When You Can Swim, authored and
illustrated by Jack Wong, is a wonderful exploration of the many ways swimming can
appeal to children.
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.