"Jessenia, her Mami, and her brother, Luis, are off to the suburbs to watch Jessenia swim at a meet. Jessenia is intimidated by the big new suburban pool and the fact that the other team is on a winning streak. Her team is behind, but she manages to win her last match. Jessenia's story is juxtaposed against the memories Mami has of her home in Puerto Rico; as Jessenia swims, the blue of the water reminds her of the expanse of ocean Mami has often described. The well-executed artwork is strong in both design and color, and conveys both the trepidation and excitement that Jessenia feels as she approaches and participates in the meet. A good choice for libraries looking for books in which a Latino family is center stage." -- Booklist A winning story of competition, perseverance, and pride in accomplishment. Jessenia's swim team is slated for its first away meet and she's nervous.
Accompanying the girls on the bus, Jessenia's mother reminisces about her homeland of Puerto Rico, its brilliant blue skies, the expansiveness of the ocean. During her first competition, Jessenia loses concentration when she recalls her mother's comments and does not win first place. However, with her coach's encouragement and her mother's support, she finds the strength to win her last race. A gift from her mother brings her thoughts back to Puerto Rico and her heritage. With increased confidence in her abilities, Jessenia vows, "We'll be back!" The realistic, double-page watercolor-and-pencil illustrations, predominantly in warm blues and greens, depict a multicultural swim team and their African-American coach. The actions of the swimmers, the cheering crowd, and the closeness of Jessenia's family are aptly portrayed. A good choice that nicely fills the void of picture books about girls involved in team sports. -- School Library Journal Jessenia and her family live in the inner city, where she is on a swim team.
The first away match is against a team from an affluent neighborhood that's on a winning streak. "Everyone's equal in the water," Coach keeps saying. Jessenia's mother just keeps talking about her native Puerto Rico. When it's Jessenia's turn to swim, she suddenly sees how brave her mother was to start life in a new country--with a new language. This is a warming story about families, pride and teamwork. The lovely illustrations depict ethnic diversities. -- Preschool Picks Magazine Choices, Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC).