Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Publishers Weekly
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

An African-American boy works up the courage to leap from the high dive in Cornwall's warm and genuine debut. "I'm a great jumper... so I'm not scared at all!" announces Jabari as he arrives at an outdoor city pool with his father and sister. "Looks easy," he adds as he watches kids jump from the towering board, but "when his dad squeezed his hand, Jabari squeezed back." With understated humor and plenty of understanding, Cornwall reveals Jabari's transparent excuses for delaying his ascent up the ladder: he must think about what "special jump" he will do, take a "tiny rest," and stretch. Finally, after words of encouragement from his patient father, Jabari makes the climb and braves the jump, a sequence viewed from various perspectives that amplify his accomplishment. 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. Ages 4-8. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Jabari is ready to jump off the diving board! First, however, he decides to let everyone behind him jump first. And then he stretches. Finally, Jabari admits that he might be a little...scared. Luckily, our young hero has his father and baby sister's loving encouragement. Watercolor and collage illustrations perfectly depict a hazy summer day against a backdrop of warm brown skin tones and cool aqua water. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

PreS-Gr 2-An African American boy and his baby sister and father head to an urban community pool. Jabari has completed his swim lessons and tests and is ready to jump off a diving board. In his zigzag swim trunks and swim goggles, the boy tells his dad that diving looks easy. But when he stands at the ladder and looks up, up, and up at the diving board, he starts stalling for time, saying that he has other things to do before he can make the big leap. His father reassures him that it is OK to be scared, encourages him to take deep breaths, and tells him that he might just be surprised. With renewed determination, Jabari climbs the ladder and jumps into the pool. He's flying and splashing and sinking down and swimming back up and he's done it! Jabari is a great jumper. Just enough conversational text accompanies each illustration, including several smaller vignettes on a single page that help build suspense. 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. VERDICT 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.-Mindy Hiatt, Salt Lake County Library Services © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

Jabari has decided: today is the day he will jump off the high dive. But when he and his father and sister arrive at the pool, he's suddenly not quite so sure. He gets in line, but then lets the other kids go ahead of him. He gets halfway up the ladder, but then scurries back down to do stretches. His father lets him know it's OK to be scared, and before Jabari knows it, he has jumped off the high dive with a huge, satisfying splash. This is a small, well-told story about a child working up the courage to do something difficult. The dialogue and text are straightforward and make a nice pairing with the creatively chosen angles for the illustrations. One particularly effective full-page illustration is from Jabari's point of view, standing on top of the diving board and looking down past his tiny brown toes to the blue rectangular pool below, truly capturing the book's pivotal moment. In all, a welcome piece for any summertime collection.--Worthington, Becca Copyright 2017 Booklist