Wong, Jack. When You Can Swim. Jack Wong, Illus. Orchard, 05/2023. [44]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-338-83096-5. GRADES Kindergarten–3. OUTSTANDING.
Recipient of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, this lovely picture book begins with a parent telling a child that once they learn to swim, they can explore the ocean and other areas of nature. Using the repeated phrase, “When you can swim…” to open most of the text passages, this describes how much joy there can be in knowing how to swim. For example, “When you can swim, we’ll set our sights on that little island where I know the blueberries are sweetest every summer.” The pastel and watercolor illustrations use earth tones, and resemble pastel chalk artwork. Different parent and child pairs are shown, representing a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The book concludes with an author’s note describing his early fear of swimming and how swimming is not common in certain cultural groups.
Penny Peck—SJSU iSchool