Saturday Is Swimming Day
by Hyewon Yum (Author) Hyewon Yum (Illustrator)
New things can be scary -- but as one endearing little girl discovers, it's perfectly fine to take your time. Swimming lessons are on Saturdays, and every Saturday one little girl has a stomachache.
When she gets to the pool it's loud, the floor is wet and slippery, and her swim cap is too tight. Her swimming instructor, Mary, says it's OK to sit by the edge if she doesn't want to get in the water this week. The next Saturday the girl has a stomachache again, but with Mary's gentle encouragement, she eventually manages to make it into the pool to practice her kicks. Little by little, the girl's confidence grows -- until one Saturday comes around when she has no stomachache at all! In a charming and relatable story about trying something new, author-illustrator Hyewon Yum shows that sometimes a little bravery and a lot of patience are all you need to face your fear.
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Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2--A young child conquers a fear of swimming in this charming, child-focused picture book. The unnamed first-person narrator, a preschooler with straight black hair and a strawberry-printed swimsuit, wakes up with a stomachache on the first day of swimming lessons. Blonde, curly-haired Mom offers reassurances that it will probably go away at the pool, but meeting the friendly instructor, Mary, and seeing the excitement of the other budding swimmers can't drive away the butterflies. The child dawdles in the dressing room and spends the lesson on dry ground. The next Saturday, the stomachache has returned, but Martha is willing to offer support while the hesitant young protagonist tries "ice cream scoops." Finding the warm water soothing, the positive experience is enough to inspire evening paddling practice at home in the bathtub. Slowly, the child becomes more comfortable in the water (a better-fitting swim cap helps), progressing all the way to floating alone like a starfish and having splashing contests with the other children. Yum's watercolor and colored pencil illustrations perfectly capture a young child's expressions, conveying reluctance and nervousness as much through body position as through the text. The instructor and classmates are portrayed as a diverse group inclusive of ethnicity and body type. VERDICT An empowering story of gradually overcoming fear that will resonate with young children. A great purchase for most collections.--Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Hennepin County Library, MN
Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
—World Magazine Yum captures the power of empathic patience to turn apprehension into accomplishment.
—Shelf Awareness for Readers This is a sweet story many families will relate to, illustrated with summery watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations and a cast of many colors.
—Palo Alto Weekly
Hyewon Yum is the critically acclaimed author of several previous picture books. Of The Twins' Blanket, Publishers Weekly said in a starred review that "Yum's third picture book shows the author/illustrator thoroughly at home with the picture book form." She studied painting and printmaking at Seoul National University in South Korea. She received her master of fine arts at the School of Visual Arts in New York City and presently lives in Brooklyn, New York.
JUV039090 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | New Experience
JUV032060 - Juvenile Fiction | Sports & Recreation | Water Sports
