No Swimming for Nelly

April 15, 2018
Three generations of women bond over swimming lessons for little piglet Nelly. Nelly loves the new swimsuit Mommy gives her--for biking, playing basketball, even sleeping, but not swimming. Why not? The water at the beach is cold; Nelly doesn't like the waves; the water is scary. Mommy knows exactly what Nelly needs: lessons with champion swimmer Grandma. Expressive pen-and-ink lines capture every emotion in the characters' faces, and warm tones highlight the love among them. Even their body language as they curve toward one another demonstrates their closeness. That they are anthropomorphized pigs just makes it more appealing and sweetly comical. Grandma is a patient teacher, and her tricks are ones that parents everywhere can use. Nelly blows bubbles and learns to float, kick, and move her arms. Fluid watercolor washes suit the watery setting and all the motion, while illustrations that vary from double-page spread to vignette set the pace. When Mommy calls them in for dinner, Nelly wants to keep swimming. Imagine! Nelly learns she can try new things when she's buoyed by her family's support in this thoroughly reassuring outing. (Picture book. 3-5)

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June 25, 2018
Again demonstrating his flair for creating endearing animal characters, Gorbachev (Pizza-Pie Snowman) gives a perennial picture-book motif a sweet tweak in this story starring an obstinate piglet. Tickled when her mother buys her a swimsuit—a polka-dotted, skirted number with puffy bloomers—Nelly beams with approval as she models it in front of the mirror. Her variable facial expressions comically convey her mood swings; smiling widely, she prances onto the beach, but she comes to a sudden halt at the water’s edge, announcing, “No swimming for me.” Gorbachev’s loose, pen-and-ink and watercolor pictures provide a high-spirited contrast between Nelly’s disdain for swimming and her fondness for her suit, which she wears for all occasions, day (biking, playing basketball) and night (dining at a fancy restaurant, sleeping). The story gains an additional dimension when Nelly and her mother visit Grandma, who has a collection of swimming trophies and knows just how to convince Nelly to put her new garment to proper use. This is a gentle, winsome tale about the rewards of well-placed trust and braving the unknown. Ages 4–8.

August 1, 2018

PreS-Gr 1-A sweet story about taking responsible risks under the guidance of a trusted adult. Nelly, a little pig, receives a swimsuit as a gift from her mother and she adores it! She loves the way she looks and insists on wearing it everywhere, for every activity, except the one for which it is intended. Unfortunately, Nelly is afraid of swimming and absolutely refuses to try it. Then one day, the piglet and her mother go to visit Nelly's grandmother. Delightfully, Grandmother has a whole case of swimming trophies, and promises to teach Nelly to swim just like her. At first Nelly is unsure, but after watching her champion grandmother go, she reluctantly dips her toes in and eventually allows her grandmother to teach her. Nelly is a natural! While the story is about Nelly overcoming her fears, there is also the subtle message that we can learn much from the previous generations and their accomplishments. The illustrations in this book were created with pen, ink, and watercolor, creating a warm, splashy feel. VERDICT Readers will delight in Nelly's triumph. A recommended seasonal read-aloud and a solid purchase for any library collection.-Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2018
Preschool-G When Mommy gives Nelly a new swimsuit, the little pig is pleased as punch, modeling it in front of the mirror and accompanying her mother to the beach. But as they approach the water, Nelly announces, No swimming for me. Understanding her daughter's trepidation, Mommy lets Nelly wear her swimsuit wherever she goes, even on the plane ride to visit Grandma. After she admires her grandmother's swimming trophies and watches her swim, Nelly allows herself to be coaxed into the pool. Becoming comfortable there and practicing one skill after another, Nelly learns to swim like a champion? Just like Grandma! Gorbachev, who excels at expressing human emotions through his dressed animal characters, crafts a surprisingly sunny picture book about overcoming anxieties with gentle support. With just a few words of well-chosen narration or dialogue on a page, the story moves quickly, but will resonate with the many children who have fears of their own. The artwork, nicely composed ink drawings with radiant watercolor washes, will quickly draw children to this hopeful, satisfying picture book.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2018
Piglet Nelly is thrilled with her new polka-dotted swimsuit, but when she and her mother head to the beach, Nelly refuses to go into the water. Gorbachev's pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations show Nelly delightedly continuing to wear her suit, even when they visit Grandma, a champion swimmer. Appealingly, no one ever scolds Nelly for her fear, and she gains confidence by watching her grandmother swim.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)