Swing

by Audrey Meeker, Sarah Davidson (Contribution by)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Marcus and Izzy have enough trouble fitting in where they "belong," never mind fitting in with each other when they're dance partners. But maybe a good old shake-up is all it'll take for them to find themselves. This tale of friendship is fun, funny and full of middle school shenanigans.

Debut author/illustrator Audrey Meeker playfully explores complicated friendships, gender norms, and navigating other people's expectations in this charming middle grade graphic novel.

Marcus McCalister wants to fit in. So much so that he’s still playing on a soccer team with his childhood friend Ted, despite not liking soccer—or Ted—all that much.

Izzy Briggs wants to stand out. Being labeled the “weird kid” for her bold fashion choices is the price an aspiring designer must pay for a life of greatness—but being confident isn't always easy.

So when Izzy and Marcus are paired together to perform a swing dance routine for a gym project, it’s no surprise that everything goes up in flames, including their grade in the class. Until their gym teacher proposes a deal: if the pair performs the swing routine in the upcoming talent show, they’ll receive extra credit and a passing grade. They accept. . . but Izzy has her own proposal for Marcus: this time, she gets to be the lead.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250864048
Publisher:	Feiwel & Friends
Publication date:	10/22/2024
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Audrey Meeker is a recent graduate from the Savannah College of Art and Design, where she acquired her BFA in Sequential Art and minor in Creative Writing. During college, Audrey was introduced to swing dancing by her roommate and quickly made weekly lessons a part of her routine. Now, she’s fulfilling her dream by working in the comics industry as both an editor and artist (and planning on picking up swing dancing lessons again in the near future). When she’s not answering emails, you can find Audrey playing with dogs, going on long walks, and drinking a too-sweet cup of tea.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for Swing:

"A satisfying whole . . . eighth ­graders will delight in finding mirrors for their increasingly self-aware lives." —School Library Journal

"The quickly moving plot feels fresh . . . A friendship-focused coming-of-age story that successfully challenges gender stereotypes." —Kirkus

From the Publisher

2024-08-17
A contemporary graphic novel about swing dancing, cyberbullying, and stepping into one’s own.

Eighth grade has just started, and Marcus McCalister is poised to be a star on his school soccer team, but his heart isn’t in it. He distances himself from the team, and tension builds. Meanwhile, Marcus is paired for swing dancing in gym class with Izzy Briggs, whom his classmates perceive as a fashion- and theater-obsessed, purple-haired “weirdo,” leaving him worried about how others will see him. The two don’t cooperate or listen to each other, so their teacher offers them a deal: If they perform at the school talent show, he’ll change their failing grade, and they won’t have to repeat gym. Izzy agrees—as long as Marcus lets her lead—and as the two work together, a friendship blossoms. Marcus grows more self-assured and comes to better understand Izzy, who’s enduring bullying at school and an overbearing, academics-obsessed mother at home. When the bully discovers what they’re up to, he sets his sights on them both. Marcus struggles with being targeted, but ultimately learns to be a confident and supportive friend. Though the bullying could have been portrayed with more nuance and the toxicity interrogated more deeply, the quickly moving plot feels fresh. Straightforward cartooning, with bold black outlines and solid-colored backgrounds, keeps the focus on the plucky protagonists and their dramatic interactions. Both Marcus and Izzy present white.

A friendship-focused coming-of-age story that successfully challenges gender stereotypes.(Graphic fiction. 8-13)

Kirkus Reviews