A must-have." - School Library Journal (starred review) This important and recommended contemporary YA will inspire young people to find their own voices and take a swing at life. Jazz music fans will enjoy this focus and its intersections with art, history, baseball, and literature.
"Readers will fall in love with scene-stealer Swing. Lively, moving, and heartfelt." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Despite the easy flow of verse, there is a density to this story with its multiple elements. Swing is African-American, while Noah is white. All the secondary characters are distinctive and add texture to the narrative. "Noah is the narrator, but it is Swing, with his humor, irresistible charm, and optimism, who steals the spotlight. Interspersed throughout, the discovered letters and Noah's art poetry highlight the power of physical artifacts to inspire action and provide a tie to flags' symbolic meaning." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Alexander and Hess embrace the malleability of free verse, heightening emotions with shifting styles and rhythms, and though Swing's voice steals the show, the bantering friendship he and Noah share also shines. Especially after he witnesses events that hint divides and prejudices run deeper than he realized.Īs the personal and social tensions increase around them, Noah and Walt must decide what is really important when it comes to love, friendship, sacrifice, and fate. While some think it's a harmless prank and others see it as a form of protest, Noah can't shake the feeling something bigger is happening to his community.
But when his art becomes public, Noah has a decision to make: continue his life in the dugout and possibly lose the girl forever, or take a swing and finally speak out.Īt the same time, American flags are being left around town. Each one contains words Noah's always wanted to say to Sam, and he begins secretly creating artwork using the lines that speak his heart. While Walt focuses on his program of jazz, podcasts, batting cages, and a "Hug Life" mentality, Noah feels stuck in status quo … until he stumbles on a stash of old love letters. Never mind he and Noah failed to make their baseball team yet again, and Noah's crush since third grade, Sam, has him firmly in the friend zone. In this YA novel in verse from bestselling authors Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess ( Solo), which Kirkus called "lively, moving, and heartfelt" in a starred review, Noah and Walt just want to leave their geek days behind and find "cool," but in the process discover a lot about first loves, friendship, and embracing life … as well as why Black Lives Matter is so important for all.īest friends Noah and Walt are far from popular, but Walt is convinced junior year is their year, and he has a plan that includes wooing the girls of their dreams and becoming amazing athletes.
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