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Jabari #1
Jabari Jumps
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Picture Books (2017)Working up the courage to take a big, important leap is hard, but Jabari is almost absolutely ready to make a giant splash.
Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He’s finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, and he’s a great jumper, so he’s not scared at all. “Looks easy,” says Jabari, watching the other kids take their turns. But when his dad squeezes his hand, Jabari squeezes back. He needs to figure out what kind of special jump to do anyway, and he should probably do some stretches before climbing up onto the diving board. In a sweetly appealing tale of overcoming your fears, newcomer Gaia Cornwall captures a moment between a patient and encouraging father and a determined little boy you can’t help but root for.
Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He’s finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, and he’s a great jumper, so he’s not scared at all. “Looks easy,” says Jabari, watching the other kids take their turns. But when his dad squeezes his hand, Jabari squeezes back. He needs to figure out what kind of special jump to do anyway, and he should probably do some stretches before climbing up onto the diving board. In a sweetly appealing tale of overcoming your fears, newcomer Gaia Cornwall captures a moment between a patient and encouraging father and a determined little boy you can’t help but root for.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published May 9, 2017
46 people are currently reading
3562 people want to read
About the author
Gaia Cornwall
9 books78 followersGaia Cornwall is an illustrator who loves making patterns for surface design, illustrating for children, and writing picture books. Her images can be seen in magazines, online, in logos, on various products, and even in a couple movies. JABARI JUMPS (Candlewick Press, May 2017,) is her debut picture book. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island. You can see more of her work at www.GaiaCornwall.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 868 reviews
November 8, 2017
Five Brilliant Stars for Jabari Jumps a marvelous picture book that teaches all of that it is okay to be frightened at times but more important to conquer those fears!
I'm the mother of a professional platform diver and I know how scary those boards look from up high especially to a little guy! However, what I love most is about this book is Jabari. I attended dive meets for nearly two decades, from local to Olympic Trials, and I can count on one hand the number of swimmer/divers who look like Jabari. When I look at picture books I see the same odds. This book gives me hope for ALL the little Jabaris out there, that one day they will not be an anomaly! So JUMP Jubari Jump!
I'm the mother of a professional platform diver and I know how scary those boards look from up high especially to a little guy! However, what I love most is about this book is Jabari. I attended dive meets for nearly two decades, from local to Olympic Trials, and I can count on one hand the number of swimmer/divers who look like Jabari. When I look at picture books I see the same odds. This book gives me hope for ALL the little Jabaris out there, that one day they will not be an anomaly! So JUMP Jubari Jump!
July 6, 2017
Bought this book to add to my library because of a student named Jabari. Even as a cool 6th grader, he was so enamored and spent all day reading it, clutching it, and showing it off to everyone in the school. Served as a powerful reminder of the necessity of representation in books. He blossomed into a new person seeing the first Jabari he'd ever seen in a book, who also looked like him to boot! 5 stars from us both!
November 11, 2017
Each year my family reads all the Goodreads-award-nominated picture books, and we have been doing this for years. Everyone rates each book and adds a comment and it may (or may not) affect my overall rating. This is book #7 of 2017.
Tara: 4 stars. There were a few good "perspective" pictures, such as Jabari's looking down from the diving board from a scared kid's point of view.
Harry (12): 4 stars. I like the line: "Surprise! Double backflip is next!"
Hank (11): 4 stars. I like how they show him facing his fears, finally getting up on the diving board, and jumping off it, and him going up again to try an even harder challenge.
Lyra (10): 4 stars. He's scared and thinks he can't do it, but he does it, anyway. You can do anything if you put your mind to it.
Dave: 4 stars. Jabari, facing his fears. Dad subtly helping, encouraging, making him feel okay for taking his time to do it, helping with strategies (I tell myself "I'm ready" when I'm nervous, and sometimes that helps).
Tara: 4 stars. There were a few good "perspective" pictures, such as Jabari's looking down from the diving board from a scared kid's point of view.
Harry (12): 4 stars. I like the line: "Surprise! Double backflip is next!"
Hank (11): 4 stars. I like how they show him facing his fears, finally getting up on the diving board, and jumping off it, and him going up again to try an even harder challenge.
Lyra (10): 4 stars. He's scared and thinks he can't do it, but he does it, anyway. You can do anything if you put your mind to it.
Dave: 4 stars. Jabari, facing his fears. Dad subtly helping, encouraging, making him feel okay for taking his time to do it, helping with strategies (I tell myself "I'm ready" when I'm nervous, and sometimes that helps).
May 7, 2023
I found JABARI JUMPS by Gaia Cornwall on the Libby app. Check for your local library on the app and read great books for free!📚
My therapist and I were discussing my need to take risks in order to have a fulfilling life, except that my anxiety often gets in the way. And because she's brilliant, she recommended this book to me instead of some 250 page self help book, that I'm sure would have been well written, but would also definitely have gotten lost in the shuffle of my life.
Good call Ashley.
This is a helpful book if you are looking for an out of the box way to process risk aversion.
Rating: 🤿🤿🤿🤿 / 5 swims in the pool
Recommend? Yes!
Finished: May 1 2023
Format: Digital book, Libby
Read this if you like:
🖼 Picture books
📙 Kids books with good lessons
🏊♂️ Learning to swim
🧙 Clever healers
My therapist and I were discussing my need to take risks in order to have a fulfilling life, except that my anxiety often gets in the way. And because she's brilliant, she recommended this book to me instead of some 250 page self help book, that I'm sure would have been well written, but would also definitely have gotten lost in the shuffle of my life.
Good call Ashley.
This is a helpful book if you are looking for an out of the box way to process risk aversion.
Rating: 🤿🤿🤿🤿 / 5 swims in the pool
Recommend? Yes!
Finished: May 1 2023
Format: Digital book, Libby
Read this if you like:
🖼 Picture books
📙 Kids books with good lessons
🏊♂️ Learning to swim
🧙 Clever healers
April 6, 2018
Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Picture Book.
Deals with confidence building and reminds you to be courageous. The illustration was fabulous.
Deals with confidence building and reminds you to be courageous. The illustration was fabulous.
June 12, 2018
Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
Little Jabari had just finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test. He decided that he was now ready to jump off the diving board and today was the day. He watched all the other children jump off the board and declared it looked easy. However, when he got to the bottom of the board he looked up and saw how high it was. He felt scared but he didn’t want to let anyone know how he felt.
His dad knew how he was feeling though. He told Jabari that it was okay to feel scared and that sometimes even he felt scared. He then taught him what he does when he feels scared and how it helps. Jabari decided to give the diving board another go, this time using the technique his dad had taught him.
Jabari Jumps is a very sweet, short children’s book following little Jabari as he tries to work up the courage to jump off the diving board. The book shows children that everyone gets scared sometimes and that it is normal and okay. It also shows them how Jabari’s dad helps him to overcome his fears.
The pages are filled with exquisite illustrations that really capture how Jabari is feeling. I also love how there are images in the background that are made out of what looks like pages out of a book. The illustrations also clearly show what is happening in the story and a non-reader would be able to make out the story from these alone.
The writing is clear and in a print big enough for young children to read, especially a new reader. This is Gaia Cornwall’s first children’s book and I think she has done a marvellous job. I also love how she has shown the father of the family looking after his children on his own, not something you see often in children’s books.
Little Jabari had just finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test. He decided that he was now ready to jump off the diving board and today was the day. He watched all the other children jump off the board and declared it looked easy. However, when he got to the bottom of the board he looked up and saw how high it was. He felt scared but he didn’t want to let anyone know how he felt.
His dad knew how he was feeling though. He told Jabari that it was okay to feel scared and that sometimes even he felt scared. He then taught him what he does when he feels scared and how it helps. Jabari decided to give the diving board another go, this time using the technique his dad had taught him.
Jabari Jumps is a very sweet, short children’s book following little Jabari as he tries to work up the courage to jump off the diving board. The book shows children that everyone gets scared sometimes and that it is normal and okay. It also shows them how Jabari’s dad helps him to overcome his fears.
