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Swimming with Dolphins
290 pages, Hardcover
Published February 17, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 3, 2026
June 2026: Second read. This is truly one of my favorite middle grade books of all time. Absolutely love this. Can’t wait to talk about it with tweens tomorrow during our Owl’s Nest summer book club! So excited for them to get to meet the author Suzanne Purvis also. 💙🐬
I’ve already recommended this to two moms whose children are reluctant readers and both of them really enjoyed it. Also a perfect choice for a poetry and/or marine unit.
So so so good!
__________________
Absolutely wonderful! I am *amazed* by how well Suzanne Purvis writes novels in verse. I thoroughly loved her other book Hertz Gets Fused and love Swimming With Dolphins just as much.
Swimming with Dolphins tells the story of Grace who is turning 12 and has some big life dreams that seem out of reach while navigating quite a few difficult life situations - mostly caused by the adults around her. I am amazed by how well Purvis uses the novel in verse style to develop characters and the story while handling the heavy subjects with a lightness and gentleness that is beautiful. The use of haikus and concrete poetry (the visual arrangement of words to also create meaning) is wonderful and so accessible to any reader. I love the themes in this wonderful story of hope, second chances, forgiveness, courage, and love.
I can’t recommend this one enough for all adolescent readers (and adults!). If you have a reluctant reader, this one would be especially perfect to grab their imagination and show them just how gently a beautiful story can be told.
I am so grateful to Suzanne Purvis for writing these wonderful stories in such a creative and enjoyable way and to Owl’s Nest Publishers for bringing them into the world. Highly, highly recommend 🐬🩵
I’ve already recommended this to two moms whose children are reluctant readers and both of them really enjoyed it. Also a perfect choice for a poetry and/or marine unit.
So so so good!
__________________
Absolutely wonderful! I am *amazed* by how well Suzanne Purvis writes novels in verse. I thoroughly loved her other book Hertz Gets Fused and love Swimming With Dolphins just as much.
Swimming with Dolphins tells the story of Grace who is turning 12 and has some big life dreams that seem out of reach while navigating quite a few difficult life situations - mostly caused by the adults around her. I am amazed by how well Purvis uses the novel in verse style to develop characters and the story while handling the heavy subjects with a lightness and gentleness that is beautiful. The use of haikus and concrete poetry (the visual arrangement of words to also create meaning) is wonderful and so accessible to any reader. I love the themes in this wonderful story of hope, second chances, forgiveness, courage, and love.
I can’t recommend this one enough for all adolescent readers (and adults!). If you have a reluctant reader, this one would be especially perfect to grab their imagination and show them just how gently a beautiful story can be told.
I am so grateful to Suzanne Purvis for writing these wonderful stories in such a creative and enjoyable way and to Owl’s Nest Publishers for bringing them into the world. Highly, highly recommend 🐬🩵
April 17, 2026
Beautifully written novel, from the very first couple pages I knew that it was going to strike home. Swimming with Dolphins portrays deep innocence in a way that not every author can. Following a young girl's truly enchanting story to the very end.
April 5, 2026
Utterly, utterly, utterly charming!
.
At its core, Swimming with Dolphins asks a most sincere and human question: What is—and how do we reach—home?
.
Uniquely, it explores this longing from the journal entry perspective of an expectant nearly-twelve-year-old. She is smitten with all things aquatic, and keen to shape the chaos of her life with the form of poetry.
.
Dolphins are her reason. Haiku is her rhythm. Together, they help make Grace Arrow as sassy as she is steady, and as unabashedly honest as she is kind. She does not shy away from a hard past or the unknown future. There is an unquenchable tenacity in her realizations and her assurances, and a spirited reply whenever situations must be rethought. She is equal parts vim and vinegar, passion and persuasive curiosity. She is endearing, always.
.
I appreciate that the telling of this story refuses to shy away from difficult topics (foster care, adoption, family systems). It unfolds in accessible language and relatable expressions. The manner and tone of the story chooses earnest over tidy delivery, and often with a side dish of snarky humour! Grace Arrow had me burst out laughing frequently!
.
The story was also visually exciting, with each entry feeling like a snapshot of Grace's immediate reactions. In moments, her thoughts are jumbled. In others, structured. Every page is an invitation to process alongside Grace, and to experience her unique selection and arrangement of words/blank space.
.
Poetry is a true and connective gift when it can capture a moment in time, and reach out from that still point towards the heart of a reader. I can't help but believe that whether or not you are Grace Arrow's equal in age or circumstance—or whether you are as ardently fond of critters and nature—that she is witty and perceptive enough to entwine a verse from her life with a stanza in yours.
.
Thank you kindly to Owl's Nest Publishers for the review copy!
.
At its core, Swimming with Dolphins asks a most sincere and human question: What is—and how do we reach—home?
.
Uniquely, it explores this longing from the journal entry perspective of an expectant nearly-twelve-year-old. She is smitten with all things aquatic, and keen to shape the chaos of her life with the form of poetry.
.
Dolphins are her reason. Haiku is her rhythm. Together, they help make Grace Arrow as sassy as she is steady, and as unabashedly honest as she is kind. She does not shy away from a hard past or the unknown future. There is an unquenchable tenacity in her realizations and her assurances, and a spirited reply whenever situations must be rethought. She is equal parts vim and vinegar, passion and persuasive curiosity. She is endearing, always.
.
I appreciate that the telling of this story refuses to shy away from difficult topics (foster care, adoption, family systems). It unfolds in accessible language and relatable expressions. The manner and tone of the story chooses earnest over tidy delivery, and often with a side dish of snarky humour! Grace Arrow had me burst out laughing frequently!
.
The story was also visually exciting, with each entry feeling like a snapshot of Grace's immediate reactions. In moments, her thoughts are jumbled. In others, structured. Every page is an invitation to process alongside Grace, and to experience her unique selection and arrangement of words/blank space.
.
Poetry is a true and connective gift when it can capture a moment in time, and reach out from that still point towards the heart of a reader. I can't help but believe that whether or not you are Grace Arrow's equal in age or circumstance—or whether you are as ardently fond of critters and nature—that she is witty and perceptive enough to entwine a verse from her life with a stanza in yours.
.
Thank you kindly to Owl's Nest Publishers for the review copy!
April 14, 2026
I adored this story in verse so much! I teared up in a couple of places. Powerful and beautiful—we need more middle grade books like this!
March 5, 2026
I was absolutely enchanted by this novel-in-verse. As someone who actively avoids poetry, I was moved in a way that I was not expecting. I was surprised but also appreciative of the many hard topics that were sensitively addressed. Grace's simple but often profound expressions of her love for the sea, and how her own life is reflected in it, resonated with me in a way that's hard to put into words. I saw my almost-12 ocean-loving wannabe-marine scientist self in this story over and over!
Some of my favorites -
Then I smell
--BLISS
salt
sea
marine life
Hope's not a heron
Hope is a thing with fins
That swims in my heart
Hope's like a leaping mullet.
Some of my favorites -
Then I smell
--BLISS
salt
sea
marine life
Hope's not a heron
Hope is a thing with fins
That swims in my heart
Hope's like a leaping mullet.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I absolutely loved this sweet novel in verse!
Grace and her love for marine life were just the sweetest.
This book deals with some pretty heavy things, but it does it in a way that doesn't feel dark or heavy. Watching Grace navigate her family situation without losing her light was a real treat.
As someone who often feels like a walking encyclopedia, I really loved learning about fish from Grace.
You might think a novel in verse wouldn't be able to convey the same depth as a prose novel, but you would be wrong. There is so much happening in this story, and a few words can speak volumes.
I hope I can convince my new 12 year old to pick this one up!
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced ebook copy. I can't wait to get my paperback for my shelf! All thoughts and opinions are mine.
Grace and her love for marine life were just the sweetest.
This book deals with some pretty heavy things, but it does it in a way that doesn't feel dark or heavy. Watching Grace navigate her family situation without losing her light was a real treat.
As someone who often feels like a walking encyclopedia, I really loved learning about fish from Grace.
You might think a novel in verse wouldn't be able to convey the same depth as a prose novel, but you would be wrong. There is so much happening in this story, and a few words can speak volumes.
I hope I can convince my new 12 year old to pick this one up!
Thank you to the publisher for an advanced ebook copy. I can't wait to get my paperback for my shelf! All thoughts and opinions are mine.
June 26, 2026
I enjoyed this easy read, my first book written in verse.
The story was compelling and believable, and could be helpful for a child with hardships in her life.
