The Big Splash

December 15, 2024
When Julia's swim coach is suddenly called away, the team must adjust to a strict substitute. Things have improved for Julia since we last saw her inSwimming Into Trouble (2024). She's adjusting to her new haircut, and she's been medically cleared to rejoin her team, the Vipers, at the Mountainview Community Center. (The first installment saw her dealing with an ear infection.) The excitement is short-lived, though, when Coach Marissa introduces a temporary replacement before abruptly leaving due to a family emergency. Coach Nathan's a harsh taskmaster, and he gets rid of Splash Time, the five minutes of fun that usually follow each practice. Two teammates quit, and the challenges don't stop there--the team must quickly hold a car wash to cover a sudden jump in fees. Julia slowly realizes that Coach Nathan's stern exterior belies his own uncertainties about his lack of experience. Meanwhile, the fundraiser's tight timeline leads to new friendships, a situation that causes tensions with her BFF, Maricel. Gently infused with humor, Ahn's narrative deftly balances Julia's struggles with promoting the car wash while navigating shifting friendships and learning that first impressions can be deceiving. Kim's comically expressive illustrations interspersed throughout add to the emotional journey. Physical descriptors are minimal, but Julia is Korean Canadian, and her community appears diverse in the artwork. An authentic, funny, and endearing series addition, with big splashes of fun.(Fiction. 7-10)

COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from January 1, 2025

Gr 2-5-This heartfelt sequel in the "Julia on the Go!" series offers readers a lesson about how first impressions aren't always what they seem. After overcoming an ear infection, Korean Canadian Julia is finally back in the pool with the Mountainview Community Center's swim team, the Vipers. However, when beloved Coach Melissa is called away to a family emergency, her substitute Coach Nathan has a much harsher approach to leading the team. Morale hits a new low when Coach Nathan tells the team that they need to host a fundraiser car wash in just two weeks! Frustrated swimmers begin dropping, and friendship tensions brew when Julia's best friend Maricel pulls away after the car wash inspires a blossoming connection with a teammate. Readers will relate to this emotional story as nine-year-old Julia's narrative maintains childlike curiosity and passion. The community center is an authentic backdrop as Julia continues to build deeper connections with a variety of diverse characters and perspectives. Relationships are as genuine as the dialogue. Julia gently navigates young readers through a variety of experiences and age-appropriate questions around first appearances, making judgments, and challenging them along the way. Kim's grayscale digital illustrations throughout accentuate the characters' expressions and demonstrate the light humor woven within the story. VERDICT This must-have addition to the series continues the journey of an endearing protagonist who authentically illuminates a variety of coming-of-age lessons.-Morgan Hanrahan

Copyright 2025 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2025
Picking up right where Swimming into Trouble (rev. 3/24) left off, the story finds Julia Nam, having recovered from her ear infection, back in the water, preparing for a regional swim meet. When Coach Marissa takes a leave of absence because of a family health emergency, a new coach steps in. Julia is sure that Coach Nathan "was the angriest, shoutiest swimming coach that the Vancouver Vipers had ever had." His harsh and commanding coaching style, bitter tone of voice, and sour facial expressions cause several swimmers to leave the team, including Julia's best friend. She becomes closer to Olivia, who she previously thought was unfriendly but now realizes is a lot of fun. Julia suspects that she needs to look differently at things she doesn't like and ultimately realizes that she jumped to negative conclusions about Coach Nathan. Black-and-white illustrations help bring the swim team, coach drama, and friend dynamics to life. A lighthearted story that challenges readers to look deeper and see what's beneath the surface. Julie Hakim Azzam

(Copyright 2025 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

February 1, 2025
Grades 2-5 Julia Nam, the avid nine-year-old member of the Vancouver Vipers junior swim team from Swimming into Trouble (2024), dives into more challenges in and out of the pool in this latest series installment. Julia and her teammates, in training for regionals, are sad to find out that Coach Marissa needs to leave town for a while to attend to a family emergency. The kids are further distressed by replacement Coach Nathan's strict, no-nonsense demeanor, as well as a community center pool-rental price hike that threatens the future of the Vipers. Rallying the team, Julia plunges into organizing a carwash fundraiser and wades into some murky waters while dipping her toes into a burgeoning friendship with former rival Olivia and navigating the resulting jealousy of her best pal, Maricel. First impressions can be unfair, and the team comes to the realization that "new things can be good things." Kim's spot illustrations throughout showcase the bustling activity at the Mountainview Community Centre. Full of relatable characters, realistic dialogue, and a splash of humor, this is a winning chapter book.

COPYRIGHT(2025) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.