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Learning to swim is a very serious issue in the Black community. Longstanding issues of race and class have meant that pools are either not present in Black communities or are poorly maintained. Parents who can’t swim are less likely to have children who can swim or encourage their children to learn. Johnnie’s inspiration for SWIM TEAM was to encourage young African American children to get in the pool and learn to swim.

In SWIM TEAM, a splashy, contemporary middle grade graphic novel from bestselling comics creator Johnnie Christmas, we meet Bree, a smart yet anxious kid who comes face to face with one of her biggest fears.

Bree can’t wait for her first day at her new middle school, Enith Brigitha, home to the Mighty Manatees—until she’s stuck with the only elective that fits her schedule, the dreaded Swim 101. The thought of swimming makes Bree more than a little queasy, yet she’s forced to dive headfirst into one of her greatest fears. Lucky for her, Etta, an elderly occupant of her apartment building and former swim team captain, is willing to help.

With Etta’s training and a lot of hard work, Bree suddenly finds her swim-crazed community counting on her to turn the school’s failing team around. But that’s easier said than done, especially when their rival, the prestigious Holyoke Prep, has everything they need to leave the Mighty Manatees in their wake.

Can Bree defy the odds and guide her team to a state championship, or have the Manatees swum their last lap—for good?