ON MY SWIM

A family of four has an eventful day of exploratory fun at the beach.

In muted blues and browns, a multiracial family travels to the beach. A mom, dad, toddler, and infant—and their dog—walk through a wooded area to a serene beach. The family is on a summer swim outing. The young toddler narrator can hear the breeze, see a bird catch a fish, feel the sand, and see a wave. With each mention, the text indulges in patterned, repeated onomatopoeia: The breeze says, “whishery-whish”; the sand goes “squishery-squish.” Narrator and father play in the water, the narrator with water wings. A moment of drama is introduced when the father must rescue the mother’s hat, which has been blown into the water by the wind. This sequence is not so easy to visually decode, and some readers may be concerned that the child is in distress. Back on the beach, the happy dog is ready to play, and the squishy sand still offers some enjoyment. It is highly recommended to put some emphasis on the onomatopoeia sprinkled throughout the story. The illustrations are simple and fun and may extend a storytime with opportunities to seek and find objects throughout the book.

A quick, cute read, best for fidgety little readers