The pages are filled with exquisite illustrations that really capture how Jabari is feeling. I also love how there are images in the background that are made out of what looks like pages out of a book. The illustrations also clearly show what is happening in the story and a non-reader would be able to make out the story from these alone.
The writing is clear and in a print big enough for young children to read, especially a new reader. This is Gaia Cornwall’s first children’s book and I think she has done a marvellous job. I also love how she has shown the father of the family looking after his children on his own, not something you see often in children’s books.
April 23, 2019
When Jabari goes to an outdoor pool with his family he decides to give the diving board a go. Although when he gets up there, it looks a lot higher and scarier than from below. I liked the way dad encouraged him, no pressure but trying to help him achieve what he wanted to do.
A bright and sunny book that shows a lovely day a the pool in the summer and a childhood milestone!
A bright and sunny book that shows a lovely day a the pool in the summer and a childhood milestone!
December 22, 2020
Jabari Jumps is a cute book in which a little boy name Jabari is going to show is dad that he can jump off the diving board, even though it's so high up.
This book teaches children a way to over come a fear, and the reward that comes along with facing them.
This book teaches children a way to over come a fear, and the reward that comes along with facing them.
June 6, 2017
Every once in awhile, a story comes along and fills a hole in the picture book universe. Maybe we knew about the void, like how few children’s books feature main characters of color, or perhaps we only realize what we’ve been missing in retrospect, like tales with a competent, emotionally attentive male caregiver. Through a carefully crafted plot and wonderfully expressive illustrations, Jabari Jumps does just that, claiming a spot in the story-time queue it won’t soon relinquish.
In her debut picture book, author-illustrator Gaia Cornwall gives us an African American child doing something sure to resonate with any young reader: getting nervous about tackling a new skill. “I’m jumping off the diving board today,” the goggle-wearing boy tells his dad, “I’m not scared at all.” Jabari watches the other kids climb the long ladder and says it looks easy. “But when his dad squeezed his hand, Jabari squeezed back.” As Jabari repeatedly tries to summon the courage to take the plunge, his father checks in. “Maybe you should climb down and take a tiny rest,” he offers, “it’s okay to feel a little scared.”
As all this unfolds, young readers will delight in fun sound effects (“Splash!”), just the right amount of repetition (“Down, down, down he went”), and illustrations somehow brimming with both realism and whimsy. The dedication and cover pages, for example, show Jabari changing into his swimsuit in precisely the way anyone his age would: he gets his head stuck in his shirt, sits down to remove his socks, and must mix a little pretending to be a penguin into the process. Side stories sprinkled throughout, like the kid chasing a bug or the one grimacing as sunblock is applied, are also sure to capture little imaginations.
For adults, there’s more. Near the end, for example, Jabari’s dad shouts, “You did it!” rather than “Good job!”—reflecting the very latest in social science research on parenting (we are to encourage, the experts say, not praise). The pictures have a high-art feel with soothing yet vibrant colors and inventive patterns, such as the buildings constructed in newsprint and the bathing suit worn by Jabari’s little sister that changes with each turn of the page. And Cornwall’s use of perspective? Oh my. We see Jabari looking out at the world from the tip of the diving board on one breathtaking spread, and on another page he gazes straight down at the tops of people’s heads and his own toes “curled around the rough edge.”
To have a story set at a public swimming pool about a black boy, as well as a father and sister who sport slightly different skin tones, shows Cornwall’s awareness of her book’s place in the ongoing civil rights movement. At the same time, the story isn’t about race. Jabari is just a little boy contemplating a big leap, who happens to have brown skin.
Just in time for summer, Jabari, his dad, and Cornwall are ready to splash their way into readers’ hearts—and our notion of how a family looks and acts.
In her debut picture book, author-illustrator Gaia Cornwall gives us an African American child doing something sure to resonate with any young reader: getting nervous about tackling a new skill. “I’m jumping off the diving board today,” the goggle-wearing boy tells his dad, “I’m not scared at all.” Jabari watches the other kids climb the long ladder and says it looks easy. “But when his dad squeezed his hand, Jabari squeezed back.” As Jabari repeatedly tries to summon the courage to take the plunge, his father checks in. “Maybe you should climb down and take a tiny rest,” he offers, “it’s okay to feel a little scared.”
