Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall

 

An African American family visit a local outdoor swimming pool. A determined Jabari arrives full of confidence about jumping off the diving board. “I’m a great jumper… so I’m not scared at all!” His confidence wanes as he nears the diving board ladder and stalls for time. He lets other children go first, thinks long and hard about what special jump he will do, then remembers he must stretch.

 

His patient father reassures Jabari that it is okay to be scared, encouraging him to take a deep breath. With new determination, he climbs the ladder, takes another deep breath. “Then he sprang up! Up off the board! Flying!” He is so proud of his achievement he exclaims to his dad and little sister that a “surprise double backflip is next!”