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Learning to Swim
A powerful true poetry memoir for anyone who has navigated the troubled waters of childhood and adolescence searching for a way to stay afloat, now in the new POINT.
Unfolding in a series of exquisite narrative poems, this is the haunting true story of a tragic summer in a young girl's life. Annie is supposed to be having a carefree summer -- but instead she must face the unwanted advances of an older boy in the neighborhood, who threatens her if she tells. It isn't until Annie's mother pries out the secret that Annie is released from her horror and isolation and can slowly begin to heal.
Unfolding in a series of exquisite narrative poems, this is the haunting true story of a tragic summer in a young girl's life. Annie is supposed to be having a carefree summer -- but instead she must face the unwanted advances of an older boy in the neighborhood, who threatens her if she tells. It isn't until Annie's mother pries out the secret that Annie is released from her horror and isolation and can slowly begin to heal.
113 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
6 people are currently reading
247 people want to read
About the author
Ann Turner
103 books35 followersAnn Turner, also known and published as Ann Warren Turner, is a children's author and a poet.
Ann Turner wrote her first story when she was eight years old. It was about a dragon and a dwarf named Puckity. She still uses that story when she talks to students about writing, to show them that they too have stories worth telling.
Turner has always loved to write, but at first she was afraid she couldn't make a living doing it. So she trained to be a teacher instead. After a year of teaching, however, she decided she would rather write books than talk about them in school.
Turner's first children's book was about vultures and was illustrated by her mother. She has written more than 40 books since then, most of them historical picture books. She likes to think of a character in a specific time and place in American history and then tell a story about that character so that readers today can know what it was like to live long ago.
Ann Turner says that stories choose her, rather than the other way around: "I often feel as if I am walking along quietly, minding my own business, when a story creeps up behind me and taps me on the shoulder. 'Tell me, show me, write me!' it whispers in my ear. And if I don't tell that story, it wakes me up in the morning, shakes me out of my favorite afternoon nap, and insists upon being told."
(from: http://www.eduplace.com/kids/tnc/mtai...)
Ann Turner wrote her first story when she was eight years old. It was about a dragon and a dwarf named Puckity. She still uses that story when she talks to students about writing, to show them that they too have stories worth telling.
Turner has always loved to write, but at first she was afraid she couldn't make a living doing it. So she trained to be a teacher instead. After a year of teaching, however, she decided she would rather write books than talk about them in school.
Turner's first children's book was about vultures and was illustrated by her mother. She has written more than 40 books since then, most of them historical picture books. She likes to think of a character in a specific time and place in American history and then tell a story about that character so that readers today can know what it was like to live long ago.
Ann Turner says that stories choose her, rather than the other way around: "I often feel as if I am walking along quietly, minding my own business, when a story creeps up behind me and taps me on the shoulder. 'Tell me, show me, write me!' it whispers in my ear. And if I don't tell that story, it wakes me up in the morning, shakes me out of my favorite afternoon nap, and insists upon being told."
(from: http://www.eduplace.com/kids/tnc/mtai...)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
August 22, 2010
"These poems are a testimony to the healing power of words," writes Ann Turner of her memoir Learning to Swim in which she details a summer from her youth through concise, evocative poetic verse. A summer of willowware plates, blueberry bushes, and a dark and painful secret. Each snippet is tinged with childish action and adult hidesight, a 20/20 perspective on a murky, helpless moment in the author's life. Memoir is a wrenching, vulnerable, cathartic endeavor, done in an attempt to make sense and peace with our past. Memories are thick and deep, and wading into those waters is always to do so without the ability to swim. It is what keeps us afloat, sailing "above the drowned leaves," that heals us once and forever.
November 15, 2009
Summary and Analysis:
Learning to Swim is a novel told in verse that would be appropriate for high school students. Learning to Swim was on the Young Adult Library Services Association's list of best books for YA in 2001.
Although Learning to Swim is full of poetry, it is also a memoir because it is about experiences from the author's own life. Learning to Swim is set up in three sections: sailing, sinking, and swimming. In the first section, sailing, the poems describe, in first person point of view, a young girl's excitement about traveling to her family's summer home. The mood is serene as each successive poem describes everyday summertime events. The young girl's excitement about her father finally teaching her to swim, without the aid of her bright pink intertube, features prominently. The end of the first section describes a game of hide and seek with neighbor children - including an older boy that makes the girl very uncomfortable.
The second section, sinking, is much darker. The boy from the neighborhood leads the girl to her room under the guise of reading her a story. He sexually abuses her and as the innocent narrator puts it "...and I didn't even know I could say no..." The rest of the second section describes the downward spiral the girl experiences as a result of the molestation - which happens a few more times. At the end of the second section, the girl is but a shell of her former self and her mother finally puts together the pieces and asks the girl a key question that leads her to tell her story.
In the third section of the book, the girl gradually copes with what happened to her. Surprisingly (at least to me), the girl and her family stay at the summer home for the duration of the summer and finally learning to swim plays a large role in the girl's healing process.
In many ways, this book reminded me of Speak, another young adult selection. First of all, the subject matter is very similar. Both books feature a protagonist that was sexually abused or raped. Both books focus less on the incident than on the effects it has on the girl. Both protagonists shut themselves off from life and are afraid to share what happened to them. It is through reaching out to a trusted person in their lives, that they tell their secrets and begin to heal. In an afterword by the author, she shares that writing this book was therapeutic for her.
Learning to Swim is a novel told in verse that would be appropriate for high school students. Learning to Swim was on the Young Adult Library Services Association's list of best books for YA in 2001.
Although Learning to Swim is full of poetry, it is also a memoir because it is about experiences from the author's own life. Learning to Swim is set up in three sections: sailing, sinking, and swimming. In the first section, sailing, the poems describe, in first person point of view, a young girl's excitement about traveling to her family's summer home. The mood is serene as each successive poem describes everyday summertime events. The young girl's excitement about her father finally teaching her to swim, without the aid of her bright pink intertube, features prominently. The end of the first section describes a game of hide and seek with neighbor children - including an older boy that makes the girl very uncomfortable.
The second section, sinking, is much darker. The boy from the neighborhood leads the girl to her room under the guise of reading her a story. He sexually abuses her and as the innocent narrator puts it "...and I didn't even know I could say no..." The rest of the second section describes the downward spiral the girl experiences as a result of the molestation - which happens a few more times. At the end of the second section, the girl is but a shell of her former self and her mother finally puts together the pieces and asks the girl a key question that leads her to tell her story.
In the third section of the book, the girl gradually copes with what happened to her. Surprisingly (at least to me), the girl and her family stay at the summer home for the duration of the summer and finally learning to swim plays a large role in the girl's healing process.
In many ways, this book reminded me of Speak, another young adult selection. First of all, the subject matter is very similar. Both books feature a protagonist that was sexually abused or raped. Both books focus less on the incident than on the effects it has on the girl. Both protagonists shut themselves off from life and are afraid to share what happened to them. It is through reaching out to a trusted person in their lives, that they tell their secrets and begin to heal. In an afterword by the author, she shares that writing this book was therapeutic for her.
December 4, 2010
POETRY
This book was a beautiful memoir in poetry. It tells the story of a young girl, Annie, that is sexually abused during a summer and feels that she has to keep it a secret. The pain, resentment, anger, and shame expressed in the poems feels very real. The narrative also includes how Annie learns to swim. She is afraid of swimming without her pink tube, but eventually learns to swim. Her mother finds out about what has been going on and keeps Annie safe for the rest of the book. She is able to heal and move on, but it's a slow process.
These poems were very well-written. It was a captivating story. I could never tell exactly how old Annie was during this book. This book would be a really good introduction to a sexual abuse unit. I would only recommend it to teens that are ok with this mature topic. Probably 16 and up.
This book was a beautiful memoir in poetry. It tells the story of a young girl, Annie, that is sexually abused during a summer and feels that she has to keep it a secret. The pain, resentment, anger, and shame expressed in the poems feels very real. The narrative also includes how Annie learns to swim. She is afraid of swimming without her pink tube, but eventually learns to swim. Her mother finds out about what has been going on and keeps Annie safe for the rest of the book. She is able to heal and move on, but it's a slow process.
These poems were very well-written. It was a captivating story. I could never tell exactly how old Annie was during this book. This book would be a really good introduction to a sexual abuse unit. I would only recommend it to teens that are ok with this mature topic. Probably 16 and up.
December 9, 2010
I went into this book knowing nothing about its subject matter and was surprised to find what I did. I always find it interesting when an author chooses to use verse of some kind when writing a novel. There is so much an author can do with word play. Turner's use of verse gives the narrative a choppy feel, a frenetic energy in places, and a foggy recollection and horror at other times. It is just vague enough communicate a child's reticence to give details about sexual abuse but enough details to get what is going on. The metaphor of swimming is powerful.
This book's themes might be a little much for younger readers, but I think if handled correctly could be a very powerful read. I would say closely guided reading for ages 12 to 14 and more individual reading from age 15 and up.
This book's themes might be a little much for younger readers, but I think if handled correctly could be a very powerful read. I would say closely guided reading for ages 12 to 14 and more individual reading from age 15 and up.
March 11, 2015
Beautiful and sad. Memories can be so painful.
March 20, 2017
I read the emotional and stunning book Learning to Swim, by Ann Turner. At a young age, Ann finds a passion for swimming. It's her coping mechanism. However, after a boy in the neighborhood does horrible things to Ann several times, she forgets her passion. She's afraid to get back in the water. Ann becomes quiet and weak. She's told not to tell anyone what the boy is doing to her. The horror of the several events pile up inside and seem to break her down. In the end, Ann is able to cope and become her happy self again. She then, learns to swim.
Ann is a happy young girl who wants to learn to swim. She also loves playing with the other kids in her neighborhood. One day a boy does bad things to Ann. These events continue until one day, she finds her voice. In the end Ann goes back to her normal self, and learns to swim. This book is a memoir which in this case is based off of the author or someone she knew. Since this is a true story, it's non-fiction. The internal conflict in this is character vs. self. Ann struggles to keep everything a secret. She can't reach out for help, nor can she find her voice to stop everything. The external conflict is character vs. character. Ann wants to tell the boy to stop doing bad things to her, but she's afraid to stick up for herself.
I enjoyed this book because it was emotional and inspiring. Ann went through something that nobody should have to go through, and it ruined her for a while. Then she decided to take advantage of her life again. She kept hanging on so she could heal and become herself again. I think girls would enjoy it because it's from a girl's perspective. I think a good range of age would be 11-13 would like this book because it is an easy read containing a very mature topic.
Ann is a happy young girl who wants to learn to swim. She also loves playing with the other kids in her neighborhood. One day a boy does bad things to Ann. These events continue until one day, she finds her voice. In the end Ann goes back to her normal self, and learns to swim. This book is a memoir which in this case is based off of the author or someone she knew. Since this is a true story, it's non-fiction. The internal conflict in this is character vs. self. Ann struggles to keep everything a secret. She can't reach out for help, nor can she find her voice to stop everything. The external conflict is character vs. character. Ann wants to tell the boy to stop doing bad things to her, but she's afraid to stick up for herself.
I enjoyed this book because it was emotional and inspiring. Ann went through something that nobody should have to go through, and it ruined her for a while. Then she decided to take advantage of her life again. She kept hanging on so she could heal and become herself again. I think girls would enjoy it because it's from a girl's perspective. I think a good range of age would be 11-13 would like this book because it is an easy read containing a very mature topic.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2019
Learning To Swim by Ann Turner is a tearjerking novel featuring poetry describing a horrific summer in her life. Ann struggles to keep her secret hidden while fearing for her safety. During a summer get away, she is abused and raped by an older cousin instead of getting read to.
Although this book is a very quick read, it leaves you begging for more after every page turn. The author is not afraid of being blunt and real, which is something I enjoy. She unspokenly leaves a message that victims should not be scared to speak out. In this novel, I particularly enjoyed Anns father. While he is unaware of the actions being taken against his daughter, he teaches her how to swim. He is very enlightening and encouraging, giving Ann the willfulness and perseverance to stay afloat, and not just above the water. The author is very good at conveying emotions. At the moment that Anns mother finds out after asking a simple question, something evoked tears. I loved how unapologetic this book was.
There are few things to complain about on this book. I feel the ending is almost too abrupt, and it left me asking questions. Did Anns abuser ever face justice? Did she ever have to return to that dreadful yellow room? How has she coped with this event since? The way you get attached to the main character leaves you frustrated you aren't given more answers in the end.
Overall, I think this book deserves a 5 star rating. The poetry is very stylistic and unlike I have read before. It tells a painful story about sailing, sinking and swimming and it is a true must-read for survivors who want to feel less alone, or to anyone who just needs a good cry.
Although this book is a very quick read, it leaves you begging for more after every page turn. The author is not afraid of being blunt and real, which is something I enjoy. She unspokenly leaves a message that victims should not be scared to speak out. In this novel, I particularly enjoyed Anns father. While he is unaware of the actions being taken against his daughter, he teaches her how to swim. He is very enlightening and encouraging, giving Ann the willfulness and perseverance to stay afloat, and not just above the water. The author is very good at conveying emotions. At the moment that Anns mother finds out after asking a simple question, something evoked tears. I loved how unapologetic this book was.
There are few things to complain about on this book. I feel the ending is almost too abrupt, and it left me asking questions. Did Anns abuser ever face justice? Did she ever have to return to that dreadful yellow room? How has she coped with this event since? The way you get attached to the main character leaves you frustrated you aren't given more answers in the end.
Overall, I think this book deserves a 5 star rating. The poetry is very stylistic and unlike I have read before. It tells a painful story about sailing, sinking and swimming and it is a true must-read for survivors who want to feel less alone, or to anyone who just needs a good cry.
May 10, 2018
This book is poetry and I wold recommend this book. I would recommend this book because it is telling a story about a girl swimming. What I found noteworthy this book is how she had something bad happen to her but yet she keep trying. I like this genre because they are short and make seance.
May 19, 2021
A memoir in the form of poetry I picked up from the Book Thing of Baltimore a while ago. It's quite sad, describing a summer the author was sexually abused by a neighbor. Poetry is not my usual style but this was well done I think.
January 11, 2022
Very quick read, but worth re-reading more slowly. Be aware of the sexual assault content, but I found the constant, genuine love within the family to be the best part of the story. The author writes of her daddy, her mother, and her grandpa as wonderfully warm and supportive.
October 19, 2022
This was/is a great book, I randomly picked this book , because I had to for school lol. But now this book is the reason i read poetry now. I'm happy i found this beautiful book, it shows that people are always holding onto things and it might be hard for them to tell people.
September 11, 2017
It was very moving and sad. Unfortunately the author, Ann Turner, suffered from sexual abuse as a kid. In the book, "Learning to Swim," she recounts her story of a summer gone horribly wrong.
September 25, 2018
Well written poetry to cleanse the soul from abuse as a little girl. Highly recommended
June 30, 2019
A short lyrical memoir that speaks a young girl's truth on a summer trip that will change her course. Highly recommend to young adult and older who appreciate memoirs and verse novels.
October 23, 2019
This was alright book if i had enjoyed this type of genre. I had a hard time understanding what was going on. The book reminded of some law and order episode.
March 26, 2021
4.5/5 stars! A very powerful book of poems describing an event so unimaginable, yet so common.
June 1, 2023
This is a tough one, but it is a compelling read that stays with you.
December 3, 2023
I think this is a well written book
August 19, 2024
For me personally, the storyline was kind of hard to follow. I’m not sure why but I just didn’t really enjoy the book.
Want to read
May 30, 2025Cutting is for Learning to Swim
By Ann Turner
By Ann Turner
August 6, 2021
Devastatingly real and beautiful, but such an important story to share. Turner shared her own experience of sexual assault while also acknowledging the feelings of guilt, shame, and fear that survivors often feel. She said more between the lines than in the short stanzas and left the reader thinking of the life long impacts of trauma surrounding sexual assault. It feels weird to "rate" someone's story because everyone's story is valid, but Turner deserves all the stars for her ability to empathize with herself and others as well as sharing a painful story in the hopes that others will hear her and feel seen and spoken to. I certainly did and thank her for being vulnerable for those who are not ready to face their demons.
October 9, 2009
Genre: Poetry/Child molestation (poetry requirement)
This book of poems follows the summer of a little girl as her life changes forever. While learning to swim in the pond, a boy in the neighborhood takes her upstairs to read to her but instead sexually molests her. She does not know what to do and does not know that she can say no. It is not until the molestation is discovered that her mother promises that nothing will ever happen to her again of that nature; however, the damage is done and she will perhaps never learn to swim as well as she should.
This small book of poems is actually based on the life of the author, Ann Turner. She wrote the poems as a way to come to grips with her childhood and the horrors that filled it. The poems are beautifully written but the title was deceiving. I was definitely not expecting a story of child molestation in a book of poems supposedly about swimming. Despite my shock, the book turned out to be very interesting. Turner is able to capture the voice of a young girl within the poetry which makes it unqiue and believable. Turner also includes bibliographical information at the end to indicate to the reader that the book was based on her life and suffering which made it more meaningful for me as a reader.
This book of poems follows the summer of a little girl as her life changes forever. While learning to swim in the pond, a boy in the neighborhood takes her upstairs to read to her but instead sexually molests her. She does not know what to do and does not know that she can say no. It is not until the molestation is discovered that her mother promises that nothing will ever happen to her again of that nature; however, the damage is done and she will perhaps never learn to swim as well as she should.
This small book of poems is actually based on the life of the author, Ann Turner. She wrote the poems as a way to come to grips with her childhood and the horrors that filled it. The poems are beautifully written but the title was deceiving. I was definitely not expecting a story of child molestation in a book of poems supposedly about swimming. Despite my shock, the book turned out to be very interesting. Turner is able to capture the voice of a young girl within the poetry which makes it unqiue and believable. Turner also includes bibliographical information at the end to indicate to the reader that the book was based on her life and suffering which made it more meaningful for me as a reader.
February 17, 2022
Having read this a couple times between the ages of 11 and 13, I decided to give it another try in my adulthood to see if I would appreciate it as much as I did as a preteen or if I had overrated it. Needless to say, it is still just as beautifully written and memorable as I remember.
A heart wrenching memoir about being molested at a young age, Ann recalls each smell, feel, and emotion through poetry split into three different sections: the first being the positive imagery of a childhood summer at a lake house, the negative turn of events in the second, and healing in the third.
Ann gives such detailed imagery and provokes great emotion in such a short read, it’s impressive. I don’t know much about poetry, but in my opinion she conveys it perfectly and I can’t imagine all the pain she had to relive as she revived every memory of that summer within her and passed them through her fingers and onto paper.
A quick read that’s easy to interpret and can be finished in one sitting, I think everyone should read it as well the author’s note at the end to know what sexual abuse looks like through the eyes of a child, and that you’re not alone if you are a victim.
A heart wrenching memoir about being molested at a young age, Ann recalls each smell, feel, and emotion through poetry split into three different sections: the first being the positive imagery of a childhood summer at a lake house, the negative turn of events in the second, and healing in the third.
Ann gives such detailed imagery and provokes great emotion in such a short read, it’s impressive. I don’t know much about poetry, but in my opinion she conveys it perfectly and I can’t imagine all the pain she had to relive as she revived every memory of that summer within her and passed them through her fingers and onto paper.
A quick read that’s easy to interpret and can be finished in one sitting, I think everyone should read it as well the author’s note at the end to know what sexual abuse looks like through the eyes of a child, and that you’re not alone if you are a victim.
January 27, 2017
Learning How to Swim by Ann Turner is a realistic fiction book. Six year old Annie's life is shattered after she is forced to carry a horrible secret. An older boy molested her when she visited her friend’s house for a play date, and she was forced to keep it a secret. Annie is the main character in this story and she is trying to keep a secret from her parents. While Annie was playing with her friend her friend's brother convinced her to go inside the shed. This is the day Annie's life changed forever. Some people reading this book would relate to Annie's secret. A conflict in the book is character vs self because Annie had to keep her secret from her parents and the pain was deep. I also think that the conflict in the book is character vs. character between Annie and her friend’s brother. The conflict between Annie and the friend’s brother was that he forced her to keep the secret. I liked the book because it was very realistic and I enjoy reading realistic books. I would recommend this book to girls and boys specifically in middle school and high school because they would probably make some connection to the book.
December 18, 2008
I had the libraian help me pull a bunch of books that are poetry, but tell a story; she called them poetry fiction. This book was one of them. A student read this during our 20 minute reading time one day, then her friend quickly checked it out to read. This speed and enthusiasm peeked my interest.
