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When You Can Swim
Winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Picture Book Award
A reverent celebration of learning to swim among a diverse cast of children and families who each experience the mysterious joys of water in nature. In this exploration of what it truly means to swim, expansive vignettes introduce sandpipers, tannin-soaked lakes, and the feeling of a small waterfall on sun-soaked shoulders. But what about those who are afraid of the water’s mysterious ways and resist learning to swim? Painting a compelling picture of the many joys and surprises that the water holds, artist and author Jack Wong has delivered an empowering, poetic journey that invites children to discover their confidence within to receive the warmth and wonder of the natural world.
A reverent celebration of learning to swim among a diverse cast of children and families who each experience the mysterious joys of water in nature. In this exploration of what it truly means to swim, expansive vignettes introduce sandpipers, tannin-soaked lakes, and the feeling of a small waterfall on sun-soaked shoulders. But what about those who are afraid of the water’s mysterious ways and resist learning to swim? Painting a compelling picture of the many joys and surprises that the water holds, artist and author Jack Wong has delivered an empowering, poetic journey that invites children to discover their confidence within to receive the warmth and wonder of the natural world.
48 pages, Hardcover
Published May 2, 2023
About the author
Jack Wong
3 books24 followersJack Wong (黃雋喬) is the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award-winning author/illustrator of When You Can Swim (Scholastic), as well as the forthcoming picture books The Words We Share (Annick Press, Fall 2023), and All That Grows (Groundwood Books, Spring 2024).
Wong was born in Hong Kong and raised in Vancouver. In 2010, he left behind a life as a bridge engineer to pursue his Bachelor of Fine Arts at NSCAD University (Kjipuktuk / Halifax, Canada), where he now lives with his wife and two cats and works as a children’s author/illustrator.
A self-declared actual Jack-of-all-trades, he has also tried his hand at bookkeeping, teaching art, managing a psychology research lab, and running his own bicycle repair shop, just to name a few—a real education for creating children’s books, if you ask him! The books that Jack writes and illustrates are indelibly marked by his hodgepodge journey, as well as by a first-generation Asian Canadian experience, transposed upon the small-city living, natural beauty, and deeply rooted storytelling traditions of the Maritime east coast. He seeks to share all of this with young readers, so that they may embrace the unique amalgams of experiences that make up their own lives.
Jack is represented by Wendi Gu at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.
Wong was born in Hong Kong and raised in Vancouver. In 2010, he left behind a life as a bridge engineer to pursue his Bachelor of Fine Arts at NSCAD University (Kjipuktuk / Halifax, Canada), where he now lives with his wife and two cats and works as a children’s author/illustrator.
A self-declared actual Jack-of-all-trades, he has also tried his hand at bookkeeping, teaching art, managing a psychology research lab, and running his own bicycle repair shop, just to name a few—a real education for creating children’s books, if you ask him! The books that Jack writes and illustrates are indelibly marked by his hodgepodge journey, as well as by a first-generation Asian Canadian experience, transposed upon the small-city living, natural beauty, and deeply rooted storytelling traditions of the Maritime east coast. He seeks to share all of this with young readers, so that they may embrace the unique amalgams of experiences that make up their own lives.
Jack is represented by Wendi Gu at Sanford J. Greenburger Associates.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
August 28, 2023
I loved this book. It was an ideal and meaningful book for me.
First of all, the illustrations are gorgeous. Big, bold, colorful, expressive, and perfect for this book.
I loved the poetic story of encouraging a child to learn to swim, mostly in nature, but the story does end at a swimming pool for the swimming lessons.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story even before I got to the end and then completely fell in love with it when I got to the author’s biographical story at the end, the nonfiction part of the book. It was a short section but important to include.
Learning to swim was a major deal for me, and remains one of my memorable life stories. It was a pivotal event in my life. I started/learned in a chlorinated outdoor swimming pool but over the years branched out to swimming in the ocean, in lakes and in rivers, though mostly still in pools, outdoor and indoor. For many years I didn’t enjoy swimming in indoor pools but got accustomed to swimming that way when they were what was available to me. It’s been a long time since I went swimming. There were periods of my life when I swam up to five times a week.
I would love to share this book with children, especially those who love swimming and those who haven’t learned to swim yet including those afraid of the water.
First of all, the illustrations are gorgeous. Big, bold, colorful, expressive, and perfect for this book.
I loved the poetic story of encouraging a child to learn to swim, mostly in nature, but the story does end at a swimming pool for the swimming lessons.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story even before I got to the end and then completely fell in love with it when I got to the author’s biographical story at the end, the nonfiction part of the book. It was a short section but important to include.
Learning to swim was a major deal for me, and remains one of my memorable life stories. It was a pivotal event in my life. I started/learned in a chlorinated outdoor swimming pool but over the years branched out to swimming in the ocean, in lakes and in rivers, though mostly still in pools, outdoor and indoor. For many years I didn’t enjoy swimming in indoor pools but got accustomed to swimming that way when they were what was available to me. It’s been a long time since I went swimming. There were periods of my life when I swam up to five times a week.
I would love to share this book with children, especially those who love swimming and those who haven’t learned to swim yet including those afraid of the water.
May 8, 2023
EXCELLENT picture book about overcoming the fear of swimming and exploring the beauty of water bodies no matter your race, age, or gender. Stunning illustrations. Just so well done. Read this to get kids amped up about learning to swim!
August 3, 2023
Lovely celebration of swimming and the worlds of possibility that learning to swim can open to us!
February 2, 2023
As a former swim teacher and devoted lake swimmer, I can't think of another book that has so perfectly captured the sense of freedom and discovery that can come from swimming. Jack Wong's lyrical language is a delight to read, and he uses color and shadow in extraordinary ways to bring depth and movement to the water on the pages. The illustrations are immersive and breathtaking. Diverse bodies move joyfully through the water, filling readers with the sense of possibility that Wong so beautifully discusses in his author's note - "Yes, this belongs to you, too." A gentle invitation for new or hesitant swimmers, a celebration for seasoned swimmers, this book is certain to end up on many of this year's "best of" lists - it's truly special!
January 20, 2024
I never pondered what swimming meant to me until reading this book. The touching author notes made me realize my own mixed relationship with water--I grew up on the Mississippi River, swimming and fishing, but always amid dire warnings. Warnings I heeded given dogs, wildlife, and even people often broke through the river's thin ice. Several drowning stories still stick with me to this day. Swimming lessons were fun, but also terrifying--as a kid, I couldn't jump from the diving board, and one kid dragged me to the bottom of the pool. The book was missing a spread though about a kid watching the movie JAWS, LOL.
Overall, water is fascinating, otherworldly, scenic, and deadly. This touching book captures these mixed emotions well, with great imagry. Some may not like the lyrical text, but other than that this story should appeal to readers of all ages. Well done Jack Wong!!
Overall, water is fascinating, otherworldly, scenic, and deadly. This touching book captures these mixed emotions well, with great imagry. Some may not like the lyrical text, but other than that this story should appeal to readers of all ages. Well done Jack Wong!!
June 10, 2023
Ļoti poētisks pastāsts bērnam, kas notiks, kad viņš mācēs peldēt, kas protams, ir metafora visām tām brīnumainajām lietām, kas ar mums notiks, kad beidzot būsim tam gatavi. Autors apkopo visas tās jaukās sajūtas, kas mums saistās ar peldēšanu un būšanu ūdeņu tuvumā.
Pēdējā laikā ASV iznāk daudz grāmatu par peldēšanu, jo sociāli ekonomisku iemeslu dēļ liela daļa afroamerikāņu bērnu nemāk peldēt, un šī ir prasme, kas glābj dzīvības.
Pēdējā laikā ASV iznāk daudz grāmatu par peldēšanu, jo sociāli ekonomisku iemeslu dēļ liela daļa afroamerikāņu bērnu nemāk peldēt, un šī ir prasme, kas glābj dzīvības.
May 31, 2024
I read this book as an adult reader for the AR Diamond Book Award. Having grown up on the lake, this book immediately jumped out to me. This will be a nice little read for any water-loving child or any child learning how to swim.
June 8, 2023
Would be a good read if your kid is starting swim lessons.
January 20, 2024
A gentle and encouraging picture book showing all kinds of families and children. There are all kinds of joy awaiting as a person grows and learns and tries.
December 11, 2023
I found this book on the 2024 Notable Books in Poetry, NCTA Children's Poetry Award Committee list, and I read it in eBook format on the Libby app. This picture book effectively employs free verse with well-placed repetition of the phrase "when you can swim" to place the reader in the water with what appears to be mixed watercolor and pastel imagery. At times the author uses concrete poetry to allow the words to appear as waves themselves, and at other times the verse stands alone aside the pictures. The approach is effective, and it allows anyone with even a little fondness for water to enjoy this book.
May 13, 2024
I was lucky enough to attend a Jack Wong event near a pool, when he read this poetic book. The pictures were really nice too, lots of different perspectives, and angles, there's a great dimensionality to his art!
July 25, 2023
Is your young reader a reluctant swimmer? 'When You Can Swim' may be exactly the book you need. Its lyrical writing can inspire adventurous swimming and just begs to be read aloud (“When you can swim, we’ll slip into a pond at dusk when the fish awaken in air feasting on twilight’s bugs…”). It describes swimming in all different types of water, for all different reasons. Swimming can be as exciting as swimming through the whitecaps of the ocean, and as relaxing as “lying on your back, watching treetops drift by.” The book ends with an illustration of young swimmers in swimming lessons, now encouraged and given so many reasons to learn to swim. In fact, I wish I had the book years ago when my then 8-year old daughter crossed her arms and shook her head at jumping off the diving board at our town pool! In the ‘About the Author’ notes, the author shares how his love for swimming was reignited through writing this book. As was mine through reading it.
February 10, 2023
A stunning, lyrical book that begs to be read again, When You Can Swim is an exploration of the many ways children can experience the joy of swimming in nature. This is more than a book about learning to swim. Wong's moving language and beautiful, flowing illustrations, invite the reader to feel the experience on the page as if we are immersed in the very waters we are viewing. And this invitation is for ALL readers, ALL children. Simply gorgeous.
December 7, 2023
The book When You Can Swim was written and illustrated by Jack Wong. This is a new book and was published this year in 2023. This book has been selected to receive the one of the 2024 Notable Books in Poetry from the NCTE Children’s Poetry Award Committee. I read this book in hardcover from my local library.
The book When You Can Swim is a poem written from the perspective of a parent to a child telling them all of the things they will be able to do when they learn how to swim. It shows the different ways and bodies of water people use to swim. From swimming in ponds with the fish to diving into canals this book presents many scenarios in which children and their families swim. It also presents the idea that when you can swim you do not have to be afraid of the darkness of the water or its depth.
This book is a beautifully written poem with intricate illustrations to accompany it. The illustrations are realistic and depict many parents and their children swimming in different places. The illustrations take up each page with very detailed paintings of the settings and characters. I felt like I could see exactly what Wong was describing in his poem through the illustrations. The diversity in this book is also found in the illustrations. They depict many different children and families from various cultures swimming in many different places across the world. I liked how the illustrations represented many families and children so that students who read this book can see themselves in one of the illustrations.
One strong literary element of this text is the theme. The main theme that follows throughout the book is that we all can learn new things, like swimming, and we should not be afraid to try new things because they can open new possibilities. I also liked the imagery this book uses to describe things one can do when they learn to swim. This poem appealed to the senses to help the reader imagine how things would look (Temple et al., 2019). I could just picture each space in my mind while reading.
I think this book would be good for ages 3-9 or about grades PreK- 3. This is a beautiful picture book that students would enjoy about swimming and not being afraid to try new things. I would use this book with a growth mindset lesson about how learning how to do something new can open up even more possibilities. Students can discuss different things that they want to learn how to do and what they would be able to do when they meet their goal. (Example: When I can ride a bike I can ride it to the park.)
The book When You Can Swim is a poem written from the perspective of a parent to a child telling them all of the things they will be able to do when they learn how to swim. It shows the different ways and bodies of water people use to swim. From swimming in ponds with the fish to diving into canals this book presents many scenarios in which children and their families swim. It also presents the idea that when you can swim you do not have to be afraid of the darkness of the water or its depth.
This book is a beautifully written poem with intricate illustrations to accompany it. The illustrations are realistic and depict many parents and their children swimming in different places. The illustrations take up each page with very detailed paintings of the settings and characters. I felt like I could see exactly what Wong was describing in his poem through the illustrations. The diversity in this book is also found in the illustrations. They depict many different children and families from various cultures swimming in many different places across the world. I liked how the illustrations represented many families and children so that students who read this book can see themselves in one of the illustrations.
One strong literary element of this text is the theme. The main theme that follows throughout the book is that we all can learn new things, like swimming, and we should not be afraid to try new things because they can open new possibilities. I also liked the imagery this book uses to describe things one can do when they learn to swim. This poem appealed to the senses to help the reader imagine how things would look (Temple et al., 2019). I could just picture each space in my mind while reading.
