great MS title focusing on body dysmorphia/self acceptance. Loved how the drawings reflected his drowning in his feelings.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I felt like the adults dialogue was patronizing rather than cool and laid back, which is what I'm sure the intention was. I enjoyed the more serious themes of coping and addressing anxiety and confronting an eating disorder.

I was excited to read this book because of the mental health rep and it didn't disappoint. Ty is coming back from a broken arm, and his anxiety and body dysphoria gets in the way of his relationship with his friends. The idea of getting of getting back into the pool is not as fun as it used to be, and being at summer camp where there is a swimming competition brings his anxious feels to the forefront.

I love how supportive the adults around Ty are, and that they notice he is not okay, and try to guide him through it. Anxiety and body dysphoria are never easy, and can be even confusing at a young age, and having that representation in books is important kids to know they're not alone. I definitely predicted that his friendship with Max was headed in the direction that it went, and i don't mind that my prediction was right.

An interesting approach here. There are plenty of books about how friendships change but this may be the first I've seen where a person's own self perception and negative self image drive the division. We're looking at a lot of forms of anxiety here and the different ways it can drive behavior. Interesting if a bit idealized.

Another great book from Veronica Agarwal. A fun, summery story that kids can totally relate to. It also models how to be a better friend to kids who are struggling.

Ty is just recovering from a broken arm. This has put a pause on his swimming training and his body has changed. Now he has to face a summer at camp with his best friends (who he hasn't talked to) and his newest crush.

This took me over a month to read. For a graphic novel, that's sooooo long. I think this book is important, especially showing that boys have difficulty with their body image and depression. It just didn't grab my attention. I think is still necessary in elementary and middle school libraries.

With cute and reader-friendly art, this poignant tale underscores the importance of self-acceptance and resilience, reminding readers that overcoming personal fears is crucial for rebuilding friendships. Great for kids who love realistic fiction and relatable narratives.

Ty was the top of his swim team and a captain. That was before an accident broke his arm and benched him for the whole season. Now Ty has withdrawn from his friends and keeps criticizing his body in the mirror for gaining weight. Not helping are the remarks that his parents make about the matter, saying that summer camp should help him get back in shape.

Summer camp does force the matter onto him, as twins Max and Heather want to finish making a canoe with Ty. Heather seems to understand that Ty had a reason for withdrawing, but Max has become resentful and grumpy. Max wants to swim with his friend, but Ty feels like he's drowning all the time.

Thankfully there are no real monsters in this one, unlike the "dragon" that plagued the first Just Roll with It protagonist. Instead, there's inner turmoil, adults who genuinely try to help, and reconciliation.

A moving portrait of a boy whose self-image and burgeoning sexuality will hit home with any younger reader who has ever felt that they don't fit in with their peers.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for an e-galley version of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book follows Ty to summer camp and his two best friends. Prior to camp, Ty had been injured and wasn't able to swim. During that time, Ty gained some weight, which has caused him to distance himself from his friends.
When his friends attend camp, Ty is too embarrassed about his weight and falls into a depression and fights an eating disorder. LGTBQIA+ themes present in the story.

Beautiful illustrations! The themes are pretty heavy that are covered in this book and there are quite a few of them. While the story did have some fun camp nostalgia, there was a lot of deep issues that were addressed in this book.

I'm so glad that there are books like this that deal with body image issues for boys, PLUS mental health. Loved the tie-in with characters from Just Roll With It (companion GN). The camp setting is fantastic, and the friendship struggles as well - cringe-worthy, but relatable.
The camp counselors were awesome - I liked that they admitted their limitations, but found helpful answers for him, and asked for consent before talking to other people. Really great modeling.
Love the art and the story. Heather was perhaps my favorite character, stuck in the middle between her friend and her twin - and dealing with her own things too.
Absolutely excellent for upper elementary/ middle school!

This book is colorful and cartoony, with a summer camp setting, but it touches on a lot of serious problems. Ty is struggling with anxiety, body image issues, and disordered eating. There is some summer camp fun in there, as well, with Ty finding new friendships and activities, and the book is ultimately hopeful; just be prepared for some heavy topics.

Middle grade graphic novel about recovering from an injury and the anxiety, depression and self doubt that swamp him. Friendship challenges, some self injury.

Thanks to NetGalley, the Publisher and Author for an ARC of this book in exchange for my review.

I really appreciated "Sink or Swim: (A Graphic Novel)" by Veronica Agarwal and Lee Durfey-Lavoie.

The book navigates body image, anxiety, sexuality, acceptance and friendship in a mindfully tender way. I found it poignant and often humorous. I love a juvenile fiction that makes me laugh, cry and cheer!

This comic is is a perfect fit for middle-grade readers and anyone looking to tackle themes of confidence, perseverance, and embracing one's true self.

This graphic novel will be a hit with middle-grade kids. The story feels relatable to this age group and covers topics such as friendships, body image, and anxiety.

I appreciate how the authors skillfully depict anxiety not only through Ty’s internal thoughts, self-talk, and isolation but also through the illustrations. The use of water as a metaphor for Ty’s anxiety, representing that sinking or underwater feeling is especially powerful. The water graphics effectively convey Ty’s racing thoughts, adding depth to the portrayal of his experience with anxiety.

When Ty finds the courage to reach out to the camp counselor for help, they attentively listen, offer support, and gently remind Ty that self-care takes practice. This is a perfect example of how friends and adults can step in and offer help when people struggle.

I’ll note that some story threads in the plot feel unresolved or open, which may be intentional, given that this is book 2 of a series.

Other Highlights: summer camp, boat making, teamwork, boy-centric, finding new hobbies, LGBTQIA characters

Sink or Swim subject matter of anxiety and body shame was perfect for a graphic novel and the way this was portrayed through Ty in words and illustrations was so stunning it broke my heart.

I did like that other characters from the first book were included but for me the LGTBQ could of been handled a bit better maybe put into another stand alone as I don't think it done the subject any justice.

I also found the ending was lacklustre and the length a tad bit long.

For all the above reasons Sink or Swim receives 4 stars

5 Reasons to Read

Summer Camp

This was such a fun summer camp setting! They were building boats, catching bugs, and making new friends. I thought it was cool to see the summer camp have both a swim competition and talent show. I never went to a summer camp growing up so getting to see the illustrations of the camp and the activities made this such an immersive read. I had a lot of fun with it!

Mental Health Rep

Ty's struggling with anxiety after being in a caste for months which prevented him from swimming on the team and in competitions. Over time he's gained weight and withdrawn from his friends. It's allowed the self doubt to creep in. Now that's he's at summer camp with his friends the anxiety has only worsened. Things have changed for him and he doesn't know how to get back on track. I thought this story and the illustrations really portrayed those inner feelings Ty, and his friends, were working through. I was able to connect to the characters emotions in a way I don't always get with just words on the page. I appreciated the artistry in that way.

LGBTQ+ Rep

I feel that middle grade is a wonderful way to speak to the identity changes that kids face. It's such a pivotal point in their lives and learning to understand themselves. I thought that the relationship between Heather and Ai was so well done. They were adorable!! I love seeing this rep in books and enjoyed those relationships in Sink or Swim!

Friendships

I loved the friendships in this book. It went through the changes of existing friendships and building new ones. Camp is a great way to meet new people and connect through activities that are outside of normal every day life. I want to read Just Roll With It now so that I can get introduced to more of these amazing friendships!

Support Systems

Ty was struggling with his anxiety but didn't know how to talk about it with his friends. He'd pushed them away for months that he didn't know if they'd really understand what he was going through. It was great to see him make a connection with one of the camp counselors who really helped him get through the summer. The importance of showing young people that they can find support in those around them, including the adults, was a great takeaway from this story.

Ty’s broken arm has finally healed and even though he’s missed out on the swimming season, he’s looking forward to getting back in the pool, hanging out with his friends, and spending the summer at camp. Or is he? Even though the cast has come off, the anxieties and worries still linger and Ty is filled with anxiety about himself, how he looks, and if he is still good enough to do the very thing he loves so much.

I love books set in summer camp (mainly because I never got to go to one myself and so this is the next best thing) but I love realistic stories even more. This book gave one of the most accurate depictions of anxiety I have ever seen or read in a book before. Every time the waters went over Ty’s head, I was like OMG that’s it, that’s exactly how it feels. To see it portrayed like that was so perfect and also so heartbreaking. Because I only now realize what it is as an adult. I didn’t know what it was back when I was a kid. I’m really glad that we are starting to be more open about mental health and especially mental health in young people so that they recognize what is going on and see that it is ok to get help.

The story tackles lots of difficult subjects (anxiety, eating disorders, body image, anger queerness) but all of them are handled with lots of sensitivity and age appropriateness. I loved so much the messages about friendships and how to handle both old and new ones. I just wanted to give Ty a hug when I turned the last page. I feel like he’s been through so much in the last few months and didn’t really know how to explain how he felt. Going through all those emotions and feelings alone must have been awful but I loved how we were able to go through the journey with him. This is my first book from the authors and I loved it so much.

I was excited to find out this would be a companion to Just Roll With It, because I really loved that one, and was happy to see those characters make an appearance here. Where Just Roll With It focused on anxiety and OCD, Sink or Swim focuses on anxiety and body image. For me, it was especially great to see representation of an athlete grappling with returning to sport after an injury, and I felt like this was depicted realistically and handled grace. The friendships and crushes were an added bonus.

Sink or Swim is a middle grade graphic novel that addresses several deep issues. The main character, Ty, struggles with body image issues after he breaks his arm and is forced to take the season off of swim. He also struggles with maintaining his friendship with his best friend and deals with anxiety about getting back into swimming after his hiatus. On top of that, he is also figuring out his sexuality. I felt like this book did a great job of addressing all of these heavy issues in an age appropriate way. I appreciate that some of the side characters had their own issues that we got a glimpse into as well and that they were all able to help each other.