also showed how privilege drastically shaped people's experiences of the pandemic. The footnotes with sources throughout demonstrate Browne's commitment to authenticity. This book feels deeply grounded in truth. It's a heavy read, and I think it’s a important one for anyone who remembers 2020 and for even younger middle grades/YA readers who might have a hazy recollection of that time. I think it will stand the test of time as a powerful time capsule.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this phenomenal text!
Browne beautifully captures the voices of a wide range of characters, immersing the reader in each vignette. Between these vignettes we hear from the "chorus” of two teens who know these characters and are following the stories with us. The stories are woven together in a kaleidoscopic way, highlighting the connections within the community – which makes the isolation and loneliness even more poignant.
This book threw me right back into 2020, but it also showed how privilege drastically shaped people's experiences of the pandemic. The footnotes with sources throughout demonstrate Browne's commitment to authenticity. This book feels deeply grounded in truth. It's a heavy read, and I think it’s a important one for anyone who remembers 2020 and for even younger middle grades/YA readers who might have a hazy recollection of that time. I think it will stand the test of time as a powerful time capsule.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this phenomenal text!
June 27, 2025
A fictional short story/poetry collection of different young adult voices in New York during the pandemic, ranging from young adults isolated at home, losing loved ones, growing up in the foster care system, caring for sick family, incarcerated, trying to find queer love online, trying self-care and wellness tips, working as an essential worker, and running a business. Bits of connection and creativity sprinkled throughout the work - was confused at the start due to the first story feeling disjointed, but once I reflected on the book as a whole, I appreciated it overall. It did not impact me as much as I thought it would for being my first COVID-themed read.
Story: The story had me so confused at the beginning. Nothing seemed to be connecting for me. I thought the chorus choice was a bit odd and didn't understand its purpose in placement. I wasn't invested in any of the characters because I felt like I did not know enough about any of them to care too much, except relating to the isolation and pains regarding losing loved ones. The book started getting good for me when we hit "Pops: Sal's", "Yusef: Six-by-Eight", "Tam: To-Do List", and "Maseo Craig Sr.: Hope Is An Act of Liberation". The character cast began to be related and mentioned in each other's stories (yay connections!), and I began seeing the overarching theme of the work of hope and love in the COVID era survival time.
Voice: Voice was distinct in different chapters, which is a feat considering the number of characters in the work! Pop's voice was the first account that really got me into the work, and Yusef, Tam, Zamira, Esmerelda, and Maseo Craig Sr. all had voices that were particularly memorable. The author does a good job at having the characters talk the way they would in real life, with all the slang that entails. The Jamaican patois was neat.
Style: Chorus inclusion seemed like a weird choice to me. Didn't really like this mix of prose and poetry, except maybe at the end. The first half of the book felt disjointed and a bit jarring.
Setting: Clear - pandemic era in New York. I don't know a lot about New York neighborhoods but there was a map at the start!
Accuracy: Accurate to things I remember - the deaths, the isolation, online school, 6 feet apart, March lockdown, etc. It also covered in detail things I heard about but did not live through - what it was like to live in poverty in COVID time, with brown/unclean water, with death all around you, with no food. I felt for Pops and Tam, as it reminded me a bit in spirit of my work as an essential worker at the homeless shelter during COVID.
Characters: I enjoyed the diversity in character backgrounds and what we got to see - poor, lost parents, caring for sick relatives, foster care system, incarceration, Zoom school and in-person school, online queer dating, essential worker life, young adult being the main provider for sibling, a small neighborhood business owner. Most of the characters were African, African American, or Hispanic, it seemed, with queer love/lesbians depicted and nonbinary orientation represented. I liked the connections that popped up between characters - Pops/Tam romance, Pops/Zamira cat adoption, Yusef/Maseo Craig Sr. being Malachi's dad, Tariq/Zamira besties, Esmerelda/Tariq connection, Carrie Roeblin mentioning the bodega - as they were all surprising. I appreciated multiple references to how different individuals in the community contributed to neighborhood efforts to care for the elderly.
Theme: "I mean, love is not a vaccine. But when we take care of one another, man...Love is the cure." (137) The pandemic has taught us that we don't know what other people might be living through, so we must be kind and love one another. We must hope and dream that our future can be better and include us all, that we can have justice for all, and that we can work to make that happen. We all deserve to live. In "Hyacinth: We, A Litany on Surviving", some lines are "We mask up and keep calm / We are a generous legacy / Just trying to make our ancestors proud / even when our backs are against the wall" (145). The idea is to keep fighting and keep surviving. Another theme was the idea that young people make up the next generation and have things to contribute to society! There was a bit of that YA-attitude of "Adults suck! Adults don't know anything!" going on.
