Chapter 1: Summertime Swimming
By Jake Maddox
“Race you to the pool!” Rachel shouted.
“No running!” Jenny called back. Jenny smiled as her younger sister Rachel walked as fast as her little legs could go toward the community swimming pool. Sun sparkled on the clear water. It was August, and in just a few days summer would end, and Jenny would be starting sixth grade.
“Hey, Jenny!” a girl shouted. Jenny looked over to see her friend Maya waving from the deep end. Jenny smiled and waved back at her, then turned to find Rachel. Her little sister was already starting down the steps into the pool.
“Wait up, Rachel!” Jenny shouted. She motioned for Maya to join them in the shallow end. Jenny walked down the steps and let herself slide under the cool water.
“Ahhhh,” she said as she popped back up.
“I love swimming!”
“Me too,” Maya said, swimming up to her. “In fact, I think I’m going to join the swim team this year.”
“Oh, really?” Jenny asked as she waded through the water toward Rachel.
“Yeah,” Maya said. “It’ll be fun. I mean, we’ve spent all summer in the pool, why not keep it up?”
Jenny frowned. “I don’t know,” she said. “I love swimming, but I don’t like competition. It always makes me nervous.”
“But you’d be great,” Maya insisted. “Yeah, you’re super fast!” Rachel agreed as she dog-paddled past the two friends.
“Maybe,” Jenny said, twisting a strand of wet hair around her finger. “I’ll think about it.”
“Just don’t take too long,” Maya cautioned. “School starts next week, and tryouts won’t be long after!”
The girls stayed at the pool all afternoon, swimming until the sun was high in the sky. Rachel sat on the edge of the pool while she ate a snack and kicked her legs in the water. Maya and Jenny floated in the water nearby, talking about what middle school would be like.
Suddenly, Maya stood up in the water and poked Jenny in the ribs. “Race ya!” she shouted, taking off toward the opposite end of the pool.
Jenny laughed and quickly flipped over. She cut through the water with powerful strokes. Soon she caught up to Maya and then easily passed her. Jenny grabbed the wall a couple of seconds before her friend. Maya came up from the water, grinning.
“Ha! See? You have to join the team with me,” she said. “You’re a great swimmer. It would be so much fun!”
Jenny rolled her eyes but smiled. “Okay, fine,” she said. “I guess as long as we do it together, it’ll be fun.”
“Yay!” Maya shouted, giving her a big, wet hug. “Swim team, here we come!”
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Adapted from Pool Panic, by Jake Maddox, ©️ by Capstone. Reprinted with permission.
Chapter 1 Summary:
In Chapter 1 of "Summertime Swimming" by Jake Maddox, Jenny and her younger sister Rachel race to the community swimming pool. Jenny's friend Maya joins them, and they enjoy swimming and playing in the water. Maya suggests that Jenny join the swim team, but Jenny is hesitant about competing. Maya encourages her, pointing out that she is a strong swimmer. After a friendly race, Jenny agrees to join the swim team with Maya.
Which of these sentences from the text tells the reader the story is written from a third-person point of view?
“Jenny walked down the steps and let herself slide under the cool water.”
“‘It’ll be fun. I mean, we’ve spent all summer in the pool, why not keep it up?’”
“It was August, and in just a few days summer would end.”
“‘In fact, I think I’m going to join the swim team this year.’”