Published: 2022
Author: Johnnie Christmas
Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Sports, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Friendship, Contemporary, Comics
Audience (Grade Levels): Grades 4-8
Number of Stars: 5-Stars
Goodreads Link: Swim Team
Triggers: Segregation of Pools, Bullying, Name-calling
Review By: Heather Turner
Publisher’s Summary
“Combines wonderful characters and history to create a story that will make you want to dive right in!” — Jerry Craft, author of the Newbery Medal–winning New Kid
A splashy, contemporary middle grade graphic novel from bestselling comics creator Johnnie Christmas!
Bree can’t wait for her first day at her new middle school, Enith Brigitha, home to the Mighty Manatees—until she’s stuck with the only elective that fits her schedule, the dreaded Swim 101.
The thought of swimming makes Bree more than a little queasy, yet she’s forced to dive headfirst into one of her greatest fears. Lucky for her, Etta, an elderly occupant of her apartment building and former swim team captain, is willing to help.
With Etta’s training and a lot of hard work, Bree suddenly finds her swim-crazed community counting on her to turn the school’s failing team around. But that’s easier said than done, especially when their rival, the prestigious Holyoke Prep, has everything they need to leave the Mighty Manatees in their wake.
Can Bree defy the odds and guide her team to a state championship, or have the Manatees swum their last lap—for good?
Review
Students who are fans of Raina Telgemeier will love this title. It is full of heart and brings in the struggles of being black in a sport that is dominated by white athletes. It also looks at the expense of being in a sport like swimming. It is assumed the public school will not be successful against a private swimming team. It also shows the struggles of trying something new. I especially appreciated the use of speech bubbles to show the negatives thoughts and fears of the main character. Her single father is taking courses along with working two jobs.
The story opens with a sad Bree who is moving from Brooklyn to Florida and is a lover of all things math and puzzles. She is nervous about starting in a new school and those fear are realized when she learns she cannot be a part of the math puzzle club. She is instead signed up for Swimming 101. Bree is terrified because she cannot swim. She begins skipping swim class rather than be embarrassed. This is completely out of character for Bree who is generally a very good student. Her relationship with a neighbor is the turning point of the story and leads to Bree joining the swim team. It is a story of perseverance and friendship. I highly recommend this book for all readers who struggle with starting something new.
There was one particular part that talks about the segregation of pools that connected my own learning to The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee. Public pools used to be quite normal and the segregation of pools impacted black swimmers and BIPOC people seeing swimming as a viable athletic pursuit. It is woven beautifully into the novel. It is not preachy but gives the background in a creative and instructive way.
Classroom & Curricular Connections
- Social Studies / History: This graphic novel provides a powerful entry point for exploring the history of desegregation in America, specifically focusing on how the historical segregation of public pools directly impacted Black swimmers and shaped generational access to swimming and athletic pursuits.
- ELA / Visual Literacy: The text is an excellent resource for teaching how graphic elements, such as the strategic use of speech bubbles, can visually represent a character’s negative thoughts, internal conflicts, and anxiety.
- Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): Highly applicable for lessons on perseverance, overcoming the fear of trying new things, navigating major life transitions (like moving), and building intergenerational friendships.
Diversity & Representation Note
Swim Team offers outstanding, nuanced representation by highlighting the experiences of Black athletes in a historically white-dominated sport. It addresses the systemic socioeconomic barriers of competitive sports (such as cost differences between public schools and elite private academies) and features a positive, hard-working single-father household dynamic.
Readalikes
- New Kid by Jerry Craft
- The Crossover (Graphic Novel) by Kwame Alexander
- Real Friends by Shannon Hale
- Gamerville by Johnnie Christmas
