Swim, Jim!

Newly hatched Jim is the only non-swimmer in his crocodile family. While his parents and siblings enter Swigwater Swamp with a “Wiggle-waggle-Wiggle-waggle-wee!” and a “Ker-Splash!” Jim will only dip in his toe. “Are you afraid of swimming?” asks his genuinely concerned mother. “No,” Jim says. “I’m afraid of sinking.” Tired of being teased by sisters Kim and Sim, Jim departs to find a “little swamp” more suitable to developing his swimming skills, and discovers a backyard pool full of floaties and noodles—the very equipment he needs to keep from sinking. When Sim and Kim find Jim proudly decked out in head-to-toe floatation and swimming gear, they stop antagonizing their brother and join him in an impromptu swim lesson (“Now kick and waggle your tail... paddle your arms... blow bubbles... and take a breath when you need it!”). Windness (If Ur Stabby) makes a comically confident children’s debut with a veteran’s sense of timing and character, handling Jim’s tackling his fears with an admirably light touch and assured mixed-media art—shimmery textures give a sense of light playing off both the aquatic settings and the crocs’ slithery, scaly green bodies. Ages 4–8. (May)