{"product_id":"swing-9780310761945","title":"Swing","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn this YA novel in verse from bestselling authors Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess (\u003cem\u003eSolo\u003c\/em\u003e), which \u003cem\u003eKirkus \u003c\/em\u003ecalled \"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.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBest 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAt the same time, American flags are being left around town. 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. Especially after he witnesses events that hint divides and prejudices run deeper than he realized.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eSwing\u003c\/em\u003e: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003eis written by \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author and Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award-winner Kwame AlexanderFeatures a diverse array of characters and perspectivestackles the biggest social issues of today, including racial prejudice and Black Lives Matteris perfect reading for the classroom or community-wide discussionsis a 2020 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readerscontains original artwork tied to the story\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you enjoy \u003cem\u003eSwing\u003c\/em\u003e, check out \u003cem\u003eSolo\u003c\/em\u003e by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eHess, Mary Rand:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Mary Rand Hess is a poet, mixed-media artist, screenwriter, and \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestselling author of \u003cem\u003eSolo\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003eAnimal Ark: Celebrating Our Wild World in Poetry and Pictures\u003c\/em\u003e, both coauthored with Kwame Alexander.   \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eAlexander, Kwame:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003eKwame Alexander is the \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e Bestselling author of 32 books, including \u003cem\u003eThe Undefeated\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eHow to Read a Book\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eSolo\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eSwing\u003c\/em\u003e; \u003cem\u003eRebound\u003c\/em\u003e, which was shortlisted for prestigious Carnegie Medal; and his Newbery medal-winning middle grade novel, \u003cem\u003eThe Crossover\u003c\/em\u003e. He's also the founding editor of Versify, an imprint that aims to \u003cem\u003eChange the World One Word at a Time. \u003c\/em\u003eVisit him at KwameAlexander.com\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Clarion Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50900444774674,"sku":"9780310761945","price":11.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_753cd307-3959-4c4f-b0ad-e249c1ded1fd.jpg?v=1738382701","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/swing-9780310761945","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}