Swimming Struggle

Emma Every Day

by C.L. Reid, Elena Aiello (Illustrator)

Emma and her best friend, Izzie, try out for the swim team. Izzie doesn't make it, but Emma does. Will Emma still want to be on the team without her best friend? Emma is Deaf and often uses sign language to communicate, and this early chapter book includes an ASL fingerspelling chart and a sign language guide.

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Paperback

Published July 31, 2022

Reviews

[Anthony Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about Emma. She is deaf and has a cochlear implant and she wants to join the swimming team with her best friend, Izzie. When Emma makes the team and Izzie doesn't feelings are hurt and Izzie starts ignoring Emma. Eventually, Izzie comes around and apologizes for being jealous and even comes to Emma's first swim meet.

This is a great book and the inclusion of sign language in the book is phenomenal. I love how they don't make her seem different or weird at all but rather show that she is just like everyone else with hopes and dreams and friends.

I think this would be great in the classroom to teach inclusion. I think it is important that we teach inclusion to our children and make them aware that just because people are a little different doesn't mean that they aren't just like us with hopes and dreams. The addition of the sign language makes it even better.

[Pinky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emma wants to quit the swim team after her friend is upset she didn't make the team.

[MaryAnne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emma gets chosen for the swimming team and her friend, Izzy, does not.

[Colleen Frakes · Rating 1 out of 5]

My kid started crying because this book was so bad.