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Jabari Jumps

Gaia Cornwall

Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He’s finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, and he’s a great jumper, so he’s not scared at all. “Looks easy,” says Jabari, watching the other kids take their turns. But when his dad squeezes his hand, Jabari squeezes back. He needs to figure out what kind of special jump to do anyway, and he should probably do some stretches before climbing up onto the diving board. In a sweetly appealing tale of overcoming your fears, newcomer Gaia Cornwall captures a moment between a patient and encouraging father and a determined little boy you can’t help but root for.

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Our Pool

Lucy Ruth Cummins

Today is a pool day in the city! The sun is shining, so what are you waiting for? Friends and family. Kids and grandparents. Big bodies and small bodies. Everybody is welcome at our pool! Get ready for swimming and splashing, zigzagging and dunking, and racing and laughing.

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The Inflatables in Bad Air Day (the Inflatables #1)

Beth Garrod

The Inflatables don't get pumped. They stay pumped! Flamingo, Cactus, Donut, and Watermelon may be forgotten water park floats who live at the lost and found, but these inflata-pals are about to make some big waves in a funny graphic novel series that's perfect for fans of Dog Man and The Bad Guys!

Flamingo is destined to be a star! So when the opening of a new wave pool brings camera crews flooding to the park, his inflata-pals hatch a daring plan to make him famous. But will a flock of familiar faces from Flamingo's past burst his bubble? Get ready, world -- Flamingo is about to BLOW UP!

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Swimming Toward a Dream

Reem Faruqi

Growing up in Damascus, the pool was Yusra Mardini’s happy place. She learned to swim before she could walk. And with swimming came a dream—to compete in the Olympic games. 

But when war came to Syria, Yusra’s home—and her pool—were no longer safe. Yusra and her sister set out on a harrowing journey, crossing the sea in search of safety. 

In the inspirational tale that follows, Yusra’s courageous spirit shines. Crammed on a too-small refugee boat, disaster strikes when the boat’s motor breaks! Scared but determined, Yusra plunges into the water and starts swimming. 

Infused with hope, Yusra’s story encourages readers to pursue their own dreams, revealing how she met waves of danger with strength and perseverance. One breath at a time.

Readers will dive into this courageous tale of an athlete, refugee, and hero who inspired the world with her resolve to pursue her Olympic dream.

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Barely Floating

Lilliam Rivera

Natalia de la Cruz Rivera y Santiago, also known as Nat, was swimming neighborhood kids out of their money at the local Boyle Heights pool when her life changed. The L.A. Mermaids performed, emerging out of the water with matching sequined swimsuits, and it was then that synchronized swimming stole her heart.

The problem? Her activist mom and professor dad think it's a sport with too much emphasis on looks—on being thin and white. Nat grew up the youngest in a house full of boys, so she knows how to fight for what she wants, using her anger to fuel her. People often underestimate her swimming skills when they see her stomach rolls, but she knows better than to worry about what people think. Sometimes, she feels more like a submarine than a mermaid, but she wonders if she could be both.

Barely Floating explores what it means to sparkle in your skin, build community with those who lift you up, and keep floating when waters get rough.

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The Cool Bean Makes a Splash

Jory John

It's a perfect day at the community pool for a swim. The cool beans are the best swimmers in town. Check out how they dive! Look at how they cannonball! Watch how they backflip! YOW!

As for the Cool Bean, the shallow side of the pool is the only side of the pool he treads water on. Until one day, the Cool Bean sees the super slide and finds the courage to finally ride the slide...or does he Find out in this splashy story about taking chances, trying new things, and leaning on your friends.

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Bubbles...up!

Jacqueline Davies

A day at the community pool is full of unwater magic--dunking and diving with friends; somersaulting, walking on your hands, and bursting up through the surface like a tortoise. But when a thunderstorm comes and a little brother ventures too close to the pool's edge, will our main character be quick enough and brave enough to save the day

In this energetic read-aloud, the words swim off the pages as the underwater world comes to life through lush, dynamic illustrations and visual poetry. Journey to an imaginative world where, always and forever, bubbles . . . rise . . . UP!

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Sakamoto's Swim Club

Julie Abery

Lyrically told true story of the teacher who coached Hawaiian swimmers to Olympic glory. When the children of workers on a 1930s Maui sugar plantation were chased away from playing in the nearby irrigation ditches, local science teacher Soichi Sakamoto had an idea. He would take responsibility for the children and train them to swim. Using his science background, Sakamoto developed a strict practice regime for the kids, honing their skills and building their strength and endurance. They formed a team and began to dominate events, first nationally and then internationally — until they made it all the way to Olympic gold! Told in simple rhyme, Sakamoto’s story will inspire athletes, coaches — and everyone who believes impossible dreams can come true.

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Together We Swim

Valerie Bolling

Jumping into the water can be more than a little scary! But with Mom's steady arms there's no fear of sinking. With a kick, a splash, and his family's cheers of encouragement, one determined boy finds his groove, making waves in this fun-filled day at the pool.

Embrace the feeling of accomplishment in this joyous, reassuring story about perseverance and new experiences. With lyrical rhyming text and vibrant illustrations, Together We Swim is destined to become a family read-aloud favorite!

 

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Sunny Makes a Splash

Jennifer L. Holm

It's summer, and Sunny is BORED. Most of her friends are out of town. Her mom wants her to baby-sit way more than Sunny wants to baby-sit. There's nothing good on TV.

The only place that's cool (in a not-boring sense) and cool (in a not-hot sense) is the community pool. Sunny loves going there . . . and loves it even more when she's offered a job at the snack shack. Soon she's flinging fries and serving soft ice-cream like a pro . . . with the assistance of the very sweet boy who works with her.

Sunny's mom isn't sure Sunny should be quite so independent. But Sunny is definitely sure: Life is best when it's free swim.

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Pool Party

Amy Duchêne

Splash, dash! It's time for a pool bash! Grab your swimsuits, inner tubes, noodles, and floats, and jump, belly flop, or dive into this wet and wild ode to swimming pool fun.

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Swim Team

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?

 

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Heidi Heckelbeck Pool Party!

Wanda Coven

When Heidi’s swim team, the Little Mermaids, want to raise money for new swim caps and goggles, Heidi helps with the perfect idea: They should throw a pool party! The temperature in Brewster has been hot, hot, hot, and all the kids in town are looking for a way to cool down. With the help of her team, friends, and a little magic, Heidi brings her pool party idea to life.

With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, the Heidi Heckelbeck chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.

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Swimming into Trouble

Angela Ahn

As a member of the Vipers Swim Team, Julia Nam's always in the pool. Mountainview Community Center is like her second home, not only because swimming at the aquatic center is her favorite thing in the world, but also because her parents run the center's sushi café. Julia would much rather be in the pool than sitting behind the counter of Sushi on the Go! watching other people swim. 
     She's the youngest swimmer on the team, but definitely not the slowest. Julia can't wait for Personal Best Day — the most important day for all of the swimmers. If their times are good enough, they can enter a big regional swim meet.
    But then the worst thing happens. A sharp pain in Julia's ear reveals an infection and she's forbidden to swim for ten days. How can she get timed during Personal Best Day when she's not allowed in the water?    
    Julia is desperate to get back in the pool, even if it means having to go behind her parents' backs in order to do so. But Julia's solution lands her in a sticky situation, and it's going to require the entire community center to come together to help her out of it!

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Leo Can Swim

Anna McQuinn

Leo loves the water! Leo and Daddy go to swim class where they kick, bounce, splash around, and dive like little fish. Joining other babies and their caretakers in the pool is a guarantee for unforgettable fun. This sweet story full of action and sound effects is a gentle introduction to pool facilities and parent-child swim lessons with a cast of diverse families who love to splash and play together. 
 

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