This story is told from the point of view of Mae who has a loving (if not terribly well-off) family, good friends and chronic asthma. She spends a lot of time, after particularly bad attacks, in hospital and it is there that she starts seeing a strange crack in reality which no-one else notices. Finally, her curiosity gets the better of her, and she goes through this rift to discover an alternate reality. In this life she lives in a big house, has material thing a young girl could wish for and, wonderfully, she doesn't have asthma at all. As she discovers the joys of breathing freely, exercising without fear and having a great big bedroom, however, she realises that some things in this existence are not necessarily better - her parents work so hard they barely have time for her, her best friend avoids her and they never take time to visit her grandmother. Is not having asthma (which the family were dealing with in a sensible, loving way) worth losing all the other good things in her life?

A good book for youngsters of six or seven upwards and one which may of particular interest if they have experience of chronic conditions.  For me it also seems as if it may appeal to young Doctor Who fans too - it has a similar mix of interesting story and gentle introduction of big issues of health, friendship and family.

Mae's asthma means that she sometimes has to stay in hospital. During one visit, a hole appears in the air that no-one else can see. When this happens again, she decides to go into the home and ends up in a world almost identical to her normal life. In the new world, Mae doesn't have asthma and the priorities of her parents are very different. When another hole appears, Mae has to decide whether she wants to stay or return to her normal life.

I liked the writing style of this book and thought the idea was interesting, but I think I was expecting a bit more. The story doesn't really go anywhere and it almost reads like one of those standalone reading scheme books or an extract from a longer book.

This is a lovely book about a girl called Mae living with asthma, who makes frequent, frightening visits to hospital as a result of her condition. Faced one day with the prospect of visiting an alternative world through a portal where she could live WITHOUT asthma, she has to weigh up the pros and cons of what else might change and what option to choose.

A heartwarming and thought provoking book about choices, consequences and facing challenges, this would be a great book to use in classrooms as a prompt for discussio about health, choices etc.

I believe there are resources are from CLPE related to this book, and that it is part of a series of books aimed at developing readers, with complex issues dealt with through captivativating stories and content - there are a list of questions to use at the end. Chapters are relatively short, so this would be equally good to use as a class read aloud or independent text, and there is releif and addition to the text with frequent illustrations throughout.

I'm a big fan of Polly Ho-Yen already, and am adding this to the list of recommended reads in my classroom next year!

Mae suffers from asthma and spends a lot of time in hospitals. One day as she is lying in her hospital bed, she sees a hole open up in the wall. Thinking she has imagined it, she's surprised to see it happen again. And the third time she sees it, she pushes through the hole into her other life. Here, she doesn't feel the tightness in her chest as she struggles to breathe and she's moving to a new house with a bigger room. But is this other life better than the one she had?
This is a lovely story about family, love and chronic illness. Written sensitively, the short chapters make it perfect for reluctant readers or those beginning to read chapter books. I would recommend this book for readers in lower key stage 2.
I received an eARC of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A confident and contemporary chapter book that will ignite imagination and independence in young readers.

Occasionally Mae’s asthma causes her to be in hospital, and her family have a well-rehearsed system for dealing with any of her attacks. It is in hospital that she first notices a hole, but she can only talk about it with her best friend Rav. While waiting for an ambulance after another severe attack, she reaches out and touches the hole, unprepared for what happens!
An intriguing mystery by a top author, written at a perfect level for those gaining confidence in their reading ability who are ready for a short novel, this will be a good addition to a class library.

A lovely tale about appreciating what you have and what is really important in life. Mae is a great protagonist and this book will hook young book worms who are enjoying independent reading. Also a great book for any youngsters with conditions that mean they have to spend a lot of time in hospital, or their peers, so they are able to better understand their situation.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

A sweet, thought-provoking story for younger readers, tackling issues of childhood asthma, family and friends and showing great representation.

A great tool to use in primary school classroom and a nice chapter book for younger readers to build their confidence in reading by themselves or to read out loud by parent, guardian or teacher.

Polly Ho-Yen is one of my favourite writers for children and any book by her is a treat. This is the kind of book I would have loved as a child, that kind that sparks your imagination and sets you off on journey to read more. The illustrations are wonderful too.

This is a very interesting and fun story, with the play of there being another life and world to enjoy, when you are off to imagine and play. It is a wordier book, aimed at more 6 year old or, if you are like us, it can be read to younger children, as they lay down for their naps. Ada is 2, and she loved the story and having it read to her. We really liked the book and highly recommend it!

Mae has asthma and it sometimes lands her in hospital. Luckily her parents are kind, caring and willing to do anything they can to make sure she is safe and healthy. During one hospital stay, Mae is surprised and scared to see a black hole, full of squiggly lines appear on the wall in front of her.
When she sees a few more, she talks to best friend Rav, who encourages her to step through the next one she sees. It could be a portal to another world.
When Mae does step through it is to find she is asthma free. Her parents seem busier, less caring and more concerned about buying a bigger house. Best friend Rav is not her best friend and Mae feels mixed up and unsure.
She would love to live asthma free but is she willing to sacrifice everything else for that?

A thought provoking book, perfect for older readers and would spark some fascinating conversations in the classroom. Author Polly Ho-Yen has an incredible talent and I plan to share this text across all my schools.

In My Other Life, Mae's life is full of trips to the hospital for her asthma. She worried that it is the only thing that defines her, and that it makes life harder for everyone around her. When mysterious portals begin to appear, she discovers an alternative life that isn't at all what she expected.

This chapter book is a great representation of childhood asthma, which lots of children will be able to relate to. It's a great way to discuss chronic illness both with children who experience it, and those who don't. Mae's adventures through the portal help her to learn that something that makes you, you, could have huge implications on your life if it vanished.

This is also a lovely story on the importance of family and friendship. It's the right level for readers gaining in confidence to read alone and there's lots to discuss, so it would work well in a school setting.