I think this book would be good for ages 3-9 or about grades PreK- 3. This is a beautiful picture book that students would enjoy about swimming and not being afraid to try new things. I would use this book with a growth mindset lesson about how learning how to do something new can open up even more possibilities. Students can discuss different things that they want to learn how to do and what they would be able to do when they meet their goal. (Example: When I can ride a bike I can ride it to the park.)
December 6, 2024
When You Can Swim, authored and illustrated by Jack Wong, is a wonderful exploration of the many ways swimming can appeal to children.
It is also an invitation to encounter water in its varied forms. Inspired by the first line “When you can swim, first I’ll take you to the ocean” Wong offers the reader a thoughtful look at what each moment might entail. From sandpipers at the shore’s edge and water splashing only ankle deep to a long-distance swim to an island, Wong builds the narrative to highlight an ever-growing confidence with each new experience.
He brings a feast for the senses—the quiet bliss of floating, the enchantment of standing beneath a waterfall, the clinking of waves over a pebbled beach, treading water at dusk as fish leap in a pond to catch hovering bugs.
The characters bring a multi-generational and multi-ethnic richness to the narrative that feels all encompassing.
The vividly imagined illustrations add another layer of richness to the story as scenes appear in a variety of perspectives. A dragonfly hovers overhead silhouetted in marvelous detail against the sunlit sky. Movement fills the pages as swimmers dive beneath the surface or jump from above. A double page spread highlights a daring island swim. The final scene brings the story full circle with a young child at a public pool, probably for lessons, being encouraged with, “So swim, little one!”
Inspired by his own early fear of the water and lack of swimming skill, Wong taps into his experience and emotions and offers young readers an empathetic and encouraging invitation to discover the joy to be found by cultivating this skill.
Recommended for home and school libraries.
It is also an invitation to encounter water in its varied forms. Inspired by the first line “When you can swim, first I’ll take you to the ocean” Wong offers the reader a thoughtful look at what each moment might entail. From sandpipers at the shore’s edge and water splashing only ankle deep to a long-distance swim to an island, Wong builds the narrative to highlight an ever-growing confidence with each new experience.
He brings a feast for the senses—the quiet bliss of floating, the enchantment of standing beneath a waterfall, the clinking of waves over a pebbled beach, treading water at dusk as fish leap in a pond to catch hovering bugs.
The characters bring a multi-generational and multi-ethnic richness to the narrative that feels all encompassing.
The vividly imagined illustrations add another layer of richness to the story as scenes appear in a variety of perspectives. A dragonfly hovers overhead silhouetted in marvelous detail against the sunlit sky. Movement fills the pages as swimmers dive beneath the surface or jump from above. A double page spread highlights a daring island swim. The final scene brings the story full circle with a young child at a public pool, probably for lessons, being encouraged with, “So swim, little one!”
Inspired by his own early fear of the water and lack of swimming skill, Wong taps into his experience and emotions and offers young readers an empathetic and encouraging invitation to discover the joy to be found by cultivating this skill.
Recommended for home and school libraries.
June 13, 2023
A wonderful book about how swimming (not just in pools) is for everyone. While growing up the author (born in Hong Kong and raised in Canada) did not feel very comfortable swimming or feel like it was for him ("as a light-brown body among predominantly fair-skinned ones" and also fears passed down from his mother), but as he grew he came to love it and wanted to share that love.
I love that the focus is more on swimming in natural places rather than just swimming in a pool. Wong does a wonderful job of capturing some of the wonders that can stream from swimming in some of those places.
Wong has incorporated wonderful racial and age diversity into his illustrations.
There's an insightful afterward by the author which explains why he wanted to make this book. He also shares that he "sought out information from local authorities on whether the water was free from hazards...went with a swimming buddy," etc. In other words, conveys that you should take some precautions when swimming (in a pool but sometimes especially in natural areas. I also appreciate that in the story text and in the afterward Wong conveys respect for nature, a "leave no trace" attitude.
I love that the focus is more on swimming in natural places rather than just swimming in a pool. Wong does a wonderful job of capturing some of the wonders that can stream from swimming in some of those places.
Wong has incorporated wonderful racial and age diversity into his illustrations.
There's an insightful afterward by the author which explains why he wanted to make this book. He also shares that he "sought out information from local authorities on whether the water was free from hazards...went with a swimming buddy," etc. In other words, conveys that you should take some precautions when swimming (in a pool but sometimes especially in natural areas. I also appreciate that in the story text and in the afterward Wong conveys respect for nature, a "leave no trace" attitude.
September 8, 2023
This was a fun read! When You Can Swim is a bright, bold, and charming book that encourages overcoming one's fear of swimming. The different bodies of water that Wong explores through his illustrations are just great! As someone who enjoys swimming and has a little one that it's intimidated by going under, I loved that Wong so easily expresses the freedom and relaxation that comes with swimming in water. There is even some conversation about swimming in nature and making sure not to disturb the animal or plant life. I LOVED this part because it's important that while we should enjoy nature as humans, it's also our responsibility to leave the earth as we find it. As I stated before, the illustrations were perfect. While reading it, I thought that Wong must have taken time to explore different bodies of water and he verifies this in the author's note. Wong also does a wonderful job illustrating people of all different body types, races, and abilities. Overall, this was a great read!
May 8, 2023
Amazing illustrations. I love the end pages.
I borrowed this book because I saw it on some list.
Opon first read, I was like, there aren't that many picture books about
learning to swim, but I remembered "Jabari Jumps" by Gaia Cornwall.
This could be a motivator for the reluctant swmimmer.
What is important to read is the author's note "When I learned to swim";
a bit heartbreaking. His Por-Por (maternal grandmother) loved to swim, but
forbade her daughter to swim for fear of drowning. a fear which was passed to her son Jack.
But it's Jack's reasoning for not being eager to swim which tugs at the heart.
In this book Wong shows all kinds of different people enjoying the wonder of swimming.
I'd say this is a book for every school library.
I borrowed this book because I saw it on some list.
Opon first read, I was like, there aren't that many picture books about
learning to swim, but I remembered "Jabari Jumps" by Gaia Cornwall.
This could be a motivator for the reluctant swmimmer.
What is important to read is the author's note "When I learned to swim";
a bit heartbreaking. His Por-Por (maternal grandmother) loved to swim, but
forbade her daughter to swim for fear of drowning. a fear which was passed to her son Jack.
But it's Jack's reasoning for not being eager to swim which tugs at the heart.
In this book Wong shows all kinds of different people enjoying the wonder of swimming.
I'd say this is a book for every school library.
February 27, 2023
I finished reading this beautiful picture book and immediately went back to read it again! The gorgeous illustrations swirl with colors and beams of light, and the lyrical language captures a deep appreciation for nature and the joys of swimming.
As Wong mentions in an author's note, this book about swimming is about so much more than swimming. It is a moving invitation to challenge ideas of what we can and can't do. It is a reminder that we all belong in the water, and that the water does not belong to us.
Whether we slip into the pond at dusk or dive deep into tannin-soaked lakes, echoes of Wong's words and images will remain, urging us to soak it all in and tread with care.
As Wong mentions in an author's note, this book about swimming is about so much more than swimming. It is a moving invitation to challenge ideas of what we can and can't do. It is a reminder that we all belong in the water, and that the water does not belong to us.
Whether we slip into the pond at dusk or dive deep into tannin-soaked lakes, echoes of Wong's words and images will remain, urging us to soak it all in and tread with care.
June 28, 2023
"When you can swim, first I'll take you to the ocean
past the sandpipers tracing the shape of a wave on the shore
past the edge of wet splashing at your ankles
to receive water's welcome."
Perfect for a young one learning to swim and for reminiscing adults recalling days of red shoulders and faces alike, "When You Can Swim" is a poetic recollection of a summer spent in aquatic fun. The illustrations are beautiful and the different perspectives of underwater views are stunning. If you don't find yourself a little nostalgic for days spent recklessly cannonballing into a pool or engaging in a round of water Marco Polo at summer camp, you'd surprise me!
past the sandpipers tracing the shape of a wave on the shore
past the edge of wet splashing at your ankles
to receive water's welcome."
Perfect for a young one learning to swim and for reminiscing adults recalling days of red shoulders and faces alike, "When You Can Swim" is a poetic recollection of a summer spent in aquatic fun. The illustrations are beautiful and the different perspectives of underwater views are stunning. If you don't find yourself a little nostalgic for days spent recklessly cannonballing into a pool or engaging in a round of water Marco Polo at summer camp, you'd surprise me!
July 28, 2023
Jack Wong’s fabulous pastel & watercolor illustrations beautifully illustrate all that children might see when they learn to swim. His swimmers are diverse in race, gender and body shapes and are shown in a wide variety of water sources from a neighborhood swimming pool to ponds and lakes. Some are underwater and others floating or dabbling in the shallows. What a terrific book to give to a child who may be feeling apprehensive about the water or lessons or to inspire them before first experiences or maybe as a celebration of completing a water-related goal. Great choice for children from PK to grade 3.
Thanks for sending me a finished copy, Scholastic.
Thanks for sending me a finished copy, Scholastic.
August 2, 2023
This is a beautiful, oversize children's book with whimsical glossy full page illustrations that convey a variety of human emotions from a multi-cultural cast of characters, all enjoying the water and swimming, one way or the other. At the end of the book the author tells of his own stressful and conflicted introduction to swimming as a young boy. His goal as author and illustrator, was to encourage all children, from everywhere in the world, to learn to swim and to enjoy the water; both in nature and swimming pools and to soak in the tranquility and nature's beauty and bounty, as well as the water! He does an excellent job in both capacities (as author and as illustrator).
June 12, 2023
What a great kids (and more) book to start the summer beach/lake season, or for any child taking swimming lessons. The text is lyrical, and the illustrations are both beautiful and so important for their very real sense of inclusion. It shows how swimming is an experience for everyone, of every age and ability. Laudably, author/illustrator Jack Wong subtly and naturally includes a child who has a prosthetic leg swimming. Don't miss Wong's notes, either. They offer rich discussion. I'll be adding this one to the school library for sure.
November 22, 2023
Childhood memories are thick with the magic of swimming and adventuring. This book uses a diverse range of children and speaks to them all, showing the wonder and magic that opens to them, when they learn to swim. It's optimistic and wonderful, encouraging and exciting. It made me long to jump out into the water myself. . . even though I do that less as a grown-up. Lyrical and lovely.
Read as a nomination in the Fiction Picture Book book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).
Read as a nomination in the Fiction Picture Book book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).
April 27, 2024
Using lush language and engaging artwork, Wong express what it's like to go swimming in different environments. People of all ages, body types, and skin tones are seen at the beach, in rivers, lakes, canals, and waterfalls. (One child has a prosthetic leg.) Different visual perspectives are also featured: We see people as if they were under water, we see the sky as if the swimmer is floating on their back, and we get a birds eye view of people in water below. This picture book evokes all the joys of swimming.
March 26, 2023
Simply breathtaking! This poetic and layered picture book has much deeper meaning beyond learning how to swim. The gorgeous text and dramatic changes in point of view in the art will make readers want to jump inside the pages of WHEN YOU CAN SWIM by Jack Wong. Back matter includes a powerful author’s note about the inspiration for this exceptional book. Children will want to read this one again and again. Wow.
April 25, 2023
When You Can Swim is a lovely book about the possibilities that swimming can open. As someone who has never felt comfortable at public pools, I appreciate how author’s note discusses the author’s own complicated family relationship with and attitude toward swimming, and how important representation is in the context of swimming. I look forward to sharing this important book with my kids and will recommend this book to other parents.
July 3, 2023
A love letter to the joys of swimming. Swimmers who are diverse in terms of body type, age, skin tone, and ability are shown enjoying different types of swimming locations. In his author’s note, Wong shares his own experiences with swimming as a young person and how/why he learned to swim as an adult. He says he wrote this book to show that swimming is for everyone: “Yes, this belongs to you, too.”
July 25, 2023
LOVE! I recently led an equity discussion at a meeting that focused on how my love of and early access to swimming is not matched by all, especially kids with brown bodies. This beautiful book representing the freedom to discover swimming no matter your race, gender, age, size or ability would have been the *perfect* book to share. The author's note in the back offers a beautiful glimpse into his reasons for writing it and the "research" that went into the illustrations. LOVE!
April 7, 2024
Five-star fabulous! Wong’s gorgeous artwork evokes the joy of swimming and the feeling of self-empowerment it invokes, providing plenty of encouragement for kids who fear the water to take the plunge. Pollywogs, the wonders of the watery world await, so jump in! End pages include an interesting essay about how the author learned to swim, plus a fascinating note about the research he conducted to create the illustrations.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews