Have you read Jabari Jumps written and illustrated by Gaia Cornwall? It’s my new bedtime favorite!
The book is about a boy named Jabari who wants to jump off the diving board and is working up the courage to do it. Accompanied by his dad and sister, Jabari announces that today is the day he’s going to jump. He’s determined and also scared but pretending that he’s not. The diving board is pretty high. So, Jabari stalls. He lets other kids go first and when it’s his turn to climb the ladder to the diving board he suddenly remembers that he forgot to stretch and comes back down.
“It’s okay to feel a little scared,” says his dad, fully aware that Jabari is feeling jittery and trying to offer comfort, patience, and understanding. As Jabari finds his strength, up he goes, his toes clinging to the edge of the diving board. We get to see a bird’s eye view of the pool and wow he’s really high in the sky!
The book is simple and interesting. It offers kids an opportunity to feel the fear and do it anyway through the eyes of Jabari. It’s an instant pick-me-upper too. You’ll be cheering for Jabari the whole way through.
Mom loves the perseverance in the book and the way that the experience is so realistic. She says she stalls sometimes too when she’s nervous about something. She also really likes that the book features a black boy and his very supportive family. She likes the plot, the illustrations, and that the dad is the caregiver.
The only thing I don’t like is that we never learn the name of Jabari’s sister. Both my parents have told me many times that it’s because the book is about Jabari. The whole focus of the book is on Jabari and how he overcomes his fear and he jumps off the diving board. I still would have preferred a name. For now I call her pink swimsuit girl since she’s wearing a pink swimsuit. What do you think? Do you think she should have a name? Share your thoughts on Facebook!
Jabari jumps is a great book anytime of year but if you’re heading to the pool soon… definitely get it before you go!
Buy the Book on Amazon or Buy the Book on BookShop
…
SUMMER PRINTABLES
I Spy Summer – Print this free I spy summer printable and find the different items. There are eight beach balls, five flamingo floats, 6 flip flops, and more! Can you find and count to make sure you’ve spotted all the summer items?
Trace the Word: swim – Trace the letter s, then trace a lower case w, trace the letter i, and trace a lower case m to spell the word swim!
Measure the Ice Cream Cones – Print this free ice cream measuring worksheet then cut out the paper ruler. Use the ruler to measure each ice cream cone from the bottom of the cone to the top of the ice cream scoop.
Jabari Jumps Activity Pack – The author of Jabari Jumps has an AMAZING activity pack on her website! Click here to visit the site then download the activity pack, which includes: flat Jabari, a Jabari bravery banner, Jabari goggles and a popsicle recipe.
Sink or Float Activity – Grab a bowl and some household items and play a guessing game of sink or float.
Ice Cream Craft – Make an ice cream cone that will never melt with this paper ice cream video tutorial! It includes a free ice cream cone template you can print and use right away!
TALKING POINTS FOR JABARI JUMPS:
- What was your favorite part of Jabari Jumps?
- What was Jabari afraid of?
- How could you tell Jabari was afraid?
- Why did he try to pretend he wasn’t scared?
- How did Jabari’s family help him?
- Tell me something you’ve been afraid of? How did you manage it? Did someone help you?
- Did you like that the WHOLE book was about Jabari or did you want to know the name of his sister and dad?
- Why do you think we only know Jabari’s name?
- Did you notice when Jabari is at the top of the diving board the way we see the pool changes? That’s called a bird’s eye view because it’s a book from on top of something looking down at it.
- Is there anything that you didn’t understand in this book?
- Is there anything specific about Jabari Jumps that you’d like to talk about?
USEFUL INFO FOR GROWNUPS
- Book: Jabari Jumps
- Written and illustrated by: Gaia Cornwall
- Age Range: 4 to 8
- Paperback edition: 32 pages
- Publisher: Candlewick; Illustrated edition (May 9, 2017)
- ISBN-13 : 978-0763678388
Hope you love Jabari Jumps as much as I do!