I really liked this book, as much as you can like a book about child abuse. The poet portrays the child's voice (really her voice as a child) very well with talk of crayons and dolls, but also the safty of her parents. I loved her word choice and imagery. I also thought that the decision to put the titles at the bottom of the page in lighter font was interesting. It was almost like one line or phrase was repeated again. For me, the titles at the bottom made the plot flow more than if it was interrupted by all the individual poem titles.
I wonder if authors of this type of book write the poems mostly in order. Or do they write a bunch of poems and then spread them out around them to craft the order?
I really liked this book, as much as you can like a book about child abuse. The poet portrays the child's voice (really her voice as a child) very well with talk of crayons and dolls, but also the safty of her parents. I loved her word choice and imagery. I also thought that the decision to put the titles at the bottom of the page in lighter font was interesting. It was almost like one line or phrase was repeated again. For me, the titles at the bottom made the plot flow more than if it was interrupted by all the individual poem titles.
I wonder if authors of this type of book write the poems mostly in order. Or do they write a bunch of poems and then spread them out around them to craft the order?
December 11, 2013
VERSE REQUIREMENT: This memoir told in verse tells the personal story of a young girl who is being sexually abused by a neighbor boy in conjunction with her father teaching her to swim. It's well told, and I think it captures the innocence of childhood caught in a nightmare that never should have happened. Thankfully, her parents find out at the end and respond appropriately to the situation.
While I can admire the honesty and poetics of this memoir, I didn't love it. For example, if I had it on my shelf instead of checking it out from the library I wouldn't want to pick it up and read it again. I would recommend this book to someone who is looking at writing their own poetic memoir.
While I can admire the honesty and poetics of this memoir, I didn't love it. For example, if I had it on my shelf instead of checking it out from the library I wouldn't want to pick it up and read it again. I would recommend this book to someone who is looking at writing their own poetic memoir.
October 3, 2014
This book was sort if "meh". It isn't that is bad, exactly, or that is has noticeable flaws in the style or tone, just that it didn't really resonate with me. I thought the poems were fair to middling, not bad, but never great. Of course the pain is real, and well portrayed, but the poems also feel like they were written many years after the fact. This would be fine, because they were, but in places the immediacy of Annie's terrible pain seemed lost. A worthwhile read, but not one I would read again.
P.S. I feel really bad giving this book such a low rating because I feel awful that this woman had to go through such scarring abuse.
P.S. I feel really bad giving this book such a low rating because I feel awful that this woman had to go through such scarring abuse.
February 9, 2016
I thought this book was an OK book, I am not the biggest fan of poetry books, but I could understand this one. I thought that the plot line was an interesting topic as I have a cabin of my own and understood what the author was saying about how the windows creak and groan when you open them for the first time since winter and how everything is covered in a layer of dust. I found it very sweet how close she was to her dad and he grandpa and how she gradually grew closer to her mother as a result of the incident. I also found it interesting and shocking that this book was a memoir of the author's life.
May 5, 2010
Eh. Seems like she's trying to be like Hopkins or Sones. And failing IMO. I wouldn't hand this to anyone male or older than preteen. That leaves out a lot of readers.
I don't think I've ever read a faster book. I lit a cigarette when I started this book and I was finished the book first. And I'm not talking about some super long, spage-age, blunt like cigarette. A regular Newport.
Not really worth the $4.99 it states it costs on the back if you ask me. There are much better books to be read.....
I don't think I've ever read a faster book. I lit a cigarette when I started this book and I was finished the book first. And I'm not talking about some super long, spage-age, blunt like cigarette. A regular Newport.
Not really worth the $4.99 it states it costs on the back if you ask me. There are much better books to be read.....
October 3, 2014
Learning to Swim is a touching story about a young girl named Annie. Annie was only 6 when the horrid thing happened. It was in Annie’s room and her neighbor threatened to hurt her if she told. All Annie wants to do is keep it a secret, she tries to keep it off her mind. She wants to learn to swim without her pink floaty tube. Eventually her mother finds out and tries to keep her inside for the rest of the book. This is why I think you should read Learning to Swim of you like tragic and happy books.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews