I absolutely loved Swim Team! It was a quick read with it being a graphic novel, but still filled with plenty of detail to make me want to keep reading. Perfect for kids and adults alike! Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

THIS WAS SO GREAT. I absolutely loved it and how it touched on SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS. Fighting your fears! Swimming! Teamwork! Friendship! Racism! History! There was so much going on and it all worked together. I loved it.

Fans of Jerry Craft's New Kid will enjoy this new graphic novel by Johnnie Christmas. In Swim Team, Bree is starting middle school. She is forced to take swimming as a class. She does not like swimming but luckily her neighbor is able to help prepare her for class. She finds a new interest in swimming and joins the swim team. She helps the team make it to the state championship. The full colored graphic novel will be enjoyed by young readers. The story teaches them to try new things.

Such a wonderful story of overcoming your fears, contributing to your community and connecting with others. Bree's story is one that many students may be able to find connections to...whether it's her fear of swimming, the tenacity with which she tackles her troubles, the connection with her neighbor...etc. And the graphic format makes it even more accessible to all students.

Not only is Bree starting a new school, but she's also being forced into taking a swim class! Though it's far from her first choice, she ends up working hard and getting a little help from a neighbor. She becomes a top swimmer for her team as well as a leader within the group.

Readers will also learn about systemic racism issues that have kept members of the Black community from embracing swimming. This is probably the most important aspect of Swim Team and makes it a must have for classroom and school libraries.

Seamlessly good! Such strongly developed characters. The classic retro coloring is trendy, and Bree’s amoeba-shaped, invasive thought bubbles are inventive and perfect. The inclusion of the history lesson in this story works so well.

Highly recommend this book, and should be included in all library collections. This is a beautiful story about trying new things, and overcoming fears. The story provides historical background that helps the reader challenge the stereotype that "black people aren't good at swimming." Wonderful characters and the illustrations add to the story.

This is a great addition to any library's graphic novel section for middle graders! The art is fun and enjoyable and the story is entertaining and heartfelt. While I personally am not a graphic novel person I enjoyed following along with the story and I've already recommended it to multiple kids!

Graphic novel addresses the historical lack of swimmers in the Black community through themes of perseverance and bullying. Plot points of family, friends, school, teams, and community tie the story together. I was drawn to read this because I always loved swimming in lakes and the ocean, and never thought that it as a luxury. It was a life skill which was actually fun! The access to pools denied to the Blacks of the Jim Crow era any chance of becoming comfortable with swimming and this impacted the the future generations--fear of water was passed down from parent child. Swim Team speaks to this problem in a contemporary setting, but through situations which are easy to fathom. Hopefully this book will encourage more Black children to participate in the sport of swimming. Highy recommend.
Thank you to HarperCollins Children's Books and Netgalley for the digital arc.

My daughter is on a swim team and loves graphic novels. This was PERFECT for her. The illustrations were great, she said the story was relatable. I love what graphic novels have given my daughter, which is a love, and confidence in reading. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, and thank you to the author for such a great read!

Swim Team is a beautiful story! Bree, who is not even a little excited to have to be in the swimming class, quickly finds herself leading the charge in bolstering her school swim team's chances at a winning season. Through her own journey she also learns about the history of her school's team. In the end, the story all ties together in a lovely way.

I loved this graphic novel and would highly recommend it to anyone!

I was on the swim team in high school. I was not good. I was not even decent. My coach called my flip turns the worst he'd ever seen. So that was inspiring. Still, I have some fond memories of it. That's really what drew me to this book. I wasn't disappointed. Bree and her team of girls and coaches really are inspiring. I didn't know that a lot of African Americans didn't learn how to swim during segregation, although it seems obvious now. The illustrations are great, too. I did learn that it's as difficult to tell illustrated people apart with swim caps on as it is real people.

This was such a cute and important read. I loved the art style and the story reminded me of when I was little. While I was first terrified of swimming and of dunking my head underwater I grew to love swimming.

I loved this graphic novel. A story that on its surface is about moving, swim team, friendship, and growth, Christmas does an excellent job of unraveling the history and stereotypes prevalent around Blackness and swimming. This is a book every elementary school should own at least one copy of (preferably more) and for kids who love Jerry Craft, Raina Telgemeier, and Gene Luen Yang.

I missed out reading this while it was initially on NetGalley, but recently got to read it in a comic club I run. The kids LOVED this and were very happy to see a character that looked like them, dealt with the same issues they do, and had the same interest.

If you have a middle grade reader, check out this graphic novel. After reading, I bought it for my 4th grade nephew and he loved it - as did I! Bree is a young girl trying to find her way in a new school. Each relationship depicted is very authentic - Bree and her dad, Bree and her new friends, Bree and her swim coach, Bree and her elderly neighbor. Bree learns about the history of racial discrimination at public beaches and pools, which is important and still relevant, even though it’s rarely mentioned in history books. Johnnie Christmas is a fabulous storyteller, and I can’t wait to see what he creates next. . Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

I loved this graphic novel so much. It is about a girl who learns to swim after running out of all elective options besides swim, ends up joining the swim team, and learns about the importance of what a team is and how to be a part of one. The themes of friendship, perseverance, and community is so relatable to so many middle grade readers.

This was such a great read and I cannot wait to share it with my students. I know it's going to be a favorite read!

Pretty cute book obviously about a girl learning to swim. Well illustrated. The qualities of friendship and acceptance are nicely put.

Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins, for the E-ARC!

This graphic novel tackles the issue of segregation and racism that occurred within the black community, especially in the public swimming pools. It was a great way to teach kids reading about history as well as encourage them to step out of their comfort zones. It’s a book for all kids, super engaging and relatable.

A fairly standard set-up here - new kid trying to make friends and get used to new life patterns as well as having to do a thing that frightens her. We also get into privilege and historic racism as plays into sports in general and swimming in particular. Some of the parallels don't work well but over all it's a solid read.