I read this one instead of audiobooking it. I loved being able to see Noah's art on the page. Black out poetry is awesome, but I missed hearing Kwame's voice read me the poems. I think this one would be good to read along with the audio.

I love Kwame Alexander, and this book did not disappoint. He really knows how to capture the voice of young people living in today's America. I have already purchased multiple copies of this book for my school library, and will be recommending it to those who love Kwame's books, sports, diverse reads, verse books etc.

Kwame and Mary have done it again. Another book that you cannot put down! Characters that are fully developed and a plot that grabs you from page one. It is one of the selections for our school district reading challenge, Battle of the Books. I cannot wait to get this book into the hands of my students.

Absolutely amazing! I cannot stop thinking about that ending!!! Kwame is such a masterful writer. He brings his readers along for a journey and allows them to become personally invested in his characters. I thoroughly enjoyed reading!

Written in verse this is a creative story about friendship, finding love, baseball, and art.

Once again Kwame and Mary do not disappoint. I loved this book and expect many others will as well

Great read! The style is simple, but with powerful emotions that shine through. Teen love stories can get stale quickly, but I appreciated the unconventional way of finding relationship advice and they candid conversations about feelings that set this story apart.

Anything and everything by Kwame Alexander is amazing and Swing was no exception. I absolutely adore Alexander's writing style. The way he makes characters come to life and jump off the page (generally doing some type of sports move) is amazing and unparalleled. I can't wait to read more by Kwame Alexander. The students love his writing as well.

This book tore my heart out. Kwame does such beautiful things with verse, sports, music, friendship and love. Every book he writes feels as if the voice is a living, breathing student I could teach. Kwame gets it. He gets people and he gets life. This, with its interwoven jazz greats and pop culture allusions, feels like it will be one that speaks of our tumultuous time for generations.

Read this. Then read everything else Kwame has written. Seriously.

Excellent! This story was wonderful. I need to go back and read the other one now, since I really enjoyed getting to know the characters.

Alexander and Hess have done it again! Swing's rhythmic, energetic, heart wrenching story leaves not other option than to keep turning the page. This is the perfect pick for a hip hop or baseball loving lifelong or reluctant reader.

Swing
Wow.
Poetry with guts, sensitivity, and purpose at a time when so many things are far from copacetic. This #HugLife "movement" is one lodestar for the generation. Take Kwame Alender/Mary Rand Hess' "Swing" and "The Hate You Give" by Angie Thomas into every home, every classroom, every teen organization, every heart--and right America's wrongs lovingly. 5+-star.

I usually love Alexander’s books and certainly I liked parts of this title, too but overall this story didn’t hook me with the characters or the plot. Not to mention the ending!!! It really came out of nowhere and felt random, (And confusing and heartbreaking.)

A great read! Blown away by ending! I Kwame and Mary continue to delight the reader with the development of their characters. I've already ordered 10 copies for classroom library.

Every Kwame Alexander book is a work of art. This one is no different. He is a master at creating characters that we grow to love and care about. His voice resonates with readers of today.

The poetic rhythm and the figurative language in this story are amazing. It was so enjoyable to read all of the fun facts and allusions that are included. The combination of jazz, baseball, and poetry made for a fascinating mix in this story of friendship and love. However, the overall story is one that is tough for me to review because I just don't feel I'm the right audience. There was too much love story, or more accurately the story of a lovesick teenage boy, for me to completely enjoy the center section of this book, but the end came through in an unexpectedly powerful way.

What an absolutely amazing book and how timely! Kwame and Mary have done it again with a hit for young people but a must read for all! This book should be on everyone's list to read and own!

This may be Kwame's most "current" book- loved the characters, their relationships, and the Woohoo Sisters!

Love

Politics

Friendship

Baseball

School-Days

Family

Growing Up

Themes blended through lyrical anecdotes reminding me of past & present days.



Verse

A List

Letters

Blackout Poetry

Narration

Words written in a variety of ways to capture my attention.



Joy

Heartbreak

Pride

Fear

Despair

Empowerment

Feelings stirred within my soul as I experienced each and every page.

4.5 stars!

"Swing" takes readers on a poetic journey of love, loss, and jazz. High school is notoriously rough; teenagers search for love, acceptance, identity, and security all while navigating the precarious whims of popular culture.

Best friends, Walt (a.k.a. "Swing") and Noah have a friendship that defies the lackluster odds. For better or worse, they have each others' back. Walt's success is a victory for Noah, while Noah's heartbreak cuts right to the core of Walt, as well. I loved the ways these two friends pushed each other to take risks, to pursue their dreams, and to be the best versions of themselves.

Authors Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess packed a whole lot of important stuff within the pages of this book. Themes such as post-traumatic stress disorder, violence, friendship, romance, patriotism, and identity are interwoven throughout its poetic verses. In their own authentic style, Alexander and Hess expose readers to the issues of today through the beauty of art. Reading their work is more than just sitting down with a good book; through poetry, jazz music, and tactile creation they've orchestrated an experience. An experience that changes minds, transforms hearts, and compels readers to talk about important topics and to open dialogues in their communities about things that matter.

It's difficult to review a book like "Swing" because it's one that just begs to be read and experienced by each and every person. It's a novel in verse for everyone. Also, it's challenging to talk about it without spoiling essential aspects of the experience. Take my advice: pick up "Swing" for yourself, read it, experience it, then come back and we can chat (or rant, rave, and exclaim really loudly together). You won't regret it.

This review will be posted on my blog, The Novel Endeavor, on the publication date, October 2.

The story starts out with Noah (the narrator) and his best friend Swing, who recently renamed himself due to his destined greatness in baseball, as well as his passion for jazz music. In their town, flags are mysteriously popping up, and we aren’t sure why. Taking a knee for the National Anthem comes up, and an African American boy is accused of placing the flags, and the police interaction frightens the characters in the book, making the reader think maybe it is related to current events. That is one motif in the story. Another is the romantic relationships and heartache. Noah and Swing have a best friend named Sam, and Noah begins sending her pieces of art anonymously. She begins to realize her boyfriend isn’t all that great, which is good news for Noah. Much like Alexander’s Solo, there are many stories within this story, and our protagonist goes on a journey with heartache and self-discovery, he faces a major life-changing incident, and then his life is changed because of it. However, despite the many clues, the life-changing incident isn’t as predictable as I thought.

What I liked about this book is that it has strong characters with real emotions. Swing is almost older than he actually is, though. His faults almost aren’t real faults at all. I think that’s on purpose. Noah, obviously, would be more relatable, being the main character, and we feel his heartache and depression. Unfortunately, his pain goes way deeper than I hope I’ll ever be able to relate to. I also appreciated that this book is relevant to today. Alexander is calling for change, gently opening our eyes to a reality in a less obvious way than Dear Martin or The Hate U Give (two awesome books that I highly recommend for older students) or Ghost Boys (great for middle grade).