Design (including format, organization, etc.): Cover art is nice. I'm thankful each chapter only had one character speaking and that it was labeled with their name at the start.
Story: The story had me so confused at the beginning. Nothing seemed to be connecting for me. I thought the chorus choice was a bit odd and didn't understand its purpose in placement. I wasn't invested in any of the characters because I felt like I did not know enough about any of them to care too much, except relating to the isolation and pains regarding losing loved ones. The book started getting good for me when we hit "Pops: Sal's", "Yusef: Six-by-Eight", "Tam: To-Do List", and "Maseo Craig Sr.: Hope Is An Act of Liberation". The character cast began to be related and mentioned in each other's stories (yay connections!), and I began seeing the overarching theme of the work of hope and love in the COVID era survival time.
Voice: Voice was distinct in different chapters, which is a feat considering the number of characters in the work! Pop's voice was the first account that really got me into the work, and Yusef, Tam, Zamira, Esmerelda, and Maseo Craig Sr. all had voices that were particularly memorable. The author does a good job at having the characters talk the way they would in real life, with all the slang that entails. The Jamaican patois was neat.
Style: Chorus inclusion seemed like a weird choice to me. Didn't really like this mix of prose and poetry, except maybe at the end. The first half of the book felt disjointed and a bit jarring.
Setting: Clear - pandemic era in New York. I don't know a lot about New York neighborhoods but there was a map at the start!
Accuracy: Accurate to things I remember - the deaths, the isolation, online school, 6 feet apart, March lockdown, etc. It also covered in detail things I heard about but did not live through - what it was like to live in poverty in COVID time, with brown/unclean water, with death all around you, with no food. I felt for Pops and Tam, as it reminded me a bit in spirit of my work as an essential worker at the homeless shelter during COVID.
Characters: I enjoyed the diversity in character backgrounds and what we got to see - poor, lost parents, caring for sick relatives, foster care system, incarceration, Zoom school and in-person school, online queer dating, essential worker life, young adult being the main provider for sibling, a small neighborhood business owner. Most of the characters were African, African American, or Hispanic, it seemed, with queer love/lesbians depicted and nonbinary orientation represented. I liked the connections that popped up between characters - Pops/Tam romance, Pops/Zamira cat adoption, Yusef/Maseo Craig Sr. being Malachi's dad, Tariq/Zamira besties, Esmerelda/Tariq connection, Carrie Roeblin mentioning the bodega - as they were all surprising. I appreciated multiple references to how different individuals in the community contributed to neighborhood efforts to care for the elderly.
Theme: "I mean, love is not a vaccine. But when we take care of one another, man...Love is the cure." (137) The pandemic has taught us that we don't know what other people might be living through, so we must be kind and love one another. We must hope and dream that our future can be better and include us all, that we can have justice for all, and that we can work to make that happen. We all deserve to live. In "Hyacinth: We, A Litany on Surviving", some lines are "We mask up and keep calm / We are a generous legacy / Just trying to make our ancestors proud / even when our backs are against the wall" (145). The idea is to keep fighting and keep surviving. Another theme was the idea that young people make up the next generation and have things to contribute to society! There was a bit of that YA-attitude of "Adults suck! Adults don't know anything!" going on.
Design (including format, organization, etc.): Cover art is nice. I'm thankful each chapter only had one character speaking and that it was labeled with their name at the start.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2025
ARC read. Review to come.
*********
When the pandemic hit in 2020 no one knew what was coming. No one knew what to expect. My family had recently moved to a new state, new city, new home. We had three little kids, another on the way, and I was in the midst of a job hunt. Our world tilted in ways we didn't anticipate, and I remember feeling a deep sense of dread when they closed the parks and libraries. Despair followed every time I walked into a grocery store unsure if they would have eggs, milk, bread.
Covid hit the world hard, and Browne does an amazing job of illustrating this in A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe. Told from the perspective of teenagers (mostly) in NYC, Browne illustrates the hardships, struggles, hope, and joy an often-overlooked age group dealt with in - yeah, I'm gonna say it - a completely unprecedented time.
Told from multiple perspectives, Browne brings a unique voice to each character the reader is introduced to; Yusef, a gentle soul dealing with the broken foster and legal system, Esmerelda, a young woman coming to terms with her identity and loss, Zamira, who has lost so much, and struggles with mental health. These three are just a few of the vast ensemble Browne has created in her short novel, and each one is exemplary, perceptive, and tragic. I especially enjoyed Hyacinth and Electra, the chorus throughout; just like a Greek tragedy they guide the reader/ audience along the way offering insight and wisdom. (I thought this literary device was particularly clever.)
A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe deals with loss, familial death, found family, racism, injustice, LGBTQ+, mental health, and many, many more themes and issues in this 145 page book. Browne does so with style while leaving the reader attached and hopeful for these intersecting character's future. This was an insightful read, and I enjoyed it.
A note to the author: I began reading this book before a personal tragedy took hold of my world. (That sounds dramatic, but it was tragic for me.) I apologize for the late review, and I look forward to reading more of your work in the future.
*********
When the pandemic hit in 2020 no one knew what was coming. No one knew what to expect. My family had recently moved to a new state, new city, new home. We had three little kids, another on the way, and I was in the midst of a job hunt. Our world tilted in ways we didn't anticipate, and I remember feeling a deep sense of dread when they closed the parks and libraries. Despair followed every time I walked into a grocery store unsure if they would have eggs, milk, bread.
Covid hit the world hard, and Browne does an amazing job of illustrating this in A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe. Told from the perspective of teenagers (mostly) in NYC, Browne illustrates the hardships, struggles, hope, and joy an often-overlooked age group dealt with in - yeah, I'm gonna say it - a completely unprecedented time.
Told from multiple perspectives, Browne brings a unique voice to each character the reader is introduced to; Yusef, a gentle soul dealing with the broken foster and legal system, Esmerelda, a young woman coming to terms with her identity and loss, Zamira, who has lost so much, and struggles with mental health. These three are just a few of the vast ensemble Browne has created in her short novel, and each one is exemplary, perceptive, and tragic. I especially enjoyed Hyacinth and Electra, the chorus throughout; just like a Greek tragedy they guide the reader/ audience along the way offering insight and wisdom. (I thought this literary device was particularly clever.)
A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe deals with loss, familial death, found family, racism, injustice, LGBTQ+, mental health, and many, many more themes and issues in this 145 page book. Browne does so with style while leaving the reader attached and hopeful for these intersecting character's future. This was an insightful read, and I enjoyed it.
A note to the author: I began reading this book before a personal tragedy took hold of my world. (That sounds dramatic, but it was tragic for me.) I apologize for the late review, and I look forward to reading more of your work in the future.
December 26, 2024
Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe by Mahogany L. Browne is a deeply emotional, interconnected collection of stories, poems, and vignettes that takes readers through the lived experiences of New Yorkers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Through diverse characters—teens, their families, and their communities—we see resilience, loss, grief, and hope unfold in the shadow of the pandemic.
One of the most striking aspects of this book is how Browne weaves the voices of different characters together, each with their own unique perspective, yet all connected in some way. I loved how characters reappeared in different stories, allowing readers to track their journeys and relationships. The book is deeply grounded in truth, with footnotes that show Browne’s commitment to authenticity and real-life sources.
Reading these stories was a powerful reminder of how privilege shaped people's experiences during the pandemic. My own experience was vastly different, living in a suburban area with more stability and privilege, while the characters in the book faced job insecurity, isolation, and systemic inequities. Browne beautifully captures the complexities of their lives, making the reader reflect on how the pandemic affected different communities in distinct ways.
This is a heavy read, filled with raw emotion, but it’s also one that feels important—especially for anyone who remembers 2020, or even for younger readers who may only have hazy recollections of that time. The interconnected stories give this collection a unique sense of community, while highlighting the loneliness and isolation that so many felt during the pandemic.
While the first story, which introduces an Armageddon-like narrative, was jarring and hard to follow at first, it eventually makes sense in the context of the book’s broader themes. However, I do think it’s a strange choice to begin the book with it.
Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe is a time capsule, capturing the heartache, resilience, and hope that defined the pandemic for so many. It’s not an easy read, but it’s a necessary one. While it may not be the type of book that teens naturally pick up, it would be an excellent choice for discussion and reflection, especially for those who want to better understand how the pandemic shaped people’s lives, particularly those from marginalized communities.
One of the most striking aspects of this book is how Browne weaves the voices of different characters together, each with their own unique perspective, yet all connected in some way. I loved how characters reappeared in different stories, allowing readers to track their journeys and relationships. The book is deeply grounded in truth, with footnotes that show Browne’s commitment to authenticity and real-life sources.
Reading these stories was a powerful reminder of how privilege shaped people's experiences during the pandemic. My own experience was vastly different, living in a suburban area with more stability and privilege, while the characters in the book faced job insecurity, isolation, and systemic inequities. Browne beautifully captures the complexities of their lives, making the reader reflect on how the pandemic affected different communities in distinct ways.
This is a heavy read, filled with raw emotion, but it’s also one that feels important—especially for anyone who remembers 2020, or even for younger readers who may only have hazy recollections of that time. The interconnected stories give this collection a unique sense of community, while highlighting the loneliness and isolation that so many felt during the pandemic.
While the first story, which introduces an Armageddon-like narrative, was jarring and hard to follow at first, it eventually makes sense in the context of the book’s broader themes. However, I do think it’s a strange choice to begin the book with it.
Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe is a time capsule, capturing the heartache, resilience, and hope that defined the pandemic for so many. It’s not an easy read, but it’s a necessary one. While it may not be the type of book that teens naturally pick up, it would be an excellent choice for discussion and reflection, especially for those who want to better understand how the pandemic shaped people’s lives, particularly those from marginalized communities.
May 26, 2025
Poems and short stories compose this tribute to the resilience of young people during and after the pandemic. Sometimes slightly disjointed and as disorienting as the virus's relentless incursion across the globe, the book gives insight into the lives, thoughts, and feelings of various young New Yorkers during that bleak and confusing time. As the book's title declares, there is hope that life will go on and that there will be joy, even from the seemingly smallest moments. From Malachi Craig's surreal imaginings of the aftermath of the pandemic after losing three years as the result of COVID-19 to Tariq's description of the seven stages of quarantine to Hyacinth and Electra's reminder that we need each other and on to Zamira as she watches her older sister, Tamara (Tam) double-glove to stay as safe as she can as she delivers groceries throughout the city, all of them and several others are "just trying to make our ancestors proud / even when our backs are against the wall" (p. 145). Readers will long for more from each of the voices that are speaking here and hope that things will improve.
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April 11, 2025A YA poetry and short story collection with various points of view by @mobrowne
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It’s the pandemic and everything is locked down for COVID-19. Malachi is writing an Armageddon short story, Tariq helps their ailing grandmother survive during quarantine, Zamira struggles with depression after her parents’ death, Mohamed tries hard to keep everyone’s spirits up and a social worker reflects on ways the system has failed children in foster care.
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It’s hard to believe we aren’t so far removed from the COVID days and yet, at times, it seems like it was yesterday. For those not wanting to dive back into that time, tread lightly before picking this book up. Browne always does a great job with her poetry pieces and I loved how she wove in prose this time. The audiobook was fantastic and this title is perfect for Poetry Month.
CW: pandemic (theme), death, parental death, illness, foster care, grief, mental health issues, isolation, confinement
Very hard for me to read due to the theme surrounding COVID.
🕊️
It’s the pandemic and everything is locked down for COVID-19. Malachi is writing an Armageddon short story, Tariq helps their ailing grandmother survive during quarantine, Zamira struggles with depression after her parents’ death, Mohamed tries hard to keep everyone’s spirits up and a social worker reflects on ways the system has failed children in foster care.
😷
It’s hard to believe we aren’t so far removed from the COVID days and yet, at times, it seems like it was yesterday. For those not wanting to dive back into that time, tread lightly before picking this book up. Browne always does a great job with her poetry pieces and I loved how she wove in prose this time. The audiobook was fantastic and this title is perfect for Poetry Month.
CW: pandemic (theme), death, parental death, illness, foster care, grief, mental health issues, isolation, confinement
Very hard for me to read due to the theme surrounding COVID.
March 18, 2025
A very important read. I feel sad whenever people want to forget that the pandemic has happened — and is still happening, mind you. The world changed because of this ongoing tragedy, but one silver lining is that people did come together to help one another out. Personally, it showed me that another world could have been possible, because the pandemic showed that our current system could be taken away just like that, and yet…folks who are so comfortable with the status quo — i.e., them being at the top at the expense of everyone else— don’t want a better world. The ones affected by COVID the most are Black and brown folks, and I’ll never forget how a bunch of entitled white people protested to get haircuts and end shelter-in-place rules shortly after that statistic came up. 😒
I would recommend the audiobook.
I would recommend the audiobook.
December 9, 2025
The emotions in this book felt pretty heavy handed and it made for a depressing read that I was eager to be over with. The angst and grief were over the top in many stories sometimes to the detriment of the narrative's message. The use of teen slang throughout felt forced and cringey instead of authentic. It just seemed like the author was trying too hard overall. I think a long form story focused on a select group of characters would have been a lot more effective and less painful to get through.
I understand that this book is trying to do something important and has the potential to make some teens who lived through the pandemic feel seen. I would be interested to know how teens respond to this book and I can acknowledge that as an adult during the pandemic, this book was not meant for me.
I understand that this book is trying to do something important and has the potential to make some teens who lived through the pandemic feel seen. I would be interested to know how teens respond to this book and I can acknowledge that as an adult during the pandemic, this book was not meant for me.
October 31, 2025
Longlisted for the National Book Award in YA Literature. This read more like interconnected short stories with "Greek chorus" interludes. A beautifully-written portrayal of what the COVID-19 pandemic was like for young people, especially those from marginalized communities. Now that we're out of the pandemic, it's easy to forget how absurd trying to live through that time was. This brought me into the POV of young people trying to navigate the pandemic with illness, Zoom school, isolation, and compounding external challenges such as prison, foster care, inadequate housing, and lack of parental support. This was maybe almost too short? There wasn't much progression with the characters, which is why it's better to consider these as short stories.
March 15, 2025
Set amidst the backdrop of the pandemic, there are many voices in this poetic tribute to the struggles during the outbreak from hunkering down and masking up to not returning to school and experiencing death. Each voice is vivid in the audiobook version which I listened to with a full cast of characters and probably one of the best ways to access the text.
It's a YA novel with an edge because of the isolation and sadness experienced by many in the city in close quarters and struggling. This is that representation. Astute observations and a range of experiences to provide a snapshot in time with Browne's signature lyricism.
It's a YA novel with an edge because of the isolation and sadness experienced by many in the city in close quarters and struggling. This is that representation. Astute observations and a range of experiences to provide a snapshot in time with Browne's signature lyricism.
May 2, 2025
This was a beautiful read. I love YA text that speak to the wisdom of young people who are from the inner cities. These young ppl often thought to not have anything to teach us but the chorus and the characters say different. Handling Covid through such searing portrayals of real life allows young ppl and (older ones) to process that strange time with an eye toward healing. I could see teachers and social workers using this text as a tool to honor and amplify teen voices; to celebrate the resilience of BIPOC youth. I loved Maseo Sr and Jr!
Thank you Mahogany L Browne for such a rich experience and sharing your gifts with us. Thank you NetGalley for this e-arc.
Thank you Mahogany L Browne for such a rich experience and sharing your gifts with us. Thank you NetGalley for this e-arc.
February 2, 2025
As a fan of Mahogany L. Browne and a high school librarian, I knew I had to read this. Excellent decision!
There are very few books that hit so hard as soon as you read the last lines you have to start back at the beginning. This is one of those books. I am definitely not the intended audience. The pandemic is a tough topic. Mahogany L. Browne delivers a variety of voices that ring true and resonate. I look forward to getting this into students’ hands.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.
There are very few books that hit so hard as soon as you read the last lines you have to start back at the beginning. This is one of those books. I am definitely not the intended audience. The pandemic is a tough topic. Mahogany L. Browne delivers a variety of voices that ring true and resonate. I look forward to getting this into students’ hands.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.
March 31, 2025
Some readers may not feel ready to revisit the early days of the pandemic. But for those who are, and for those who may want to use fiction as a tool to process and make sense of the past few years, A Bird in the Air Means We Can Still Breathe offers a hauntingly realistic snapshot of the anxiety, loss, resilience, and hope that many young people knew all too well.
-Callum McLaughlin
Read the full review at: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/review...
-Callum McLaughlin
Read the full review at: https://www.bookbrowse.com/mag/review...
April 1, 2025
As an educator who worked with high school students during the COVID Pandemic, Mahogany L. Browne's A BIRD IN THE AIR MEANS WE CAN STILL BREATHE really resonated with me. In this emotional short story collection, Browne brings those experiences of fear and isolation to life in a very vivid way. It almost feels too real. This is a great book for students who were in high school at the time and experienced so much disruption in their lives; reading this could be very healing. A BIRD IN THE AIR MEANS WE CAN STILL BREATHE is not an easy read but it is well written and beautiful.
August 25, 2025
This is my second time reading this author, and she has yet to disappoint. I thought this was an excellent time capture of the pandemic. It provides new stories and accounts of COVID with its focus specially on young people in one of the largest cities in the world. I thought it was beautifully written, and at times quite haunting, especially if your experience was different than those in the poems. You have to be in the right headspace to read this because it may bring up emotions depending on your feelings toward the pandemic years, but it is worth a read.
March 8, 2025
I found this book a difficult read, but found some real feeling in it as well. The format, some letters, some conversations and some narration were not easy to follow, but the slightly disjointed text added to the discomfort we all should feel when looking back at the pandemic. I think the book did it's job as a time capsule of the fear and folly of COVID 19 and clearly delineates the ways it affected some people in far more devastating ways than others.
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