Swing focuses on two best friends on the search for cool during their junior year of high school. Written in verse, one is on a quest to find the courage to confess his love to his friend. You think you're being taken on a journey of the average teenage experience (first love, parties, sports, etc.) but then after prom - seemingly out of left field, everything changes.

I wish there had been a little more of the ending. It was too abrupt for me.

I've been reading a lot of novels in verse lately, but Kwame Alexander might be the current master of that form. Swing is powerful. I love how Alexander captures the oddball spirit of the main characters, looking at their normal lives, and not using their quirks as their story, but instead, building characters that you love.

If I might slip into SPOILER territory, the fact that a very definite statement about police violence against young African American men happens very abruptly, and without an obvious buildup is powerful. In fact, it would be my primary reason, as a teacher, to put this book in kids' hands. To have a character be the victim of this very real world problem is powerful. I know what my reaction was, and can easily imagine what the I cut will be on a young reader.

And now, the wait for the next book from Kwame Alexander begins.

Thank you to Net Galley and the Swing Launch Team for providing me with this ARC. I have been a fan of Kwame Alexander since I read Crossover a few years ago. My sixth graders love reading his books, for many different reasons. Kwame and Mary Rand Hess worked together on Solo, which was a beautiful story, and you can see how well they work together through this book as well. Together, they create a language, voice, and characters grip you from the start and Swing definitely lived up to this expectation. This book held my attention and made me root for the characters. I highly recommend this book to all readers of all ages. It is a timely story, but also timeless in its message.

Still haven't read a Kwame Alexander book I haven't enjoyed! This title had a little bit of something for everyone - sports, romance, family, friendship, grief, happiness...the list goes on and on. Novels in verse always appeal to me because they are so accessible for all types of readers, and that goes a long way in our library. Excited to share this once it's released!

Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess have nailed it again in Swing. The story includes important messages and concepts that society, parents, students, and schools need to discuss, as well as some traditional jazz references that are smoothly distributed throughout the text. The characters are all absolute treasures and readers will be left feeling like they've gained new friends. As with all of their works, the story flows with its free verse rap-like momentum that compels you to keep reading.

Thanks to Netgalley and the SWING
LAUNCH TEAM, I had the honor
of reading the ARC of this book.
All the stars for this book! Baseball,
Jazz, friendship, and love all in one
fabulous novel in verse. Funny, sweet,
heartbreaking, beautiful Kwame and
Mary hit another one out of the park.
#huglife

I just finished Swing! Wow! I do not want to ruin the book for anyone, but Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess have touched on so many themes of friendship, love, and a need for societal changes. I empathized and connected with the characters! My eyes may have leaked a bit at times. #swingbook
Look for the release in October!

Posted on my Facebook page: Jennifer Carrier Hottinger
And on Twitter: @ignitingwriters

Music, art, poetry, baseball, love, and war make this YA novel in verse unique. Noah has been in love with one of his best friends for a while, and he is inspired to start creating found art love poems for her after finding some love letters from the 60s. His other best friend Walt, aka Swing, is obsessed with getting back on their school baseball team, and he teaches Noah to appreciate jazz and to be more bold.

Kwame Alexander is a fabulous writer whose prose are intelligent and engaging. Walt (AKA Swing) and Noah are lovelorn high school boys who are passionate about many things, including baseball, jazz, art, and ladies. While neither boy is great at baseball, they strive to be their best selves. I liked that they didn’t feel an obligation to fit in to stereotypical high school roles.

The story follows their ups and downs with relationships and how they each find outlets for their exuberant passion. My hang-up was that I wanted more depth in the social justice storyline and with Walt’s brother who returned from war with PTSD. Instead there was a ton of focus on Noah’s unrequited love, which made the ending feel abrupt. Overall, this is quintessential Kwame writing, I just feel like his middle grade books have more focus than his YA titles co-written with Hess.

Swing is another hit from Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess. Sports, jazz, young love, traveling parents, friendship, and teen angst all work together in this stunning novel in verse to pack an incredible final emotional wallop. Teens will find the topics in this book both timeless and timely. Don't miss this one!

