Winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book Picture Book Award

Finalist of the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award

A reverent celebration of learning to swim among a diverse cast of children and families who each experience the mysterious joys of water in nature.

In this exploration of what it truly means to swim, expansive vignettes introduce sandpipers, tannin-soaked lakes, and the feeling of a small waterfall on sun-soaked shoulders. But what about those who are afraid of the water’s mysterious ways and resist learning to swim? Painting a compelling picture of the many joys and surprises that the water holds, artist and author Jack Wong has delivered an empowering, poetic journey that invites children to discover their confidence within to receive the warmth and wonder of the natural world.

JACK WONG (黃雋喬) was born in Hong Kong and raised in Vancouver, BC. He left a career as a bridge engineer to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts at NSCAD University in Kjipuktuk/Halifax, NS. All That Grows owes to all of the above — to taking a leap to learn new things, and to the sanctuary of big neighborhood walks in a small city, especially during the first spring of the pandemic when the seeds of this book were planted. Jack is also the creator of When You Can Swim (Boston Globe–Horn Book Award).

Jack Wong's profile page

• Winner, Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award
• Short-listed, Ezra Jack Keats Writer Award
• Winner, Governor General's Award for Young People's Literature - Illustration
• Commended, Best Books for Kids and Teens, Canadian Children's Book Centre

Praise for When You Can Swim:

Amazon Best Book of May: Ages 3-5

Publishers Weekly Best Summer Read for 2023

* “In VISUALLY INVENTIVE, LOVINGLY FINISHED pastel-and-watercolor spreads and sinuous lines of prose-poetry, debut author-illustrator Wong showcases myriad children encountering the joys of swimming.” Publishers Weekly. starred review

* “[When You Can Swim] is BOUND TO INSPIRE all swimmers to embrace nature, no matter where they are on their journey….A GORGEOUSLY RENDERED love letter to swimming and the magical experiences that it can unlock.” Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* “Jack Wong’s BREATHTAKING watery landscapes, strong currents surge beneath rushing waterfalls, and sunlight shimmers on ocean waves and the surface of a river…Text and illustrations merge SEAMLESSLY….Wong’s playful perspectives are CAPTIVATING…STUNNING…[A] SPLENDID PICTURE BOOK.” BookPage, starred review

* “With POETIC text and GORGEOUS, INCLUSIVE illustrations, Wong invites readers to learn how to swim—to conquer fear of the water, and also to reclaim aquatic spaces for Brown, Black, and differently abled bodies…This isn’t just a book about swimming but also ‘about our ideas of the world’; it’s a manifesto that ‘this belongs to you, too.’” Horn Book, starred review

“In watercolors and pastels, this picture book EXTOLS the future joys of swimming in many different locales.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “New Books for 2023 Summer Reading”

“[A] MARVELOUS book with its GLORIOUS poetry and SPECTACULAR pastel and watercolor illustrations offers an INSPIRING of what is possible when someone conquers their fear of the water and dares to swim in the ocean, a pond, a lake, a canal, a swimming pool.” The Buffalo News

“STUNNINGLY ILLUSTRATED and LYRICAL.” BookRiot

“This EXQUISITELY ILLUSTRATED picture book celebrates all the wonder and adventure to be found when you sink your body into water.” Northern Virginia Magazine