Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy of The Swag is in the Socks for me to preview. This is a great middle grade novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crown Books for Young Readers for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. Here is that review:

Xavier Moon is not one to steal the show. He’s perfectly content to play video games and sit at his bedroom window watching the neighborhood talk outside.

But for Xavier’s twelfth birthday, he receives a pair of funky socks and a challenge from his great-uncle, Frankie Bell, saying it’s time to swag out and speak up. First on the list: get into the legendary Scepter League. Xavier’s grandfather, great-uncle, and father were all invited to join the elite boys’ after-school club that admits only the most suave and confident young men. Xavier has never had the courage to apply before, but his wild socks are getting him some big attention, so maybe it’s time to come out of the shadows and follow in his family's footsteps. Or maybe Xavier will march down a new path altogether.

12-year-old Xavier hates speaking because of his stutter, he’d much prefer to play video games and hang out in his room at home. But, he wants to join Septer League just like his (incarcerated) father, great uncle, and grandfather. He thinks he has a shot but gets denied entry — and is told that he needs to be more of a leader to get in. Xavier’s Great Uncle Frankie Bell unexpectedly sends him a pair of crazy socks and soon more pairs. When Xavier wears them, people notice and it gives him the “swag” that Frankie Bell tells him will help. The socks give Xavier an opportunity to be a leader in a way he never expected. That plus speech therapy and we watch as he blossoms with confidence. A beautiful coming-of-age story that will make you want your own swaggy socks!

This is such a cute book! Our hero is a young boy. Up until now he has been practically invisible, then his great uncle sends him a pair of socks with a note insisting he wear them. The socks begin to change his world.
A wonderful, heartfelt book with characters that jump off the page! A story about the strength of families and the courage we find within ourselves. I would happily recommend this book to young people. It should definitely be in the school curriculum.

"It's time to swag out and speak up."
Xavier Moon is more accustomed to flying under the radar than standing out in the crowd. His uncle, Frankie Bell, has other plans for Xavier though and kicks him into gear by gifting him with a pair of funky socks. Socks?! Yes- socks!
Xavier, albeit reluctantly, puts on the socks and finds that he is getting more attention and starts to feel a l ittle bit of swagger. His confidence soars as he applies for the Scepter League and as he begins to learn more about family, friendship, and finding yourself!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book.

I enjoyed this book and thought it was told in an engaging way. I think a lot of middle grade readers will enjoy this one.

Xavier Moon is quiet and has trouble standing up for himself and standing out. He wants nothing more than to get into the Scepter League, a local boys’ organization that his relatives were in with core values such as leadership. When his great uncle starts sending him cryptic letters and funky socks in the mail, Xavier feels the socks are lucky. He’s constantly complimented on his sock game and notices that awesome things come to him. Unfortunately, the socks aren’t enough to get him into the Scepter League. Xavier has all the qualities needed except for leadership, so he sets out to be a leader so he can join in spring. With the help of his sewing class, he creates a sock drive to help the community.

This was a fun, quick read about a boy developing confidence and a relationship with his quirky great uncle. What’s so awesome about this book is that Xavier stutters and this is just part of his character. He attends speech class and discovers some tools to work past his stutter, but he still has a stutter at the end of the book. The Swag Is in the Socks isn’t about Xavier’s stutter, and his stutter isn’t why he’s unconfident in the beginning of the novel. He is able to develop confidence, leadership, and swag while still having a speech impediment.

The Swag Is in the Socks only took me a day to read and I enjoyed doing so! It’s a solid 4 stars for me.

I absolutely loved Isaiah Dunn, so as soon as I saw another book by Kelly Baptist, I knew I had to read it. I love the way the author writes characters and families that feel so realistic. I actually felt like these were real people. Frankie Bell's method of giving advice to Xavier was fun and quirky. This would be an excellent recommendation for confidence building, as well as readers that enjoyed The Season of Styx Malone or the Track series. Looking forward to more titles from this author!!

Loved this story and the confidence that the main character gained. I have a few students for whom the swag is in the socks that I can't wait to share this with!

This book would be great for any young middle school kid especially a young boy. The main character was so relatable to anybody at that age and brought you back to being at that stage in life. This book was an easy read and so good. I enjoyed the character development between the characters. I thought the main character show a lot of growth. This book would be great in a middle school library. I think the title of the book is so creative also and the illustration on the cover was well done.

What a fun read! My kids and I read this before bed each night. They were engrossed and loved the blend of important topics that we could dig into and discuss and the playful prose that added levity and kept them engaged. We loved The Swag Is in the Socks! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-arc.

At heart, this is a fairly standard of a kid learning to be a man, defining the sort of person he's going to become and the steps he will take to get there. He's learning to embrace elements of his personality, to worry less about the perception of his peers. There are a few unique details but the general thrust of the plot is exactly what we would expect. Solid messaging, though.

Well! The hero of this middle grade novel has understandable reasons for keeping quiet much of the time, and there's plenty about his personal life that isn't perfect. So it was great watching this kid (who wonders what his "thing" could be) do some serious thinking and find truly admirable footing.

I was mildly interested through the first third or so as I waited to see how the plot would come together; the laugh-out-loud moments throughout the book certainly helped.

There's a lot of cussing in Xavier's family that isn't spelled out on the page, and some of the adults' dialogue includes words like "hell" and "damn" in their nonliteral senses. Hence, not a "squeaky" juvenile read on that score, but the air around me didn't turn blue.

I found the story's last third or so to be pretty amazing, both with events that tugged my heart and others that made me stop and applaud. And can we take a sec to appreciate how *on point* the book cover is, with tin-grinned Xavier leaning on the novel's title and showcasing his sock game?

Swagged out, young Mr. Moon.

A coming of age story that's full of heart. Xavier must find the confidence to follow in the footsteps of his family, or to forge his own path.

This is a cute story that could have used a little more fleshing out.

Xavier is a typical middle school boy. He is trying to find his footing and figure out who he is, and what his "thing" will be. He lives with his great-aunt, sister and his great-uncle (who travels a lot, playing music). His parents are both incarcerated, but he is surrounded by family who love him. His goal this year is to be invited to join the Scepter League, a group of young men at his school who do service projects, dress up in fancy blazers, and receive mentoring from other men of color who are successful. His grandfather, great-uncle and father all were in the Scepter League, and he can't wait to follow in their footsteps.

Before school starts, Xavier receives a package from his great-uncle. He always sends strange presents from the road, and this one is no different. It is a pair of crazy, colorful socks. Why would Uncle Frankie send him those, and does he really want to wear them?

Xavier's year doesn't go exactly as he hoped it would be, but he begins to wear colorful socks every day (Frankie keeps sending him more). People love his socks, and they do give him the "swag" he needs to make his dreams come true.

This is really a 3.5 star book, mostly because while the premise is great, and the characters are great, the story feels too short. The ending is abrupt and while it is satisfying, I feel more could be said about the characters and where they ended up. I also questioned whether the Scepter League was really what Xavier needed, or if he could get the same benefits going his own way.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

A good read for kids, especially those who are unsure of themselves and need a protagonist who is by no means perfect, but perseveres. Some very cool and unique details that make the story shine!

This was good. I liked all the characters and I really liked that not everything was perfect in Xavier's life. He had to work for what he wanted. Just an overall engaging and readable story.

The Swag is in the Socks stars young Xavier Moon who, like many middle schoolers, is searching for his confidence and trying to break his mold. Moonie has decided that 7th grade will be his year to take on new challenges, and then on his birthday he receives a fabulous pair of socks.
Moonie faces challenges such as both parents being incarcerated and a speech impediment. I appreciate how author, Kelly J. Baptiste did not make the incarceration of Moonie’s parents the focus of the book. While this is an important piece of Moonie’s life, Baptiste crafted a beautiful tale with a delightful and loving character. Moonie is the embodiment of Black Boy Joy by continuously challenging himself to reach positive goals. Baptiste creates a strong web of family relationships and powerful language that moves the story and has the reader rooting for Moonie and growing close connections with the entire family. #TheSwagisintheSocks #NetGalley @kellyiswrite #CrownBooksforYoungReaders #Swag #BlackBoyJoy @NetGalley @Goodreads

This story is about a teenager named Xavier who lives with an extended family by the name of Aunt Kat. Xav also lives with his older Shannon and great uncle Frankie. Their parents are in jail. Xav needs help in being confident and Uncle Frankie helps him out with some letters and socks. I really enjoyed this middle grade novel. The characters were realistic, funny, and serious. I could relate to this story in many ways. I recommend this book to all middle graders. I give this book 5 stars.

Xavier Moon, Great name and an equally great narrator in this compelling contemporary story. Xavier’s current situation is not the best to achieve his dream of joining the elite Scepter League. Both parents are in jail and he and an older sister live with their great aunt. Xavier also stutters and it got a lot worse after his parents were sent away.

His outlook on who he wants to be gets a jolt upon receiving the eye-opening birthday letter from his free-spirited great uncle, Frankie Bell. A line like “Far as I can see, you got nothin’, other than the fact you a wire-mouth, stutter. boy with jailbird parents.” sure gets Xavier’s attention. Uncle Frankie is a musician who travels around to gigs and along with more advice in the letter is a pair of socks—navy blue with red and yellow polka dots.

Soon after come more letters and more socks. Xavier is finally convinced to wear the socks and things begin to change. Adults and kids are noticing him in a whole new way. A special teacher helps with stuttering strategies and Frankie’s advice seems to be working. But is any of this really helping him get picked for the Scepter League? A sewing class and a family tragedy lead Xavier to discover more about himself than ever expected—and it’s more than the swag in his socks.

Upbeat and worthy of all the praise coming its way. A memorable and important addition to the MG shelves.

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE
1. Xavier has a large support group and it’s an important piece for any kid. From his older sister and cranky Aunt Kat to his friends at school. They pave the way for the eventual visit from Uncle Frankie Bell. A climatic but perfect way to bring this story to a close.
2. Stuttering is not the focus of the story. It’s something Xavier is dealing with but in the end this is all about family and how he finds his own way of expression.
3. Moonie is Xavier’s nickname, but no matter what he’s called this kid will become a favorite for anyone reading his story. A positive character who shines in every chapter.
4. Not all plot points are solved by the end but it works. Xavier continues to stutter and his parents are still in jail. Despite this, I got the feeling the future is going to be great for Xavier.
5. Perfect subtle messages about finding your passion and always moving forward.