46 pages • 1 hour read
Swing
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Book Brief
448
Novel/Book in Verse • Fiction
2018
YA
12+ years
Super Short Summary
In Swing by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess, high school juniors Noah and Walt "Swing" Jones navigate friendship, passions, and personal challenges. Walt chases his baseball dreams and spreads his love for jazz and "hug life" philosophy, while Noah secretly wrestles with his artistic talents and feelings for their friend Sam. This young adult novel, told in verse, creatively intertwines jazz and poetry. Themes of violence, death, police brutality, and systemic racism are included.
Emotional
Hopeful
Contemplative
Bittersweet
Nostalgic
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Swing by Mary Rand Hess and Kwame Alexander is a compelling mix of prose and poetry that explores themes of friendship, love, and baseball. Many readers appreciate its heartfelt narrative and relatable teenage characters. However, some note that the blend of styles can be disorienting. Overall, it’s praised for its emotional depth and engaging storytelling.
Who Should Read Swing?
Readers who enjoy Swing by Mary Rand Hess and Kwame Alexander are typically teens or young adults who appreciate contemporary stories with themes of friendship, love, and personal growth. Fans of Jason Reynolds' Long Way Down or Angie Thomas' The Hate U Give will likely find this book compelling.
448
Novel/Book in Verse • Fiction
2018
YA
12+ years
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