A new graphic novel and two new picture books have introduced an unconventional view on the art of swimming. Made for young kids, the books all contain themes of promise and freedom.
The first book “Swimmers” started with Mariana Alcántara’s beautiful illustrations in charcoal, collage, and fluorescent ink. María José Ferrada then added her poetic verses explaining the story of a fish who dreams of becoming Olympic swimmers and Olympic swimmers dreaming that they’re fish. The story is fluid and nonlinear, weaving between the world of fish and the world of Olympic swimmers to create a beautiful narrative.
“The fish all wake up simultaneously, just when they’ve finished the 150-meter race. Even though it’s never a dream they want to wake up from, they aren’t sad. … It’s a dream that has been dreamed by fish since the world was the world and the sea was the sea, and it always will be.” Ferrada explained when she was interviewed.
The second picture book is “The Summer of Diving” by Sara Stridsberg, an acclaimed Swedish novelist and playwright. It tells the story of a girl named Zoe whose father has disappeared, and no one will tell her where he is. She later finds out that he had been hospitalized for severe depression. This leads her to try and find the “angels” who watch over her father and try to help him through his depression. Who she finds is a woman named Sabrina that leads her on swimming adventures through their imagination.
The last book is the graphic novel “Swim Team” by Johnnie Christmas with a protagonist named Bree who has recently moved from New York to Florida. Her dad, usually always attentive to her, is now entirely consumed by his job and has trouble finding time for Bree. On top of that, the only elective left at school to take is Swim 101, and Bree is terrified of water. The book follows her journey as she learns to swim from her upstairs neighbor that saved her from drowning and how she becomes excellent at it.
The first book “Swimmers” started with Mariana Alcántara’s beautiful illustrations in charcoal, collage, and fluorescent ink. María José Ferrada then added her poetic verses explaining the story of a fish who dreams of becoming Olympic swimmers and Olympic swimmers dreaming that they’re fish. The story is fluid and nonlinear, weaving between the world of fish and the world of Olympic swimmers to create a beautiful narrative.
“The fish all wake up simultaneously, just when they’ve finished the 150-meter race. Even though it’s never a dream they want to wake up from, they aren’t sad. … It’s a dream that has been dreamed by fish since the world was the world and the sea was the sea, and it always will be.” Ferrada explained when she was interviewed.
The second picture book is “The Summer of Diving” by Sara Stridsberg, an acclaimed Swedish novelist and playwright. It tells the story of a girl named Zoe whose father has disappeared, and no one will tell her where he is. She later finds out that he had been hospitalized for severe depression. This leads her to try and find the “angels” who watch over her father and try to help him through his depression. Who she finds is a woman named Sabrina that leads her on swimming adventures through their imagination.
The last book is the graphic novel “Swim Team” by Johnnie Christmas with a protagonist named Bree who has recently moved from New York to Florida. Her dad, usually always attentive to her, is now entirely consumed by his job and has trouble finding time for Bree. On top of that, the only elective left at school to take is Swim 101, and Bree is terrified of water. The book follows her journey as she learns to swim from her upstairs neighbor that saved her from drowning and how she becomes excellent at it.
