Swing

Noah and Walt are high school juniors navigating friendship, baseball, love, and identity in their small American town. Noah pines after his longtime crush Sam while trying to improve his batting skills with help from his confident best friend Walt. The story takes the form of a novel-in-verse, with poems capturing key moments and emotional beats in Noah's life during a transformative period. Baseball serves as both a literal focus of the plot and a metaphor for taking chances and finding one's swing in life. The narrative explores themes of courage, young love, racism, art, and what it means to find one's voice as a teenager in America. Through Noah and Walt's experiences, the book examines how young people develop conviction and learn to stand up for what matters to them.

Readers note the poetic style and jazz references create an engaging rhythm, though some found the format challenging to follow. The graphic novel segments receive particular praise for capturing emotions and teenage experiences. Likes: - Strong portrayal of friendship and coming-of-age themes - Integration of music, poetry and visual art - Authentic teen dialogue and relationships - Tackles serious topics while maintaining humor Dislikes: - Storyline can feel disjointed between prose and graphic sections - Some found the ending abrupt - Several readers wanted more character development - A few felt the jazz references would be lost on young readers Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.4/5 (190+ ratings) Common reader comments: "The mix of poetry and graphics pulls you through the story" - Goodreads "Beautiful artwork but sometimes hard to follow the narrative flow" - Amazon "Captures the confusion and hope of being a teenager" - School Library Journal reader review

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander A basketball-loving teen navigates family relationships and school through dynamic verse poetry.

Like Bug Juice on a Burger by Julie Sternberg A middle-schooler processes change and emotions at summer camp through free verse storytelling.

Rebound by Kwame Alexander A boy finds healing through basketball and family bonds after loss, told in rhythmic verse.

Love That Dog by Sharon Creech A reluctant student discovers poetry while processing grief through his classroom writing assignments.

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson A memoir in verse chronicles a young girl's journey between South Carolina and New York during the Civil Rights era.

🏀 Kwame Alexander played on the same college basketball team as NBA legend David Robinson at the United States Naval Academy before transferring to Virginia Tech. 📚 "Swing" incorporates baseball, jazz, art, and first love to explore themes of personal growth and racial identity, blending these elements in Alexander's signature verse novel style. 🎵 Walt, one of the main characters, discovers his deceased father's vinyl record collection, which becomes a gateway to understanding both jazz music and his own heritage. 🎨 The book's cover art features a baseball player mid-swing, created by artist Kadir Nelson, who has won multiple Caldecott Honors for his illustrations. 📖 Alexander wrote "Swing" as a companion novel to his earlier work "Solo," though both books can be read independently of each other.