The story was compelling and believable, and could be helpful for a child with hardships in her life.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
From the first page, I knew this was a special book! Swimming with Dolphins is a middle grade novel-in-verse that tells the story of Grace Arrow. Grace is 11 and wants nothing more than to swim with dolphins at the nearby dolphin encounter for her 12th birthday. But life turns upside down for Grace as her best friend moves away and her great-grandmother Gigi is no longer able to care for her. But instead of foster care, Grace's biological father is found and goes to live with him on his boat at a marina. The book takes place over the summer as Grace learns to navigate what it means to be part of a community, the hopefulness of second chances, and how that we truly need each other.
I was blown away with how well this book handled some really deep and hard life circumstances without feeling dark or overly heavy. Grace is not super-human; she is sad and hurt and grieves and uses her imagination and her love of marine life and poetry to process her world. As the parent of an 11 year old who just turned 12, I found Grace's portrayal to be absolutely pitch-perfect. I saw so many parts of my own daughter in Grace's reactions, inner thoughts, and outlook, and I love that young readers will have the chance to see themselves in Grace's story, even if they can't relate to everything that happens to her.
The novel-in-verse style of this book makes it such a quick and easy read. There's a lot of white space on the page which makes it a great reading experience. Plus the use of concrete poems (poems that look like an image) as well as haiku makes the poetry extremely accessible.
My newly minted 12 year old daughter couldn't put this book down! She loved it so much and it makes my heart so happy to be able to share this book together. I've read quite a few novels-in-verse and Swimming with Dolphins is one of my very favorites! (Plus that cover...stunning!)
I was blown away with how well this book handled some really deep and hard life circumstances without feeling dark or overly heavy. Grace is not super-human; she is sad and hurt and grieves and uses her imagination and her love of marine life and poetry to process her world. As the parent of an 11 year old who just turned 12, I found Grace's portrayal to be absolutely pitch-perfect. I saw so many parts of my own daughter in Grace's reactions, inner thoughts, and outlook, and I love that young readers will have the chance to see themselves in Grace's story, even if they can't relate to everything that happens to her.
The novel-in-verse style of this book makes it such a quick and easy read. There's a lot of white space on the page which makes it a great reading experience. Plus the use of concrete poems (poems that look like an image) as well as haiku makes the poetry extremely accessible.
My newly minted 12 year old daughter couldn't put this book down! She loved it so much and it makes my heart so happy to be able to share this book together. I've read quite a few novels-in-verse and Swimming with Dolphins is one of my very favorites! (Plus that cover...stunning!)
May 15, 2026
This book is a gem, and I am so glad it landed in my e-reader. It's been a while since a book made me cry.
Grace is a dreamer who imagines herself as an underwater superhero protecting the sea, and her story unfolds in verse across pages that breathe. The format never feels intimidating, which makes it a perfect fit for readers who might not think they are "book people" yet.
What I loved most is how Grace faces doubt and uncertainty without flinching. She is living with a grandmother who feels distant and detached, and things look pretty hopeless for a while. But the story builds toward something genuinely beautiful, a found family, real adventure, and a life that feels extraordinary. That arc will resonate with any middle-grade reader who has ever felt like they do not quite belong.
The verse format is a real strength here. The writing moves quickly, the white space on the page gives young readers room to breathe, and the whole thing reads almost like a dream you do not want to wake up from.
My one small note is that the references to Greek gods felt unnecessary to me personally, though readers who enjoy mythology woven into their stories will probably not mind at all.
This is a five star read that I would recommend without hesitation.
**Highly recommended for middle grade readers who love ocean adventures, stories about finding your people, and books that feel as open and free as the sea itself.**
---
Bottom line: A radiant five star verse novel, *Swimming With Dolphins* earns every star with its courageous heroine, airy format, and a heartfelt story of belonging that will stick with young readers long after the last page.
Grace is a dreamer who imagines herself as an underwater superhero protecting the sea, and her story unfolds in verse across pages that breathe. The format never feels intimidating, which makes it a perfect fit for readers who might not think they are "book people" yet.
What I loved most is how Grace faces doubt and uncertainty without flinching. She is living with a grandmother who feels distant and detached, and things look pretty hopeless for a while. But the story builds toward something genuinely beautiful, a found family, real adventure, and a life that feels extraordinary. That arc will resonate with any middle-grade reader who has ever felt like they do not quite belong.
The verse format is a real strength here. The writing moves quickly, the white space on the page gives young readers room to breathe, and the whole thing reads almost like a dream you do not want to wake up from.
My one small note is that the references to Greek gods felt unnecessary to me personally, though readers who enjoy mythology woven into their stories will probably not mind at all.
This is a five star read that I would recommend without hesitation.