This book is beautiful, shocking, sad, and important. Teachers of reluctant middle and big school readers will find that students who don’t like to read will love and connect with this book. The language is lovely and the characters compelling.

Swing by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess is a wonderful book written in verse about Walt and Noah; high school juniors trying to fit in. They are not chosen for the baseball team three times. Walt becomes determined to succeed making the team in senior year. Noah is preoccupied with his long time crush. The book is emotional and easy reading. Taking chances, being the best you can be, and living life to the fullest is the theme with art and jazz as the backdrop.

Home run! Out of the park! This book has all things. All the feelings. All my admiration. All the character love. (I l💕'd these characters more than any other. Awed. I fell in love with their humor, life struggles and their love of language. This book will be an automatic must read for my students. Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to read and share about it!

Kwame Alexander hits it out of the ballpark again! I have not read a book of his that I haven't loved and this one does not disappoint. Add this book to your pre-order list today.

This time around the background is baseball, but the story is really about friendships, first love, family struggles, and perseverance through difficult times. I can't wait to get the paperback and share this with students over and over again.

This book took its time setting up the story and then ended more abruptly than I expected. In between those two things, I fell in love with Noah, Sam, and especially Swing. I can see how Swing might be interpreted as a pushy or overbearing character, but I found him to be funny and charming, drawing Noah out of his shell and helping him thrive. I enjoyed the sophisticated twist on the unsupervised party storyline, and liked that these teenagers were more interesting (and interested in the world of art and music) than you might get from many other portrayals. Give this to your quiet, dreamy kids and to your passionate activists because it speaks to both groups.

No strikeouts here! Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess have created another incredible novel. Written in verse, Swing is about two high school boys, Walt and Noah, and their quest to “find cool”. Walt is obsessed with baseball and jazz music, and has an interesting knack for remembering how famous people died. Noah is a realist and content with the way his life is, even though he is tortured with seeing his childhood crush with another boy. Normal teenage boys with normal teenage lives make way for new issues and bigger problems. They soon find out that the world doesn’t revolve around them and are forced to mature faster than they are ready for. The dynamic between these best friends are full of laughter, sarcasm, and honesty. Swing is thoughtfully written and it will speak to both teenage and adult readers alike. You will not want to put this book down!

This may be my favorite Kwame Alexander book so far. It is certainly his most powerful. Kwame and co-author, Mary Rand Hess, tackle important topics that will give readers a lot to talk about.

Swing is about the friendship of two teen boys, Noah and Walt as they navigate first love and struggle to find their place and voice in the world.

I don't know how these authors can do so much in a book with few words. Nothing is lacking, not storyline, not character development, and certainly not emotion. This book is really vital for reluctant teens (not just reluctant readers). It is such a powerful lesson in perservance and grit, in identity and meaning. Teens that need reminding to do more than maintain the status quo , both personally and globally. In fact, adults need to be reminded of this as well. I will be purchasing the book and the audio for my library. I think hearing it outload will be even more influential.

Swing hits it out of the ball park! This story of three teenagers, Noah, Walt, and Sam, is a grand slam! If you're looking for excitement, Swing has it. Music? Swing has it! Romance? Swing has it! Baseball? Well.... Walt tries his best. I became more involved in the lives of these characters than I thought I would, and I made sure to take my time with the book as I didn't want the tale to end. Told in verse, Swing by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess is a gem and is sure to be treasured by young adult readers. I had to sit for a day after I finished it just to process everything, and I realized the story is just perfect for our world. Noah's naivete made the climax of the story even more gripping, and I thought it was brilliant to tell this story from Noah's perspective.

Excellent book! Beautiful story!

I absolutely loved Sing! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book. The language is a work of art. It is definitely worth a few reads and it will linger with me for awhile. I am anxious to share it with other teachers and students.

Another great book in verse from Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess., especially if you enjoyed Solo. This one focuses on Noah and his friends Swing (Walt) snd Sam. This book reads quickly and definitely holds your attention. Also, the few pages with artwork really added to the story. I enjoyed all of the baseball and jazz references throughout. And found myself googling the songs that the boys talked about. I received an electronic ARC of this book as part of the Swing Launch Team.