Swim Team
By Myiesha Speight,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Heartwarming graphic novel about swimming and friendship.
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What's the Story?
In SWIM TEAM, Bree and her dad move from Brooklyn to Florida because her dad got into an IT training program. At her new school, she quickly makes friends with her neighbor, Clara, and Clara's friend Humberto. When Bree tries to sign up for an elective class, she's upset to find out that her desired elective, Math puzzles, is full, and she has to take Swim 101 instead. Bree can't swim and doesn't want to admit it, so she skips class. Eventually, after an incident at the apartment's pool where Bree's neighbor Miss Etta rescues her, Bree admits she can't swim. Bree's able to convince Miss Etta, a former professional swimmer, to teach her how to swim. Through the lessons, Bree becomes a great swimmer and even wins a spot on her school's team. Bree's school team hasn't won a championship in years, but maybe with Bree, Clara, and their teammates, they'll be able to win even against their formidable rival, Holyoke Prep.
Is It Any Good?
This heartwarming graphic novel about swimming and friendship tackles racism and self-destructive negative thoughts. Some of the some plot points toward the end seem a little too convenient, but Swim Team's simple illustrations are powerful, beautiful depictions of diverse characters and historical events. Bree's struggle with negativity at one point overwhelms her, but thanks to swimming, she's able to move forward. Miss Etta sheds light on the racism many Black people experienced at swimming pools and its long-lasting effects. Some readers may not have been aware of this and will have learned it thanks to this book.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about racism in Swim Team. How did it feel to read about the racial violence Black people experienced at swimming pools? What did you find most surprising or enlightening about these incidents?
Bree struggles with negative thoughts and she finds that swimming helps her get past them. What are some other ways to manage negativity?
Bree, and Miss Etta years before, had a falling out with their respective friend groups. Have you ever fallen out with a friend? How did you approach the situation? What can you learn from Miss Etta and Bree about handling similar situations?
Book Details
- Author: Johnnie Christmas
- Illustrator: Johnnie Christmas
- Genre: Graphic Novel
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts , Friendship , Great Girl Role Models , History , Middle School
- Character Strengths: Communication , Compassion , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: HarperAlley
- Publication date: May 17, 2022
- Number of pages: 256
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Award: Coretta Scott King Medal and Honors
- Last updated: May 30, 2024
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
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