Life and Breath: Stories (Ursula Dubosarsky, Christmas Press)

Life and Breath: Stories brings together 13 short stories by Ursula Dubosarsky, offering a delightful showcase of her distinctive ability to inhabit the shifting borderlands between memory, imagination and self-discovery. Though each story stands alone, the collection feels unified by a common thread of moments – significant or fleeting – that prompt her characters to pause and reflect on themselves or their circumstances. Part of what makes Life and Breath so engaging is its tonal range. Some stories lean into whimsy and feel dreamlike, while others are more firmly rooted in reality. Dubosarsky explores friendships, family tensions and the seemingly small but life-shaping decisions that define growing up. By weaving together the everyday and the fantastical, the collection never falls into the predictable, and each short story leaves its own impression. Thoughtful, surprising and quietly insightful, Life and Breath is a warm exploration of how the past lingers, how the future compels us forward and how our decisions shape our sense of self. It is best suited for upper middle-grade to early young adult readers aged 10 to 15, and includes notes on each story at the back. The subtle emotional shifts and reflective tone of the stories will resonate most with readers ready for themes that sit just beyond childhood but who aren’t entirely in adult territory. It is perfect for readers who enjoy Shaun Tan’s blend of the surreal, the whimsical and the softly resonant.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Anneliese Gates is a writer and works in a primary school library. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Friday Unlocked reviews Reviews