Swing

By: Kwame Alexander, Mary Rand Hess

Narrated by: Kwame Alexander

Length: 4 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's Summary

This audio edition of Swing by New York Times best-selling author Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess (Solo) combines Kwame Alexander’s narration with jazz music flourishes to tell a lyrical story about hope, courage, and love that will speak to anyone who’s struggled to find their voice. And the surprise ending shines a spotlight on the issues related to our current social divide, challenging perspectives and inspiring everyone to make their voice heard.

When America is not so beautiful, or right, or just, it can be hard to know what to do. Best friends Walt and Noah decide to use their voices to grow more good in the world, but first they’ve got to find cool.

Walt is convinced junior year is their year, and he has a plan to help them woo the girls of their dreams and become amazing athletes. Never mind that he and Noah failed to make the high school baseball team yet again, and Noah’s love interest since third grade, Sam, has him firmly in the friend zone. Noah soon finds himself navigating the worlds of jazz, batting cages, the strange advice of Walt’s Dairy Queen-employed cousin, as well as Walt’s “Hug Life” mentality. Status quo seems inevitable until Noah stumbles on a stash of old love letters. Each page contains the words he’s always wanted to say to Sam, and he begins secretly creating artwork using the lines that speak his heart. But when his private artwork 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?

At the same time, numerous American flags are being left around town. While some think it’s a harmless prank and others see it as a form of peaceful 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.

As the personal and social tensions increase around them, Noah and Walt must decide what is really true when it comes to love, friendship, sacrifice, and fate.

Swing:

• Is written and narrated by New York Times best-selling author and Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Honor Book Award-winner Kwame Alexander
• Is a young adult fiction novel told through Kwame’s one-of-a-kind free-verse poetry
• Is ripe with themes of hope, courage, and love
• Masterfully combines jazz, art, baseball, friendship, and love into what many are calling “Kwame’s best book yet”
• Tackles some of the most painful social issues of today, including racial prejudice

2020 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers

©2018 Kwame Alexander, Mary Rand Hess (P)2018 Blink

Powerful and important read especially for boys

I. Loved. This. Book. The two main characters, Noah and Walt, are each exceptional in their own ways. The threading of jazz through the book made my boys curious about it.

My one criticism is the performance. There simply wasn’t enough of a distinction btwn Walt and Noah as read by Kwame.

Must read

Absolutely loved it. And great reading by the author. Short, but packs a punch. With a great plot twist.