Sink or Swim

Just Roll with It #2

by Veronica Agarwal, Lee Durfey-Lavoie

Summer is here! School’s out, the pool is open, and new adventures with friends await! But what happens when twelve year old Ty’s anxiety has other plans? From the world of Just Roll With It comes a graphic novel about accepting yourself even when it’s a little scary.

Bouncing back from a broken arm should be no big deal—but when Ty spends a month off the swim team the thought of getting back in the water is suddenly not as fun as it used to be.

After weeks of ignoring his friends, Ty isn't sure how to connect with them again in summer camp. They used to have swim team together but after so long without swimming he's out of shape and afraid of failing in front of them. With his friendships fracturing, will Ty be able to gain confidence in himself and fix everything before it's too late?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, LGBT, Mental Health, Realistic Fiction, Fiction, Friendship

314 pages, Hardcover

First published June 4, 2024

About the author

Veronica Agarwal is a cartoonist and illustrator from NY who loves sunflowers, summertime, and creatures of all kinds!

She's half-Italian, half-Indian, and her comics reflect the diversity she grew up with.

She has a BFA in Cartooning from the School of Visual Arts, and her works celebrate self care, girls of all kinds, and the little things that make every day special.

Reviews

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

So glad that there are books like this that deal with body image issues for boys, PLUS mental health. Loved the tie-in with characters from Just Roll With It (companion GN). The camp setting is fantastic, and the friendship struggles as well - cringe-worthy, but relatable.
The camp counselors were awesome - I liked that they admitted their limitations, but found helpful answers for him, and asked for consent before talking to other people. Really great modeling.
Love the art and the story. Heather was perhaps my favorite character, stuck in the middle between her friend and her twin - and dealing with her own things too.
Absolutely excellent for upper elementary/ middle school!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ty is a middle school athlete, who has been sidelined from swimming by a broken arm. He begins to doubt himself as his weight gain and time away from the pool will alter his role on the team, and his anxiety begins to affect his friendship with his fellow swimmer and best friend Max. Attending summer camp together tests their friendship as Ty struggles with his mental health and deals with the consequences of pushing Max away. The need to acknowledge that one needs help is addressed; however, a late-story romance takes the focus away from an otherwise strong story about friendship. Ty and his family are cued as Hispanic and the story showcases a welcome diversity among his classmates. This is the second graphic novel that author Lee Durfey-Lavoie and artist Veronica Agarwal have created together and is set in the Just Roll With It universe. This duo takes mental health very seriously and crafted a poignant coming-of-age story, with visual clues about drowning in your emotions. The anime and chibi-style animation will appeal to a young audience.

Verdict: This story can stand alone, but will appeal to youth who enjoyed Just Roll With It and Raina Telgemeier's Guts. This graphic novel about anxiety, body image and queerness is a recommended purchase for middle school library shelves.

I reviewed this graphic novel for the School Library Journal magazine: https://www.slj.com/review/sink-or-swim

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

My heart 😭 I cried. This book is so adorable and perfect for middle school. It's about Max who was the swim team captain But he broke his arm and missed a season. When he gets cast off he starts to talk to his best friends again but then realizes that maybe they don't like him anymore because he doesn't know if he can swim so he ignores them. But then they have summer camp and there's this big swim competition and Max tells his friends that he's going to do it but is so scared to do it. His body has changed since he wasn't able to really exercise as much with his cast and he's really insecure about himself and his friendships and his future. This book is so heartwarming. It is really an excellent portrayal of the ups and downs of emotions in relationships at that age.

