I loved the beautiful illustrations and how the story was told via poetry. ( )

When a science teacher observed some local children swimming in a ditch, he decided to become their unofficial coach despite not knowing much about the sport himself. Eventually his efforts resulted in the team getting an actual pool, competing in national championships, and even winning at the Olympics!

This is an inspirational picture book biography written in a poetic, lyrical style so that even the youngest children can stay attentive. The main text is short but to the point, and an author's note at the end provides some more specific details. This is definitely a great book to read with youngsters about having goals and overcoming obstacles. ( )

Non-fiction. Swim club. Picture Book.

Did they write this book for me?! Because it's sounding like it's perfectly up my alleyway.

Little known fact in the book world, I used to be a highly competitive swimmer. It was most of my life and then I eventually retired due to extreme bullying in the sport from coaches and fellow swimmers. I still have a love for swimming though and have kept active in that community. I LOVE hearing stories about swim teams and swimming, because it's a big part of my life. So, naturally, this book is perfect for me.

I had already read a book on The Three Year Swim Club (large, non-fiction, chapter book) so I had some background for this story. Seeing a picture book version made me so happy! The picture book is an incredible way to tell this story, and it's one of the best mediums. There's also a rhyming scheme to make it feel kind of sing-songy. I truly think this is a mesmerizing must read for non-fiction fans wanting to learn a story they probably hadn't heard before.

Plus the illustrations are just perfect. I love the colours and style! It vibes well with this story.

Not gonna lie, I really want a physical copy of this to put it on my shelf and eventually read to my (future) children and family's children.

Five out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kids Can Press for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review. ( )

Note: I accessed digital review copies of this book through NetGalley and Edelweiss. ( )

very simple text; further information at end of book ( )