
Ann Warren Turner's 'Learning to Swim' is a deeply moving verse memoir that chronicles a young girl's experience with sexual abuse during a summer at her family's house. Told through a series of evocative poems, the book conveys the profound emotional impact of the trauma, including feelings of shattered joy, fear, shame, and a sense of lost security. While the subject matter is undeniably heavy, the narrative ultimately focuses on the protagonist's resilience and her journey toward healing and finding her voice. This book is best suited for mature readers within the 8-12 age range, and parents should be prepared for sensitive discussions.
A series of poems convey the feelings of a young girl whose sense of joy and security at the family's summer house is shattered when an older boy who lives nearby sexually abuses her.