Jabari Jumps

by Gaia Cornwall, Gaia Cornwall (Illustrator)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

With endearing illustrations and a straightforward plot, this timeless tale reminds young readers that sometimes the best strategy for overcoming obstacles is mustering the bravery to face them.

Working up the courage to take a big, important leap is hard, but Jabari is almost absolutely ready to make a giant splash.

Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He’s finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, and he’s a great jumper, so he’s not scared at all. “Looks easy,” says Jabari, watching the other kids take their turns. But when his dad squeezes his hand, Jabari squeezes back. He needs to figure out what kind of special jump to do anyway, and he should probably do some stretches before climbing up onto the diving board. In a sweetly appealing tale of overcoming your fears, newcomer Gaia Cornwall captures a moment between a patient and encouraging father and a determined little boy you can’t help but root for.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536220674
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	10/06/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	8 MB
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Gaia Cornwall is an illustrator who loves making patterns for surface design. Her work can be seen in magazines, in logos, on various products, and even in movies. Jabari Jumps is her first picture book. She lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

About Me:
I live in Providence, Rhode Island, with my husband (who is a programmer), our son (who is really into construction machinery), and daughter (who is really into chewing on things—she's a baby). We also have two cats who probably wish they lived by themselves.

I can't remember a time when I wasn't drawing and when I didn't have strong opinions about picture books. I went to art school (Pratt Institute) and studied animation. After that, I did a bunch of mostly fun things (like producing a film festival, babysitting for wonderful families, animating cartoons for network television and film, and working on a documentary), but I'm so happy to now be illustrating and writing books for kids.

About My Work:
The story that became Jabari Jumps was originally inspired by the Olympic swimmer Cullen Jones. Among other things, he was the first African American to hold a world record in swimming! He now work with a cool program, Make a Splash, that teaches kids how to swim. My first character sketches of Jabari and his father were based on my cousin and his dad.

Most of my pieces start with good ole pencil and paper, and are then finished digitally, often by collaging different elements together. I approach each project like an intricate puzzle made up of many ever-shifting pieces. It’s a trick to get all the moving parts to fit, but it’s a process I love. My work has been featured online, in interactive games, on assorted products, in films, as murals, and in various forms of print.

Three Things You Didn't Know About Me:
My mom helped me shave my head in high school. Before that, I had super long hair that I would put up in buns for ballet dancing. I have a disease called Crohn’s and have to give myself shots. I'll be honest: I hate doing it, but I'm getting pretty good. I am brave! I have gone swimming with whale sharks. It was awesome.

Editorial Reviews

Cornwall captures the exquisite tingle of Jabari’s fear and excitement, which gives the book its drama. The visual details — the way the little sister’s tiny hand grips her father’s back while her father holds her brother’s hand — give the book its heart.
—The New York Times Book Review

There are plenty of picture books reassuring kids who don’t quite achieve their own goals when they want to (see, for example, Ashley Spires’s The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do, BCCB 4/17), but here Cornwall celebrates success earned through overcoming fears and through reliance on the supportive presence of a loving parent...Pool season is right around the corner, and this funny and joyful outing will put everyone in the mood for a dip.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)

Mixed-media images in serene muted colors, high-rise buildings above the tree line, and the intriguing addition of faded newsprint accents strengthen the urban feel of the illustrations. Jabari’s story will help assuage the fears kids experience when faced with a new and daunting adventure. A terrific seasonal storytime read-aloud that’s perfect for one-on-one sharing.
—School Library Journal (starred review)

In her debut, Cornwall places her loving black family at the center, coloring the swimming pool and park beyond in minty hues and adding whimsy with digitally collaged newspaper for skyscrapers...This simple and sincere tale of working up courage to face fears makes quite a splash.
—Kirkus Reviews

The dialogue and text are straightforward and make a nice pairing with the creatively chosen angles for the illustrations...a welcome piece for any summertime collection.
—Booklist

A daunting gaze downward, past Jabari’s toes that curl around the edge of the board, makes the water look incredibly far away, and when seen from behind, he seems as high up as the skyscrapers in the distance. It’s a lovely, knowing account of a big “first” in a child’s life.
—Publishers Weekly

Against a backdrop of warm brown skin tones and cool aqua water, debut author-illustrator Cornwell presents an empowering and celebratory story. Young readers will root for Jabari as he prepares to take a leap of faith.
—The Horn Book

Anyone who has hesitated on the brink of something daunting—a brave act or a big decision—will feel a rush of kinship with the small protagonist of Gaia Cornwall’s picture book “Jabari Jumps”.
—The Wall Street Journal

Beautifully done.
—People

It’s a summertime rite of passage: jumping off the diving board for the first time. In Jabari Jumps (Candlewick, ages 4-8) Gaia Cornwall brings to vivid life this moment for one little boy…For young listeners, this lovely book is a reminder that the best summers have both challenging surprises and fun.
—The Washington Post

A little boy has finished his swimming lessons and is trying to get up the courage to jump off the diving board in this utterly charming debut picture book with a valuable lesson about conquering your fears from a gifted author-illustrator
—Buffalo News

For a little lightheartedness “Jabari Jumps” (Candlewick, 2017; 15.99) is just the ticket. Gaia Cornwall wrote and illustrated this charming story of Jabari who goes to the swimming pool with his father and younger sister and promises that this is the day he will jump off the diving board...Young readers will want to hear or Jabari’s challenge again and again.
—The Gazette

From the Publisher

2017-03-06
Young Jabari decides today is the day he is going to jump from the diving board, even though it's a little high and a little scary. Jabari's father and baby sister accompany him to the swimming pool in the city, where Jabari has already made up his mind about today's goal: jumping off the diving board. "I'm a great jumper," he says, "so I'm not scared at all." But that's not entirely true. Readers see Jabari play the waiting game as the other children (a diverse bunch) make their ways past him in line. Once Jabari finally begins to climb up, he slyly remembers that he forgot to "stretch." The stalling techniques don't faze his dad, who sees an opportunity for a life lesson. "It's okay to feel a little scared," offers his dad at the side of the pool. With renewed will, Jabari returns to the towering diving board, ready to embrace the feat. In her debut, Cornwall places her loving black family at the center, coloring the swimming pool and park beyond in minty hues and adding whimsy with digitally collaged newspaper for skyscrapers. A bird's-eye view of Jabari's toes clinging to the edge of the diving board as he looks way, way down at the blue pool below puts readers in his head and in the action. This simple and sincere tale of working up courage to face fears makes quite a splash. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews