Review by Booklist Review
All of Esme's sisters are winners, unlike her. Tired of being average, she is determined to find something she's good at this summer. Esme and her best friend, Tegan, have always participated in summer swim team, but this year a few things are different. Tegan cares more about cultivating a more mature, middle-school-worthy image. New teammate Kaya is giving off prickly vibes after an unfortunate first encounter with Esme at the pool. And a recent growth spurt gives Esme's swimming a competitive edge, finally boosting her into the limelight. When her mother finds out about Esme's swimming success, she becomes overbearing and disrespects Esme's friends as competition to be squashed. More than physical growth, Esme's summer is marked by personal growth as she gains new perspectives, confronts her mom, and sees friendships change and blossom. Though the story touches on racism and involves some enemies-to-friends tension, it is all done in a light manner and will resonate with tweens in an awkward stage or feeling unloved. A breezy read with heart, perfect for the poolside.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Chinese American 12-year-old Esme Sun yearns to make her strict single mother as proud of her as she is of her talented older sisters. For now, the start of summer marks the beginning of swim team season, when being outside and hanging out by the pool is more important than parental approval. Esme relishes the freedom and easy camaraderie she cultivates with her teammates at her beloved neighborhood pool, but upon discovering that her recent growth spurt has given her a competitive edge, she wonders if swimming might be something she could excel at. As Esme starts to focus on winning, she grapples with what it means to be both a supportive friend and a strong competitor--when her mom starts attending meets, Esme realizes that her mother's support carries an unsportsmanlike undertone as she encourages Esme to view other swimmers as enemies despite being on the same team. Shang (The Secret Battle of Evan Pao) weaves a compelling tapestry of perennial tween anxieties, threading myriad subjects such as feeling pressured to act more mature, fear of saying the wrong thing, and the stress of familial expectations into a briskly paced tale of sports and community. Ages 8--12. Agent: Tracey Adams, Adams Literary. (June)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3--7--Chinese American Esme Sun has made a promise that the upcoming summer will be one of "zero intensity." At least that's what she promises Tegan, the cool girl from Esme's class who thinks she is too intense. Esme is determined to do something right, given that her mother is not too happy that she doesn't earn awards like her three overachieving older sisters. At the summer opening of Deep Woods Pool, Esme has a run-in with a Black girl named Kaya, who she mistakenly believes is drowning and calls Old Joe the lifeguard to save. As it turns out, Kaya is a capable swimmer and didn't need rescuing; in fact, she's on the same swim team with Esme and Tegan. Despite the fact that her mother doesn't pay attention to her or her swimming, Esme begins to win many of her freestyle races and sets her sights on breaking the pool record for her age and helping Kaya improve her flip turns. As she continues to shave seconds off her swim times, her mother gets wind of Esme's success and begins to attend a few swim meets. Disappointingly, Mom's only intentions are to see Esme break the pool record and nothing less will impress her. Throughout the story, Esme learns to rely on her inner voice and strength to find both big and small successes that meet the only person's standards who really matter--her own. VERDICT A delightful addition to the shelves, highlighting the power of friendship and overcoming obstacles, both big and small.--Tracy Cronce
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Review by Horn Book Review
It's the summer before middle school, and all Esme Sun, twelve, wants is to have fun at Deep Woods Pool. Her vacation is off to a rocky start, however, after she mistakenly embarrasses new girl Kaya, who is Black, by assuming she needs rescuing from the pool. She also wavers in connecting with her white "cool girl" swim team teammate, Tegan, who is becoming more interested in boys and fashion. On the plus side, practice pays off when Esme, who often feels outshined by her sisters' music, math, and technology talents, becomes one of the fastest swimmers. As summer progresses, she grows closer to Kaya and helps improve her flip turns. When the team starts winning, Esme's mom makes dismissive remarks about Kaya and pushes Esme to be the best, forcing the tween to choose: individual success or camaraderie and good sportsmanship? Shang's (Bubble Trouble, rev. 7/23) realistic slice-of-life story, centering a Chinese American family, captures the joy and rush of summertime and does a great job of portraying pre-adolescent awkwardness alongside more serious topics such as racism, colorism, divorce, and negative parental pressure. A refreshing, nuanced tale about the importance of being kind, supportive, and yourself. Michelle LeeSeptember/October 2025 p.77 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
With three high achievers for sisters, Chinese American sixth grader Esme Sun is sure she'll never meet her mother's expectations. Esme is looking forward to spending summer vacation at the local pool with her swim team. But this year, her plans for a carefree summer run into problems--her teammate Tegan (who presents white) seems more interested in boys and fashion than swimming, and she chides Esme for being "too intense." A misunderstanding leads to a prickly relationship between Esme and new girl Kaya, who's Black, and the swim meets lead to unpleasant encounters with more competitive swimmers. Esme finds herself torn between trying to stay close to Tegan, despite her mean jabs, and making new friends at the pool. As she begins to excel at the meets and finally wins her mother's approval, Esme also has to decide if it's better to put herself first and focus on winning--as her mom advises--or uphold the true sporting spirit and teamwork that the swim meets represent. Told from Esme's first-person perspective, this well-crafted tale deftly examines the pressures of success and the courage necessary to find one's own path. The characters are well etched and relatable, and the story gracefully underscores the importance of talking through problems with empathy and tolerance. Shang also addresses racism and colorism; Esme's stand and her decisions in the face of her longed-for approval from her mother will resonate with readers. A heartwarming coming-of-age tale about swimming, sisterhood, and principles.(Fiction. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
