A Fish Like Me

“A gorgeous celebration of swimming, disability, and imagination.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

In the spirit of Eyes That Kiss in the Corners and I Talk Like a River, this lyrical picture book from acclaimed author Jamie Sumner tells the story of a child in swim therapy and celebrates the ways differently abled bodies can move in the water.

Under here, there is
no top or bottom,
no left or right—
only fields of water to wander in
as topsy-turvy as I like.

Underwater, everything looks different—and every body moves differently, too. During swim therapy, a child discovers he can be anything: a catfish, a seahorse, a starfish cartwheeling across the universe. He finds the magic of moving in wholly new ways, just like he does on land in his trusty wheelchair.

Jamie Sumner is the author of the Roll with It trilogy, Tune It Out, One Kid’s Trash, The Summer of June, Maid for It, Deep Water, Please Pay Attention, Schooled, Glory Be, and Wish You Well. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other publications. She loves stories that celebrate the grit and beauty in all kids. She is also the mother of a son with cerebral palsy and has written extensively about parenting a child with special needs. She and her family live in Nashville, Tennessee. Visit her at Jamie-Sumner.com. 

Devon Holzwarth is an award-winning American children’s book illustrator of titles including The Story of a Book,Listen, and Tía Fortuna’s New Home. She grew up in Panama, surrounded by nature, her dad’s art supplies, and lots of places to swim. Today, she lives in Aachen, Germany, along with her family. Visit her on Instagram @DevonHolzwarth and at DevonHolzwarth.com.