Houston Swim Club Guppy Book by Houston Swim Club and Imagiread

What is Houston Swim Club Guppy Book about?

The Guppy Book follows an owner of The Houston Swim Club as she navigates teaching foundational swimming principles to “guppies”. The book was designed to ease the concerns of both guppies (beginning swimmers) and parents when enrolling in classes so that they feel confident about the processes and results.

What inspired you to write this book?

I’d written and self-published my first children’s book, It’s Water Time, Ma!, promoting proper hydration and conservation a few years prior. When I met one of the owners of The Houston Swim, Tracy Laman, we immediately connected because of our interests in water and water safety. She mentioned she’d always wanted to write and publish a children’s book; the rest was history. My illustrator, Thaddeus Lavalais, and I met with Tracy to carve out the elements and produced what I believe is a beautiful representation of The Houston Swim Club’s values and commitment to the community.

How did you develop the beginning exercises to teach children to swim, and be calm in the water?

Tracy was the professional who contributed the swimming expertise, I chimed in with some teachable moments from a literacy development educator’s perspective to ensure the storyline flowed, and Thaddeus mirrored images from actual photographs. There were many instances where it came together naturally, and I delved into what it means to teach someone to swim from a different angle. Overall, I’d say it was a teaching and learning exercise for all of us.

What part of the process was the most enjoyable with this book?

Working with Tracy and Thaddeus on this project was a joy. It was one that I can attest came together seamlessly. Watching the illustrations come alive is always my favorite part, and this instance was no different. While the children in the book were reimagined for safety, the illustrations of the facility and Tracy were spot on. Pairing that with the content we co-designed just affirmed the production as a win!