As all this unfolds, young readers will delight in fun sound effects (“Splash!”), just the right amount of repetition (“Down, down, down he went”), and illustrations somehow brimming with both realism and whimsy. The dedication and cover pages, for example, show Jabari changing into his swimsuit in precisely the way anyone his age would: he gets his head stuck in his shirt, sits down to remove his socks, and must mix a little pretending to be a penguin into the process. Side stories sprinkled throughout, like the kid chasing a bug or the one grimacing as sunblock is applied, are also sure to capture little imaginations.
For adults, there’s more. Near the end, for example, Jabari’s dad shouts, “You did it!” rather than “Good job!”—reflecting the very latest in social science research on parenting (we are to encourage, the experts say, not praise). The pictures have a high-art feel with soothing yet vibrant colors and inventive patterns, such as the buildings constructed in newsprint and the bathing suit worn by Jabari’s little sister that changes with each turn of the page. And Cornwall’s use of perspective? Oh my. We see Jabari looking out at the world from the tip of the diving board on one breathtaking spread, and on another page he gazes straight down at the tops of people’s heads and his own toes “curled around the rough edge.”
To have a story set at a public swimming pool about a black boy, as well as a father and sister who sport slightly different skin tones, shows Cornwall’s awareness of her book’s place in the ongoing civil rights movement. At the same time, the story isn’t about race. Jabari is just a little boy contemplating a big leap, who happens to have brown skin.
Just in time for summer, Jabari, his dad, and Cornwall are ready to splash their way into readers’ hearts—and our notion of how a family looks and acts.
November 8, 2017
At a pool nestled in a tiny haven in the middle of a big city and set against a backdrop of cool summer colors, Jabari prepares to jump from the high dive for the very first time. He's a little nervous, though, and tries his best to be Joe Cool nonchalant about it. Dad comes to the rescue with some well-timed words of wisdom,
"Sometimes if I feel a little scared, I take a deep breath and tell myself I'm ready. And you know what? Sometimes it stops feeling scary and feels a little like a surprise."Jabari We loved the positive relationship between Jabari and his dad, as well as the muted collages that lend just the right feel to this ode to summertime.
August 5, 2021
I wasn't quite as wowed by this as I expected to be but maybe my expectations were too high. It's still a great book about a child overcoming his fears to do something he has been longing to do--jump off the high diving board. Appreciate the supportive father and the patience and gentle guidance in helping Jabari grapple with his fears and find more courage, but never making light of it or pushing too much.
May 2, 2017
I loved this book! Lovely illustrations, diverse characters, and an important message that it's OK to be scared of something new (jumping off the diving board the first time - something many can relate to) and how to be brave in facing those fears. This book is a delight, and I am eager to share it with kids.
January 21, 2018
A cute book about a little boy who is ready for a challenge and decides to face his fears. His Dad has some good advice for him.
July 11, 2019
I don’t normally add the picture books I read to Aaron on here, but this one is so good! I picked it out because he’s been hesitant to go in the water or participate in his swimming lessons. We’ve read this one together twice, and he has connected with Jabari and is super into the story.
November 8, 2017
Big clear words and pictures with views from below and above fill the pages of Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall. I loved the view from the diving board with “his toes curled around the rough edge”.
This adorable story with one cute-as-can-be goggle wearing boy named Jabari is filled with bravery and deep breaths and patience. A story that says when you’re ready, take a deep breath, and JUMP!
You just might surprise yourself if you dig down deep and find the courage to do something that scares you.
Recommended read. Jump in!
June 18, 2021
Lovely. 5yo already practicing her diving off the piano bench into the blue blanket. Next up: Living room swim lessons a la Mirada July.
October 10, 2017
I loved this book! I loved that the dad took a brother and sister to the pool. I loved the city in the background. I loved the water and Jabari's swim trunks. I loved the depictions of Jabari nervous to jump off the diving board and then the joy when he finally does it. A great choice for summer reading, kids who are nervous about doing something new, and highlighting how support from your family can help you make a leap.
July 2, 2019
Jabari decides that he is ready to jump off the high diving board at his local swimming pool in this engaging summertime picture-book from author/illustrator Gaia Cornwall. Having finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, the young boy believes he can take that leap. Then he actually confronts the ladder to thet high board, and he finds himself a little intimidated. His loving father is there, however, to talk him through his fears, and help him take a chance...
A debut from Cornwall, Jabari Jumps is an appealing book, featuring an involving story of overcoming one's fears and trying something new that many younger children will find relevant to their own life experiences. The loving support and understanding that Jabari's father offers provides the necessary note of reassurance, letting child listeners know that adults are there to help them reach their goals. Cornwall's artwork, created in pencil, watercolor and collage, before being colored digitally, is likewise appealing, capturing the fun of a summer day, and the sense of vertigo that Jabari experiences, looking down at the pool from his perch on the board. Recommended to young children just starting a new venture, especially if it involves swimming or diving.
A debut from Cornwall, Jabari Jumps is an appealing book, featuring an involving story of overcoming one's fears and trying something new that many younger children will find relevant to their own life experiences. The loving support and understanding that Jabari's father offers provides the necessary note of reassurance, letting child listeners know that adults are there to help them reach their goals. Cornwall's artwork, created in pencil, watercolor and collage, before being colored digitally, is likewise appealing, capturing the fun of a summer day, and the sense of vertigo that Jabari experiences, looking down at the pool from his perch on the board. Recommended to young children just starting a new venture, especially if it involves swimming or diving.
January 4, 2020
Jabari wants to try the high diving board at the municipal pool, but is he ready? A quiet book about bravery, but very effective. A large plus that the supportive parent is a dad, especially within an African American family. The art is lovely with soothing tones and a touch of mixed-media collage to add interest. Masterful manipulation of perspective enables the art to heighten dramatic tension.
August 23, 2017
Kids will immediately feel familiar with Jabari's experience of wanting to jump off the diving board...but also feeling not-quite-ready. With a calm, supportive father there to provide just enough encouragement, Jabari finds the inner strength to conquer his fears. Beautiful illustrations complement this must-read picture book.
September 16, 2021
A very cute book full of wonderful illustrations! Reading it made me really happy, really wish I got to read this as a kid.
December 13, 2017
This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!
Hello, friends! Today’s book is Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall, a sweet and simple story with an important lesson on overcoming fears.
Jabari has come to a decision: he is ready to go off the high diving board like the other kids. His father asks if he’s sure, and Jabari thinks he is: he’s finished his swimming lessons and passed his swimming test. Still, when he sees how high the board is, he begins to get nervous. He allows the other children to go first. Then he has trouble climbing the ladder, so he takes a tiny break. He realizes that he forgot to stretch (can’t dive without stretching). In fact, there are a lot of little things standing in the way of his big jump. But his daddy takes him aside and gives him some advice: it’s okay to be scared to try new things. Sometimes, you just have to take a deep breath, tell yourself you’re ready… and jump.
This book is a wonderful example of how a classic concept or lesson can be made stunning by the right hand. Facing one’s fears and challenges is a timeless lesson for little ones, and the story conveys it in an honest and guileless way that young readers will appreciate. From there, it’s the choices and details that give the book a quiet radiance: earnest, energetic illustrations with some wonderful details (the subtle use of newsprint as concrete was very nice), a humorous final page, down to the much-appreciated choice to making the main characters a black family – there are extremely few swimming books that include people of color. The length is great, and JJ and I both really enjoyed it. A wonderful story of being brave, and the people who encourage us to be. Baby Bookworm approved!
Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!
March 11, 2019
A wonderful book about thinking you are ready to do something, getting so nervous that you aren't sure you can do it anymore, and overcoming your nervousness (with help!) so that you are able to do it after all. A wonderful message.
I was also ridiculously excited because it had representation of a black family and wasn't centered around a Big Serious Issue (civil rights, police brutality, discrimination, slavery, etc). Books that do that are vital, but books that have representation of black people doing more mundane things in less high stakes situations are so important as well. People of all races exist in all situations in real life, and they should be able to exist in all situations in books. White people should not be the only ones existing in books about overcoming our everyday fears. I'm so glad to see Jabari in this book.
I was also ridiculously excited because it had representation of a black family and wasn't centered around a Big Serious Issue (civil rights, police brutality, discrimination, slavery, etc). Books that do that are vital, but books that have representation of black people doing more mundane things in less high stakes situations are so important as well. People of all races exist in all situations in real life, and they should be able to exist in all situations in books. White people should not be the only ones existing in books about overcoming our everyday fears. I'm so glad to see Jabari in this book.
February 20, 2019
The story describes how Jabari, a little boy, overcomes his fears at the swimming pool. Jabari has finished his swimming lessons and passed his test and now feels he’s ready to conquer his fear of the diving board. His dad reassures him that it’s okay to be scared and helps him reframe his thoughts by seeing his actions as leading to a surprise. Jabari loves surprises, so this helps him eventually take the leap confidently off the board and into the pool.
The book received the Charlotte Zolotow Award.
I would recommend this book as it is easy to follow, the character is honest and relatable and the illustrations are beautiful. Pre K, Kindergarten and 1st grade students may be interested in this book to find out what Jabari ends up doing and how he works through his fear. A teacher may use this book to initiate a discussion on little successes, overcoming fears, communication with and reliance on a supportive adult. It could be a fun book to read just before summer starts when students may share their summer plans, or at the beginning of the year to talk about what was accomplished over the summer.
The book received the Charlotte Zolotow Award.
I would recommend this book as it is easy to follow, the character is honest and relatable and the illustrations are beautiful. Pre K, Kindergarten and 1st grade students may be interested in this book to find out what Jabari ends up doing and how he works through his fear. A teacher may use this book to initiate a discussion on little successes, overcoming fears, communication with and reliance on a supportive adult. It could be a fun book to read just before summer starts when students may share their summer plans, or at the beginning of the year to talk about what was accomplished over the summer.
July 10, 2019
We badly need more books encouraging young people to feel positive about swimming and diving, particularly here in Southern California! The fact that it is an African American family is icing on the cake! The positive reinforcement from the sensitive Dad is a great suggestion for parenting models. Jabari has (very properly!) learned to swim before he tries the high diving board. Although with how small Jabari is, it is difficult to be certain if this is a high diving board, or simply high to him. The message in this great story is that even adventurous kids can have a lot of doubts and hesitations before doing a new challenge and that is ok, and part of life. The challenge is pushing through the doubts which Jabiri does, finally, with Dad's encouragement. The illustrations by the author have subtle comments to them, such as the illustration that shows Jabari has let a lot more than one person go ahead of him in line for the diving board.
Definitely going to keep this in mind when my grandchild to be has some hesitation about things!
Definitely going to keep this in mind when my grandchild to be has some hesitation about things!
June 12, 2018
4.5. Great, great great. A lovely small moments book. I love the color palette, the perspective scenes that make the diving board seem really intimidating, and the interactions between Jabari and his dad.
January 27, 2022
This book caught my attention because I'm still nervous about jumping in the pool and that's from the sides! So good job, Jabari! And yes, Jabari has the right idea -- step by step is the way. Eventually, I CAN jump from the sides! But the high dive -- still no.
August 25, 2020
After reading this book, I was left feeling like I could accomplish anything. I can relate to the way the Jabari is scared to jump at the beginning and comes up with many different reasons why he isn't ready to jump yet. The way that Jabari's dad told him that it was okay to be nervous about the jump but that you ultimately have to believe in yourself and trust that you are capable is a really powerful message. I liked how the diving board was depicted as super tall to show how big of an accomplishment his jump was.
January 9, 2018
The perfect illustration and story of everyone's first time off the high dive.
September 6, 2018
Really cute story about being brave. I loved Jabari and his family. Monarch 2019 nominee.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 868 reviews