Haus-hold Picture Book Review: When You Can Swim

Lovely and Lyrical for All

Folks, I was the FIRST PERSON to check this book out from my library! I’m sorry, but the crinkle of the plastic jacket and the library book smell just hits differently when you’re the FIRST person to experience it. I savored every second of opening this beautiful book, and things just got better from there.

Let me start by saying that Jack Wong's artistry is something else. The way the child on the cover peers up at the reader with anticipation- like you're about to read it to her- fits so perfectly with the text on the inside. This book got a hug from me when I was finished reading it (my kids think I'm weird when I do that).

Everything about this book brought me back to childhood- from the soft and gentle illustrations to the sound of each word singing as I read it aloud.

Synopsis

Learning to swim opens up a whole new world for those who are ready. The narrator describes the many possibilities that await once a new swimmer is ready to take a leap of faith, from frolicking in playful streams to bravely conquering more challenging currents.

My Big Kid’s Honest Review:

What my Kids Loved: This one was definitely for the big kid. He loved the pictures the best, noting that many of the images resembled places he’s been fortunate enough to have visited for a swim. The ending made him smile because it surprised him, and he felt connected to the story from the perspective of an older kid who has already learned how to swim.

What I Loved: This book opened my heart with its lyricism. There’s subtle alliteration woven throughout that laps at the page the way ripples tickle the edge of a lake. The imagery is so rich with tiny, intimate details that I wondered if Wong somehow accessed my own memories about swimming when he wrote this book.

My favorite lines:

“…you’ll reach landscapes as foreign as the moon

no spaceship required

except the craters are

squishy and filled with reeds

ready to swallow loose sandals

but like good explorers we’ll leave only footprints.”

Final thoughts: Whether your little reader can already swim or not, this book taps into every deep-rooted feeling associated with swimming, no matter the age of the swimmer- excitement, trepidation, wonder, fear, awe, joy. It’s a beautiful ode and the words will feel like a lullaby to little ears as you read it with them before bedtime. And with different children and families featured throughout in the delightful illustrations, everyone can see themselves in this book.

You can purchase When You Can Swim from Scholastic or from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other retailers- but don't forget to check your local independent bookstore first!