A Newbery Medalist and a Caldecott Honoree offer a glorious, lyrical ode to poets who have sparked a sense of wonder.



Out of gratitude for the poet’s art form, Newbery Award–winning author and poet Kwame Alexander, along with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, present original poems that pay homage to twenty famed poets who have made the authors’ hearts sing and their minds wonder. Stunning mixed-media images by Ekua Holmes, winner of a Caldecott Honor and a John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award, complete the celebration and invite the reader to listen, wonder, and perhaps even pick up a pen.

In this YA novel in verse from bestselling authors Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess (Solo), which Kirkus called “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.

Best 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.

At 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.

As 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.

Swing:

• is written by New York Times bestselling author and Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award-winner Kwame Alexander
• Features a diverse array of characters and perspectives
• tackles the biggest social issues of today, including racial prejudice and Black Lives Matter
• is perfect reading for the classroom or community-wide discussions
• is a 2020 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
• contains original artwork tied to the story

If you enjoy Swing, check out Solo by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess.

Ganador de la Medalla Newbery ∙ Ganador del Premio Coretta Scott King ∙ New York Times Bestseller ∙ 2015 YALSA 2015 Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults∙ 2015 YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers ∙ Publishers Weekly Best Book ∙ School Library Journal Best Book∙ Kirkus Reviews Best Book

“Una hermosa novela medida entre la vida y sus líneas.”—New York Times Book Review

Un rayo de luz en mis kicks …
La cancha está QUEMANDO.
Mi sudor está LLOVIZNANDO.
Ya 'stuvo con eso de estar temblando.
Es que esta noche voy entregando.

El fenómeno del básquetbol, Josh Bell, y su hermano gemelo, Jordan, son los reyes de la cancha, con esos crossovers inesperados que hacen llorar a los jugadores más duros. Pero cuando Jordan conoce a la nueva chica del colegio, lazos entre los gemelos se empiezan a desanudar. El baloncesto y la hermandad se entrelazan para mostrarles a Josh y Jordan que la vida no viene con un manual de jugadas y que, a veces, el asunto no es ganar.


Now in Spanish! Winner of the Newbery Medal and CSK Award, and a NYT bestseller. Basketball and heartache share the court in this slam-dunk novel in verse. 

A bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .
The court is SIZZLING.
My sweat is DRIZZLING.
Stop all that quivering.
Cuz tonight I’m delivering.
 
Basketball phenom Josh Bell and his twin brother, Jordan, are kings on the court, with crossovers that make even the toughest ballers cry. But when Jordan meets the new girl in school, the twins’ bond unravels. Basketball and brotherhood intertwine to show Josh and Jordan that life doesn’t come with a playbook and, sometimes, it’s not about winning.