Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of Swing. I thought this was a cute middle grade graphic novel. I really enjoyed the story and artwork. The story was able to talk about bullying and finding your own way in life rather than following others who are doing things you don’t want to do. I loved that the older brothers came in at the end and supported Marcus while stopping Ted from continuing to bully Marcus and Izzy. It was a realistic portrayal of middle school and things the kids can go through. Thanks again for the advanced copy!

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
For eighth grader Marcus, getting through middle school is tough. With friends who push him toward soccer and living in his brother’s shadow, nothing seems easy. For Izzy, fashion means everything. Despite being called the “weird girl,” theater becomes her outlet for her creativity. However, things change for them both when they’re paired for gym class and dance is the new topic, especially swing dancing. But, when their dance falls apart, their gym coach proposes an idea: the Talent Show to rework the swing dance and get a passing grade. Between frienimies and fashion, can Marcus and Izzy get along?
This graphic novel was hilarious and heartwarming to read. I seriously enjoyed Izzy's fashion choices, especially her costume for Marcus at the Talent Show. Marcus finally grows into his own, ridding himself of a toxic friendship with Ted. It was cute when Izzy and Marcus prepared their swing dance leading up to the show. A dazzling and twirling read!

This was a really cute graphic novel! I loved the characters and how their struggles to fit in and please their parents were presented. However, the story had a super short timeline, like the whole thing happened in about a week. And the fact that they would pass or fail gym class based on one bad dance performance in the first week of school was ridiculous. Lower stakes would have been fine in this case. I could absolutely see these characters doing an extra credit performance just to raise one assignment grade. Saying they needed to compete in the talent show or repeat gym was extremely unrealistic.

Swing is a really cute graphic novel that follows Marcus and Izzy, 2 middle schoolers who end up having to perform swing dancing in order to pass gym. I liked a lot of the messaging of this book. It talked about how important it is to be true to yourself and to be a good friend. I think the illustrations were very cute, and I liked the voices of the 2 main characters. This was a super fast, middle grade read, and I think it is perfect for that age group.

Thanks to Audrey Meeker, Macmillan Children's Publishing, and NetGalley for the chance to read and review this advance copy. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

I recieved an ARC of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Swing is going to be big hit with middle grade readers. It hits on self-esteem, personal identity, friendship, siblinghood and individuality in a way that kids will relate to. The art style matches the what is really popular right now for graphic novels. While I don't think it necessarily stands out, I really enjoyed reading it and will definitely purchase it for my library's collection.

In the same vein as the Prince and the Dressmaker and Smile, Swing is a middle grade graphic novel is a love story to the weird kids and the kids who don’t fit in. Two opposite 8th graders are forced to do a class project…perform a swing dance routine. Marcus, a reluctant soccer player, struggles to fit in, while Izzy, the artsy “weird girl,” wants to lie low.
Marcus and Izzy are the odd couple. But the class project creates a new friendship and helps both grow and realize what they want to be. I can see this being incredibly popular with 8th graders, especially those who love Raina Telgemeir

Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really cute comic. I loved the storyline and the characters. I did think there would be a bit more about identity and wished we could have seen more about the family dynamics.

I would definitely recommend this book, especially for school/classroom libraries.

Cute, well-illustrated novel about fitting in and standing out and how to manage both in middle school.
Marcus and Izzy's friendship is one kids can relate to. Forced together for an assignment, they navigate bullies, peer pressure,
parental expectations, and fake and real friendship while trying to save their PE grade.
A good book for any middle school library.

Swing does a good job of presenting two middle schoolers who are figuring things out about themselves. Marcus is learning to assert himself and to stand up and speak out for what he believes in. Izzy is dealing more with the pressures of being bullied and the results of having actually spoken up the year before. Both, in becoming partners and eventual friends, learn to rely on each other as a way of helping them through the challenges to the other side. Swing dancing isn't as prominent as I had expected in this book, and that's 100% fine because the story works well without it. I do think that the title could lead some people to believe it's about gender identity, and there really isn't.any questioning of gender and sexuality with these two characters. And they're in middle school so that's not unheard of. Sure, there is some role reversal in the dance, but it's more about recognizing skills for what they are irrespective of whether you're a boy or girl.

The characters are nice. Their struggles are believable. And the artwork is in line with this genre and target demographic. All in all, a good addition and a fun follow up to a series like Emma and Friend and Click, among others.

Very cute middle grade graphic novel about two kids struggling to be themselves and still "fit in". There are themes of peer pressure, bullying, and friendship that will really resonate with middle school students. I particularly loved that we see a male figure accept a role viewed as more "feminine" and learns to be proud of himself.

Swing is a graphic novel set in the turmoil of middle school. It takes us through the typical harrowing dilemmas of friendships, un aware parents and school work being really hard. It brings to it the freshness of a swing dancing assignment and a former ballet dancer turned PE teacher. Marcus, tired of soccer and a best friend who’s a bully, has to team up with Izzy, smart and bullied for her bucking the trend fashion choices. I enjoyed this book, as a former soccer playing, smart, weird dressing, bullied middle schooler!
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for this DRC.
#Swing #NetGalley

What must you do to fit in? Do you have to pretend to like something you loath? Or do you say, screw this, and do what you want to do, even if it means being ostracized by all your peers?

This is what faces Marcus, who plays soccer though he hates it, and Izzy, who loves designing clothes, and has decided that she doesn’t give a flying rats patootie if anyone likes what she wears or not.

The two are thrown together because they are not doing well in P.E., and to keep their grades up they must learn a swing dance, and do it for the talent show, and place. If they can do that, they can bring their grades back up.

It isn’t that Marcus doesn’t enjoy dancing, he does. He just doens’t want his “friends” to know. And Izzy doens’t understand why he keeps trying to dis her, and avoid her, when he is around his ‘friends”.

It is a classic case of bullying. You can see it the first time you meet Ted.

I don’t hurt for Izzy as much as I do for Marcus. At least Izzy knows what she wants, and follows her heart. It is Marcus that you are screaming at, to dump Ted, and just go with his heart.

Very enjoyable, if slightly painful, telling of life in Middle School.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is coming out the 22nd of October 2024.

Swing
Audrey Meeker, Sarah Dividson
This is a hilarious middle school graphic novel.
In Swing we meet two eighth graders: Marcus and Izzy.
Marcus’ big brothers were soccer champs. He plays soccer but doesn’t like it. He’s not all that crazy about his best friend and teammate, Ted who is a bully and a jerk. Ted’s behavior bothers Marcus, but he hesitates to say anything.
Izzy is often the object of jokes. Her schoolmates make fun of her because of how she dresses. She wants to be a designer and dresses sort of goth. Her clothing stands out in a crowd. She is determined to show everyone she is confident but deep down inside she isn’t. Her mother demands good grades. Izzy joins a theater group and feels right at home but her mother is hesitant to allow her to participate.
In physical education class Marcus and Izzy are paired up to swing dance together. Ted makes fun of them, he spies on them, takes photos and posts negative things about them. Things don’t go well, and their grade proves it. Their teacher offers them a second chance; he will give them extra credit if they do the swing dance at the school’s talent show. Izzy and Marcus really enjoy each other’s company, but Ted gives Marcus such a hard time that he denies their friendship. Of course, Izzy overhears the conversation and is so hurt she asks to be allowed to dance alone at the talent show. This isn’t the first time Ted has bullied Izzy. Finally, Marcus has had enough and apologizes to Izzy and asks her to allow him to dance with her. Izzy has some requests of her own.
This tale demonstrates middle school bullying. Kids face this every day in our schools. There is also sibling rivalry. Without meaning too often older siblings or their parents push kids to excel at sports “just like your brother.”
This is a fantastic book for all middle school students. I hope parents and teachers will encourage kids to read it.

Thank you NetGalley for the review copy.

A fun graphic novel that touches upon important themes amongst the middle grade audience: friendship, bullying, and finding your interests. The book was a bit slow to start but once it picked up, I really enjoyed seeing Marcus and Izzy’s friendship blossoming and how they show up for one another in both high and low moments. While there are hints of a crush between the two, I appreciated that the author focused more on their friendship as well as Marcus’ and Izzy’s individual journeys.

I really loved this graphic novel. Besides the engaging illustrations, I adored the multi-layered story which covers bullying, friendships, relationships with parents and teachers, and first crushes to name a few. The layout Meade this graphic novel very easy to navigate and I’m confident my students who are partial to text and those who respond more to images will enjoy. I look forward to seeing more from Meeker.

A lovely middle grade graphic novel that touches on a bunch of different dynamics of friendship and family. I was hooked from the start! Illustrations are so good too! Love a mix of sport and the arts! I loved the ending :)

Fans of Duel, the Click series, and Frizzy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillian Childrens Publishing Group for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a great story!! I finished this book with the biggest smile. Two kids who are so different from each other dealing with family pressure and trying to figure out how to make it all work. The main characters are relatable. I am looking forward to recommending this book to students.

Swing is a relatable graphic novel that has us navigating the pressures of middle school, cliques, parents, and friendship. Izzy and Marcus fail their swing dance assignment and in order to pass gym class they have to perform their routine at the talent show. Both characters have their flaws and come into their own by the end of the story in a genuine way. I liked that Izzy and Marcus needed to learn how to speak up for themselves and for others. Highly recommended to those who like books similar to Drama by Raina Telgemeir and the Berrybook Middle School Series by Svetlana Chmakova.

This one took me by surprise! It felt a little slow to start and I wasn't sure I would enjoy it, but I ended up liking how some of the challenges were resolved. Other plot points felt a little overly familiar, like the overbearing parents pressing for perfection, and the predictable/quick resolution at the end. That being said, I really appreciated the way the author handled bullying and the social pressure faced by middle schoolers. There were hints of crushes possibly developing, but I was glad this didn’t turn out to be a major plot point. The focus was more on friendship and communication, which was great to see. I liked that there was more nuance and things could be left up to the reader’s interpretation.

This book was adorable. As an adult reading it, I found it especially endearing. It highlights the importance of pursuing your own dreams despite parental expectations, teaching kids to fight for what they want.

*About the book (may contain spoilers):*

The story begins on Marcus' first day of 8th grade. His mom wants him to be an athlete, but he reluctantly goes along to make her happy.

Izzy, a smart and energetic kid, is labeled as strange due to her unique fashion sense. She loves fashion and sewing, but her mom insists she focus on getting straight A's. Izzy reminds me of Janice from Mean Girls.

Paired up in PE, Izzy and Marcus must perform swing dance for the talent show to avoid failing. To get an A, they need to place in the top three.

They learn to cooperate and deal with their friends' and families' opinions.

A really cute graphic novel.