Loved that we got discussions about body image, eating disorders (not clinical but more in terms of eating is neutral), queerness, friendships, crushes, teamwork, hobbies

Genuinely adorable. Highly recommend.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Rating this on the higher star side of things because it has more going on than some of the one-issue narratives that have become a staple of some middlegrade graphic novel releases. It addresses body shame and self-hatred among boys, as well as friend break-ups and drama among boys—boys experience this stuff, too, and there’s still not a lot of representation of that in middlegrade books. Finding new facets of oneself when one was previously boiled down to a star athlete and nothing else—as Ty does when he finds himself enjoying hanging with new friends into tabletop gaming after he breaks his arm, misses a sports season, and doubts he’ll ever be good at sports again—is here, too. Loneliness is also, though, and anxiety, and reconciliation.

But (spoiler)


I was disappointed when out of nearly nowhere in the last few pages Ty & Max’s friendship breakup also apparently has to do with Max’s crush on Ty, and Ty reciprocating it. I’m getting weary of seeing random sudden queerness introduced into middlegrade books with nearly no nuance or true build-up. There’s a girl-girl couple with character and romance in the book from almost the start—yay!—but this boy-boy attraction is mostly out of left field, and honestly kind of dilutes the depiction of their friendship breakup—like THIS was what it was really about, not poor communication and mindreading and no longer swimming together competitively and Max being afraid to share how much his new body is affecting his security and sense of self. I’m cranky about “throw a nonbinary kid in it” feeling like Portlandia’s “put a bird on it” sketch for middlegrade publishing right now. Neither Ty nor Max are nonbinary, but it felt of a piece with poorly-executed “nonbinary kid drops” into other books. ***I want to make it clear that there are plenty of great middlegrade books with nonbinary and gay representation***. I just thought it wasn’t done well here.

*Sink or Swim* is a strong middlegrade read even so. Thanks due to #netgalley for access to the digital ARC.

[Callumhopper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this

[Eliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sink or Swim
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (4/5) or 7.85/10 overall

Characters - 8

Atmosphere - 9

Writing - 8

Plot - 7

Intrigue - 8

Logic - 7

Enjoyment - 8

[D.T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

There’s A LOT here: eating disorders, body image issues, trauma, drowning, miscommunication, a budding crush Ty realizes he’s attracted to boys, especially his best friend Max who is also secretly attracted to him too., and learning how our actions affect the others around us.

Another theme was there is no lost time. Just because you were good at one thing, doesn’t mean that one is all that you embody. Again, a lot is covered here to the point it’s overpacked, but it was paced throughout smoothly.

The ages of the characters were pretty ambiguous. They seemed about middle school, so I wasn’t sure if Max, in particular, was immature for his age or not. But I thought the emotional issues and hiding secrets were stellar. Every time the kids would fight and not resolve the issue, I was like that’s accurate lol.

Something that stood out to me as an adult reader was that the camp counselor didn’t automatically have all the answers. He was honest and told Ty he’d get back to him when he was more knowledgeable. The honesty was great, but he should have referred Ty to a professional and most definitely told his parents (probably happened off-screen but still). We may not always have the perfect answer right away, but we must do our due diligence.

2.5

[Robin Pharris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book really hit home for me. I work in a middle school and I have kiddos every day who are trying to deal with anxiety over different issues, such as appearance, grades, and friendships. This book would be perfect to recommend to them to let them know that they are not alone in feeling this way. I particularly like the part of this book where Max seeks out a trusting adult to talk to and tell his feelings to. I think when kiddos see it in print, it encourages them to be brave and consider doing it themselves in real life. With the help of his tribe, Max is able to overcome his feelings of anxiety and get back to doing all the things that he enjoys! I really enjoyed this book and I would like to thank NetGalley for providing an ARC for me to preview. I believe this book will be enjoyed by youngsters everywhere!

[Sarah {The Clever Reader} · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Reasons to Read

Summer Camp

This was such a fun summer camp setting! They were building boats, catching bugs, and making new friends. I thought it was cool to see the summer camp have both a swim competition and talent show. I never went to a summer camp growing up so getting to see the illustrations of the camp and the activities made this such an immersive read. I had a lot of fun with it!

Mental Health Rep

Ty's struggling with anxiety after being in a caste for months which prevented him from swimming on the team and in competitions. Over time he's gained weight and withdrawn from his friends. It's allowed the self doubt to creep in. Now that's he's at summer camp with his friends the anxiety has only worsened. Things have changed for him and he doesn't know how to get back on track. I thought this story and the illustrations really portrayed those inner feelings Ty, and his friends, were working through. I was able to connect to the characters emotions in a way I don't always get with just words on the page. I appreciated the artistry in that way.

LGBTQ+ Rep

I feel that middle grade is a wonderful way to speak to the identity changes that kids face. It's such a pivotal point in their lives and learning to understand themselves. I thought that the relationship between Heather and Ai was so well done. They were adorable!! I love seeing this rep in books and enjoyed those relationships in Sink or Swim!

Friendships

I loved the friendships in this book. It went through the changes of existing friendships and building new ones. Camp is a great way to meet new people and connect through activities that are outside of normal every day life. I want to read Just Roll With It now so that I can get introduced to more of these amazing friendships!

Support Systems

Ty was struggling with his anxiety but didn't know how to talk about it with his friends. He'd pushed them away for months that he didn't know if they'd really understand what he was going through. It was great to see him make a connection with one of the camp counselors who really helped him get through the summer. The importance of showing young people that they can find support in those around them, including the adults, was a great takeaway from this story.

[Nina Canales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

This book is just too cute! You know how middle school can be tough, right? Well, this book totally gets it and talks about real stuff without being all preachy. It's actually the second book in a series, but it works on its own. I would like to see more of this series because I feel students can relate to these kinds of characters. I love how it softly touches upon having anxieties and how to deal with different kinds of friendships along with attitudes. This is also one of the first graphic novels I read where a main character actual feels safe enough to talk to an adult abou their feelings and problems. Healthy child to adult relationships in graphic novels is so rare since most of the time, parents/adults are the ones the characters have issues with. If you're in 5th-8th grade, you should totally check this one out!
Oh, and let me tell you about the art in this book—it's seriously adorable! The illustrations are cute and colorful, adding this extra layer of wholesomeness to the characters and plot. Just makes the whole reading experience even more delightful for middle schoolers!

[Becky • bookmarked by becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ This graphic novel will be a hit with middle-grade kids. The story feels relatable to this age group and covers topics such as friendships, body image, and anxiety.

I appreciate how the authors skillfully depict anxiety not only through Ty’s internal thoughts, self-talk, and isolation but also through the illustrations. The use of water as a metaphor for Ty’s anxiety, representing that sinking or underwater feeling is especially powerful. The water graphics effectively convey Ty’s racing thoughts, adding depth to the portrayal of his experience with anxiety.

When Ty finds the courage to reach out to the camp counselor for help, they attentively listen, offer support, and gently remind Ty that self-care takes practice. This is a perfect example of how friends and adults can step in and offer help when people struggle.

I’ll note that some story threads in the plot feel unresolved or open, which may be intentional, given that this is book 2 of a series.

Other Highlights: summer camp, boat making, teamwork, boy-centric, finding new hobbies, LGBTQIA characters

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maggie from Just Roll with It is another attendee at the camp Ty goes to, but this can definitely be read as a standalone book.

I really like how this captured Ty's anxiety through water imagery, but especially appreciated the depiction of disordered eating in middle grade fiction. I feel like that's a subject that isn't usually featured until YA, even though eating disorders can affect people of any age and/or gender. A tween boy isn't who you would really think of when you think of the topic, which is why stories like these are so important. There are also multiple queer characters and characters of color featured.

[Alyssa Lentz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the way this graphic novel reflected Ty's anxiety in the illustrations as well as his actions. There was great representation throughout this, and I also appreciated the depiction of friendship drama between boys as well as girls, and the way that can sometimes get tied up in their feelings. Also a great summer read choice--I thought the camp element made this super fun. Would recommend to readers who enjoy realistic graphic novels with a mental health focus.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really lovely and does a great job capturing what it's like for anxiety and depression to immobilize you. Highly recommend, and I will happily read books by this pair as long as they write them. My only critique is that I really think the blurb should mention the body image/eating disorder elements (I'd love a TW as well at the beginning, but I think one or the other is necessary).

[Ava F · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome summer camp themed graphic novel that is boy centric! It also tackles some serious topics like body image issues and self acceptance. I really enjoyed it.

[Brianna Hopkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tbh I felt like there was just too much going on. Like, pick a struggle lol

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute.
My son looks a bit like Brent. lol.

[Kellee Moye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, Max. Sweet Max who is dealing with so much as he recovers from the changes he went through while he had a broken arm and wasn’t part of the swim team. Now he finds himself at camp where he can’t figure out how to get back to normal while he drowns in anxiety.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like the adults dialogue was patronizing rather than cool and laid back, which is what I'm sure the intention was. I enjoyed the more serious themes of coping and addressing anxiety and confronting an eating disorder.

[norah melden (death by tbr) · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book made me feel things 😔✨

[Robin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mind-numbingly slow and incredibly boring. Got through 200 pages but I couldn't force myself to finish the last 100 pages.

[Niche · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another romance : /

The book tackles a lot. Anxiety, eating disorders, body shame, "friend" drama. I got my hopes up again for a friendship story, but it was just another romance.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Netgalley

This companion novel to Just Roll With It (https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...) can be read independently of that book. It centers on Ty, who suffered a broken arm that kept him from competitive swimming, an activity that he shared with longtime best friends, twins Max and Heather. Feeling sad and overwhelmed by his injury and unsure how to keep up his friendship without the common activity, Ty has retreated a bit. Even after the cast is off, he finds it difficult to answer texts from his friends, since he feels fat and generally miserable. All three go to the same summer camp after school is out, something they had been looking forward to. Swimming, canoe building, and other activities now hold no interest for Ty, who often ignores the attentions of his cabin mates in favor of staying in his bunk. He does do some exploring with Dan, who is interested in finding a stag beetle to take home, but this just seems to anger Max even further. Heather has confided that they were both sad at being ghosted, but didn't know how to reconnect. Max and Ty have constant tense interactions, but after their squabbling results in their canoe for the competition being damaged, Heather insists they talk it out. They come to an uneasy truce, and Ty agrees to participate in the swimming competition. The day of the even, however, finds him in the laundry room, washing clothes and spiraling into a depressive episode that involves him resorting to some self-harm, scratching his stomach and arms. He asks a counselor for help, and has another talk with Max, admitting how severe his situation is. Max confides that he has been so reactive because he thinks of Ty as more than a friend. Ty returns the feelings, and the two kiss. Heather admits that she has also been dealing with some troubling emotions after Max shared a song with a friend without her permission, but at an end of camp event, she sings the song and dedicates it to her girlfriend. Upon returning home, I hope that all three participate in some counseling to help regulate their emotions.
Strengths: This does pick up the thread of role playing games, with campers trying out a tabletop game, so readers of Roll with it will appreciate that. Summer camp is always a popular topic, so readers who enjoyed Be Prepared will be drawn to this. The artistic style is pleasant, and the camp scenes make ME want to go back and sleep on a cot in a leaky tent and swim in a lake. The idea of recovering from a sports injury will resonate with many young readers. The friend drama is intense, and again, always a popular topic. Books about anxiety and stress are on trend.
Weaknesses: I often refer to books that include a lot of sadness as "soggy", and Ty's emotions are shown as water engulfing him and making it hard for him to breathe, so he is definitely soggy in a lot of the book. Young readers might enjoy this more than I did; I find that swirling anxiety and constant bickering, while true to life, often slow down the plot of books.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed graphic novels like Ogle's Four Eyes, Page's Button Pusher or Sattin and Hickman's Buzzing.

[Lost in Book Land · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi Again!

Happy Eclipse Day (for those who are watching/celebrating)! The rest of April and into May is going to be a crazy time for me, so I am trying to make time for reading as much as humanly possible. I have been trying to be strategic about reading this month so far and carving out time to read in all the formats. One of the books I have picked up so far is a new graphic novel called Sink or Swim (thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions). Sink or Swim is technically the second in a series (I have not read the first but I did often skim it when I worked at a library and now will definitely have to seek out a copy to try).

SPOILERS AHEAD

Ty broke his arm this school year, which is tough because he loves swimming and he can not exactly swim with a cast on his arm. He was on the swim team at school and the captain of the team but he can not swim with his cast so he has to sit out the rest of the season. Now he is kind of isolating himself and feels incredibly awful about what’s happened with his body since he has not been able to swim/workout. He has refused to hang out with friends but now summer is here. Ty goes to summer camp every year with his friends but he is super nervous about going especially because he and his best friend always do this swimming competition and with his cast newly off he has not yet gotten back in the water. Once Ty arrives at camp his friend seems to be acting coldly towards him and he knows it’s cause he has been avoiding and not answering him, while his other friend (his best friend’s twin) is trying to chat with Ty and get him to open back up. As Ty goes through his days at camp he continues to struggle with his body image, swimming, and friendship. But maybe he can find a way to keep his head above water.

I really loved this graphic novel. The colors and illustrations popped off the pages and the story was very very good. I do not want to give too much away but watching Ty go through everything you just want to reach out and hug him and say it’s going to be okay. Luckily in the actual story, there are so many people that are there for Ty in so many different ways. I will definitely be seeking out a finished copy of this graphic novel and highly recommend giving it a try when it hits shelves on June 4th, 2024.

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

***Thank you so much to the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ty was a swimming superstar until he broke his arm and missed the season. Swimming and his swimming friends had been his whole life, so losing it was rough, and he ended up ghosting his friends during his recovery. When he gets the cast off, it's almost time for summer camp, and his friends--who are thrilled he's back--expect that life will just go back to normal. But not for Ty. He's gained weight during his recovery and feels bad about that, and worse, he's developed a fear that he's forgotten how to swim. His anxiety feels as though it's drowning him all the time, and makes it difficult to interact with his friends and have fun at camp. His best friend Max, whom he ghosted not once but twice, is still really mad at him, and Ty doesn't know what to do about that. Max's twin is more forgiving, and Ty does have some fun with boatbuilding and helping someone search for a Hercules beetle. But if Ty doesn't do something about his anxiety, it's going to rule his life.

This was so sad for Ty! I thought it gave readers a really clear picture of what anxiety feels like for Ty, showing that even though he doesn't show it externally, internally he's drowning. It makes sense of his failures with his friends and other things, because even if Ty can't forgive himself, the reader is just begging for him to get some help and tell someone what he's going through. Which he does, eventually, thank goodness. I'm a big fan of camp stories, so I obviously liked this one, even though a camp that allows phones, and doesn't apparently have counselors in the cabins or checking to make sure the kids are where they are supposed to be, and meals available whenever, seems bizarre to me. I liked that the characters had many different colors of skin, and that LGBTQ relationships were present. One thing that threw me off was that I couldn't tell the difference between Max and his twin, so it was often hard for me to figure out which one Ty was talking to. I don't believe they were identical, being different genders (and no mention of one being trans), so I just wish that had been clearer. Otherwise, I enjoyed it.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Graphic Novel
I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's through NetGalley.
Agarwal brings readers in to meet characters after major events have happened. Ty gets his arm cast off at the start and readers learn he has not only lost a season of swim meets but has ghosted his friends while he was healing. They all attend summer camp together and the conflicts come with them. Ty struggles to talk with Max but is better able to connect with Max's twin, Heather. Ty also makes new friends and this adds to the tension. The imagery used to show how much Ty is struggling directly connects to his fear of swimming again. Readers see the waters rise and are encouraged when he fights back. Sharp readers will notice water on every page spread.
The characters are complex and dealing with more than one issue as happens in reality. Ty is struggling to rebuild strength, afraid to try and battling self image issues with his weight. I questioned the pale whiteness of his created self but it may have been to distinguish the two. This inner voice was vicious as happens when people spiral. We also see Max and Heather wrestle with their own issues. Again, I appreciate the reminder that no one's life is perfect. I had a concern with the camp counselors attempting to help, but they did seek other sources for support and did encourage Ty to get further help. There are LGBTQ+ relationships woven through with major hints that this may be another area where Ty and Max suffer from anxiety until the ending.
The artwork is detailed and offers further information about the story. The characters are well rounded with emphasis on specific areas. Middle grade readers will identify with the various issues shared.

[Tamikan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this Graphic Novel.

The Good:
-Super cute artwork and character design
-Fantastic message about friendship and overcoming adversity with a huge emphasis on mental health
-LGBTQIA+ rep without making a big deal that it's LGBTQIA+ rep

The Meh:
-A big part of the conflict is Ty coming to terms with his body and weight gain after an injury, but Ty looks the same in pictures from before. I don't know if we're supposed to read it as he didn't gain that much weight and is having other mental health issues or just something overlooked by the artist.
-It is a little long but paced well. I didn't feel like the story was dragging or had any unnecessary downtime.

This is so adorable. Like too precious for words. Middle school students are dealing with tough issues right now, and this book does a fantastic job tackling some of them without talking down or preaching to kids. I didn't realize this is the second book in a series, but I think these are side characters from the first book and it reads fine as a stand-alone. I hope this team continues to create comics for young people and highly recommend this one to 5th-8th graders.

[Grace Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel for Ty, who just got a cast off his arm and so missed swimming for months. He is suffering from anxiety, since his body has changed because he wasn't swimming, and he feels confused about talking to his best friend, since his best friend is on the swim team and talks about swimming a lot.
Ty's struggles are excellently illustrated as water rising when he is dealing with rough thoughts. He starts getting into unhealthy eating habits, because of his frustration with his body. And, he does some self-harming when his feelings are too much.
Fortunately, he has amazing friends who don't give up on him, and give him the courage to ask for help from adults.
****For my friends in the school library area, please know that there is the mention of a transgender camp counselor. Also, there are two different same-sex relationships mentioned/shown with a kiss. No censorship, but it is helpful to know when purchasing.
This book is more middle grade, because of the topics mentioned.

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ty had to sit out of swim season due to a broken arm. His body has changed, his confidence has weakened, and his friendships aren't the same. Can some time at summer camp with his former best friend heal what's bothering him?

Sink or Swim is a graphic novel that tried to do too much. Parts of it worked really well--the depiction of Ty's anxiety and the feeling of drowning was particularly impactful. Other parts didn't seem to be as well thought out. I didn't truly believe that Ty was struggling with his sexual orientation--it seemed like that was added on at the end. The incorporation of body image was well done, especially the counselor not really having specific advice. I think that is true to what a lot of adults would feel. The art style wasn't my favorite.

I read an ARC from NetGalley.

[Jame_EReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

👦🏻reviews: I always find time to read graphic novels if I can. My mom thinks I prefer illustration than words, so I had to explain why I always choose graphic novel than books. First, this one has some colorful and lively illustrations, so it is easier to see the expressions and feelings of the characters. Secondly, the story is absolutely fascinating. This is about Ty’s coming of age and realizing how things have changed when he least expected. He went from a VIP to a nobody. Thirdly, the morals in the story is so important to understand the depths of what we are seeing today in school and on the news about crazy hatred and anger happening all over the world. I like how the authors made sure to spread the important message that we need to learn how to love ourselves first. The summer camp comes and goes but we will still be here after we outgrow this stage.