**Highly recommended for middle grade readers who love ocean adventures, stories about finding your people, and books that feel as open and free as the sea itself.**
---
Bottom line: A radiant five star verse novel, *Swimming With Dolphins* earns every star with its courageous heroine, airy format, and a heartfelt story of belonging that will stick with young readers long after the last page.
March 1, 2026
I received a free copy of this book for review.
This new middle grade release is a novel-in-verse done very well! Swimming with Dolphins is a poetic and insightful exploration into the mind of an 11 year old.
The main character is a marine life enthusiast who is saving up money to swim with dolphins when her life gets turned upside down. It deals with some tough situations but without feeling overly dark. I love how the main character had a deep passion for marine life and it became a lens for how she saw and processed things.
The novel-in-verse format was a beautiful example of how sometimes fewer words placed together in the right way can actually have a greater impact than a long string of words. If you have a kid in your life that has never read a novel-in-verse before or is hesitant about poetry this book would be a great starting place. I feel qualified to say that as someone who has definitely felt like I don’t “get” all poetry. The writing in this book was not pretentious or overly flowery, instead it was very creative and impactful in the way it depicted things.
I would definitely recommend this one and have already passed it on to my 10 year old!
Trigger/content notes: All of these topics felt like they were handled with care but if you need specifics they are behind spoiler tags: .
This new middle grade release is a novel-in-verse done very well! Swimming with Dolphins is a poetic and insightful exploration into the mind of an 11 year old.
The main character is a marine life enthusiast who is saving up money to swim with dolphins when her life gets turned upside down. It deals with some tough situations but without feeling overly dark. I love how the main character had a deep passion for marine life and it became a lens for how she saw and processed things.
The novel-in-verse format was a beautiful example of how sometimes fewer words placed together in the right way can actually have a greater impact than a long string of words. If you have a kid in your life that has never read a novel-in-verse before or is hesitant about poetry this book would be a great starting place. I feel qualified to say that as someone who has definitely felt like I don’t “get” all poetry. The writing in this book was not pretentious or overly flowery, instead it was very creative and impactful in the way it depicted things.
I would definitely recommend this one and have already passed it on to my 10 year old!
Trigger/content notes: All of these topics felt like they were handled with care but if you need specifics they are behind spoiler tags: .
April 20, 2026
Tender, Layered, and Full of Heart
Swimming with Dolphins is like a beautifully crafted meal, giving you just enough at every turn to leave you satisfied but still wanting more.
This is the second book I’ve read by Suzanne Purvis, and one of the things she does so well is transport you back to that younger, more open part of yourself, before all the adult walls go up.
Her eleven-year-old heroine, Grace, is hopeful, resilient, and deeply believable, building strength with every painful circumstance.
The verse is accessible, moving, and never showy. It’s part poetry, part escape, part education, and completely absorbing. I even came away knowing more about marine life and boat culture.
Read it and savor every word.
Haiku
Saltwater, soft truth
A brave heart learns how to heal
Read it, feel, stay changed
Swimming with Dolphins is like a beautifully crafted meal, giving you just enough at every turn to leave you satisfied but still wanting more.
This is the second book I’ve read by Suzanne Purvis, and one of the things she does so well is transport you back to that younger, more open part of yourself, before all the adult walls go up.
Her eleven-year-old heroine, Grace, is hopeful, resilient, and deeply believable, building strength with every painful circumstance.
The verse is accessible, moving, and never showy. It’s part poetry, part escape, part education, and completely absorbing. I even came away knowing more about marine life and boat culture.
Read it and savor every word.
Haiku
Saltwater, soft truth
A brave heart learns how to heal
Read it, feel, stay changed
February 18, 2026
Swimming with Dolphins is not the sort of book I would ordinarily pick up, and exactly the sort of book I ended up really loving because it surprised me so much with how much I loved it! It's a novel-in-verse that tackles hard topics with so much tenderness and care (I cried, I'm not going to lie). Suzanne Purvis is SO good at telling stories for young people in verse! This story makes a great stepping stone into heavier novels-in-verse that are out there for teens (such as Long Way Down) as it dips into serious subjects but is still fully MG. I cannot recommend this one enough!
May 18, 2026
Grace Arrow is a lone minnow swimming against the current in an ocean of doubt and confusion. After her cuckoo great grandmother goes all ninja on her, foster care is her only option--until the social worker finds the father Grace has never met. Buckle your life jacket. SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS grabs you at the beginning and takes you on a heart-tugging, wave-riding, and dolphin-loving adventure.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews