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.
The Slingshot guides teens in literary analysis of classic and contemporary literature.
Even if your teen has never analyzed literature before... We’ve got you—and your college-bound teens—covered!
Our year-long program includes five month-long lesson plans.
Each handbook is based on a novel and immerses your teen in the world of:
Each handbook contains:
Detailed notes to establish the context of the novel (book not included)
Four passages taken from the novel for copywork and dictation
Easy-to-follow instructions to teach writing elements found in the passages
Examination of grammar and punctuation
Additional notes that go beyond the passage
Nine "think piece" questions—for discussion and writing
Book club party ideas
Copywork passages on separate printable pages
Four-color design that looks gorgeous on tablets or printed at home
Start any time by selecting one of the lists below from the drop-down menu when you add to cart. Enjoy the five Slingshots in any order.
Classics:
A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
Animal Farm by George Orwell
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Contemporary:
The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Swing by Kwame Alexander
We encourage you to review the books yourself to be certain that you are comfortable with the content before giving them to your teens.
Delivery: After purchase, the Slingshots are available in your Brave Writer online account. Each handbook (40-50 pages) is a non-consumable PDF and can be used with multiple teens—no need to purchase additional copies.
Want a print copy? Go to the front of the line at the Homeschool Printing Company with a special Brave Writer offer. Order here.
Note: The Slingshot is one part of the College Prep Writers Bundle.
All products are digital and downloadable. All sales are FINAL. No refunds.
Find related books in the Brave Writer Book Shop:
Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess
The Slingshot is a bi-monthly digital downloadable product that features copywork and dictation passages from a specific novel. It is geared toward teens ages 15–18 and is the indispensable tool for Brave Writer parents who want to teach language arts in a natural, literature-bathed context.
This guide contains the following features:
How does the Slingshot fit into the Brave Writer complete language arts program? Learn more on our Getting Started page.
All products are digital and downloadable. All sales are FINAL. No refunds.
About the book
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.-Amazon
Purchase the Swing novel here.
This Slingshot is a part of the Contemporary Year-Long Slingshot program. Purchase here.
A note about content
Please be aware that Swing contains mature themes that may require adult guidance to navigate. We encourage you, the parent or guardian, to pre-read this novel to be sure it is right for your student.
Find related books in the Brave Writer Book Shop: Swing
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More items in the 2024-2025 Slingshot Books (Classics & Contemporary collections) list:
