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Books to Read...When You Want to Go Swimming

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It may be because we have fish hanging up around the Children's Reference Desk and an ocean-themed I Spy display case, or it may just be the summer heat, but I find myself constantly longing to go swimming lately. Because I can't live my life inside a pool, lake, or ocean (unfortunately!), I guess I'll have to resign myself to spending the day poolside with some of my favorite swimming reads. 

Written by Julie Abery
Illustrated by Chris Sasaki
Kids Can Press, 2021. Informational.

This informational picture book tells the true story of Soichi Sakamoto, a schoolteacher in Hawaii who noticed a group of children who would swim in the irrigation ditches every day to keep cool. When they were caught by security at the sugar cane plantations, Sakamoto volunteered to coach them in swimming if they were allowed to continue. Even though Sakamoto could barely swim himself, he coached his swimmers daily, helping several of them reach the Olympic Games. This short picture book in verse can be enjoyed by both younger and older readers.


Written by Lisl H. Detlefsen
Illustrated by Madeline Valentine
Roaring Book Press, 2019. Picture Book.

This picture book is a great one to share with kids that are just starting to learn how to swim. It can be intimidating to go to your first swimming lesson, and this title makes swimming accessible to even the smallest of children. It explains commonplace swimming items like a swim cap, googles, and flippers while teaching kids safety rules like not running in the pool and staying on the wall when it's not your turn. It's also good for older kids who will laugh at the misconceptions of a first time swimmer about things like "blowing bubbles" and "dolphin kicks".


Sea Sheep
Written by Eric Seltzer
Illustrated by Tom Disbury
Simon Spotlight, 2020. Easy Reader.

You'll want to visit the ocean after watching these sheep explore it! You can have fun identifying the creatures the sheep run into, like narwhals, anglerfish, crabs, and squids. The large font and simple, easy to sound out words make this an ideal choice for those just learning how to read.


Let's Go Swimming!
By Norm Feuti
Acorn (Scholastic Inc.), 2021. Easy Reader.

It's a very hot day, so Hedgehog decides to invite his friend Harry to go swim in the pond. Harry is excited to play until Hedgehog decides to play a game where they have to stick their heads underwater. Harry doesn't like putting his head in! Kids who read this title may relate to the struggle of being scared to swim and this is a great title for learning the basics of how graphic novels are laid out and how to read from speech bubbles.


By Johnnie Christmas
Harper Alley, 2022. Comic.

In this graphic novel for middle grade readers, Bree moves from Brooklyn to Florida and starts a new school year in a new state. Unfortunately, all of the elective classes are full and she is forced to join Swim 101, which is a problem because Bree doesn't know how to swim. Luckily for her, her neighbor Etta is willing to teach her. This graphic novel touches on the barriers that Black people have faced with regards to swimming and readers will cheer Bree and her team on as they compete.
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