The Swift Boys & Me
(eBook)

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Book Cover Information

Hoopla Extract Information

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(
    [year] => 2014
    [artist] => Kody Keplinger
    [fiction] => 1
    [coverImageUrl] => https://cover.hoopladigital.com/sca_9780545562027_270.jpeg
    [titleId] => 15954865
    [isbn] => 9780545562027
    [abridged] => 
    [language] => ENGLISH
    [profanity] => 
    [title] => The Swift Boys & Me
    [demo] => 
    [segments] => Array
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        )

    [pages] => 272
    [children] => 1
    [artists] => Array
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            [0] => stdClass Object
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                    [name] => Kody Keplinger
                    [artistFormal] => Keplinger, Kody
                    [relationship] => AUTHOR
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    [genres] => Array
        (
            [0] => Friendship
            [1] => Juvenile Fiction
            [2] => Social Themes
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    [price] => 0.69
    [id] => 15954865
    [edited] => 
    [kind] => EBOOK
    [active] => 1
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    [synopsis] => New York Times bestselling author Kody Keplinger's wonderful middle-grade debut!
	The lyrical and moving middle-grade debut from YA author Kody Keplinger!Twelve-year-old Nola Sutton has been best friends and neighbors with the Swift boys for practically her whole life. There's the youngest, Kevin, who never stops talking; the oldest, Brian, who's always kind and calm; and then there's Canaan, the ringleader and Nola's best-best friend. Together, they have a summer of fun adventures planned. But then everything changes overnight. When the boys' dad leaves without even saying good-bye, it completely destroys the Swift family, and all Nola can do is watch. She tries to hold on to them, but they are changing. Kevin stops talking, Canaan starts hanging out with mean boys, and Brian is never around. Nola just wants things to go back to the way they were -- the way they've always been.Is Nola strong enough to save the Swift boys from themselves, or has she lost them forever?    
	Praise for The Swift Boys and Me:
	"This is the sort of solid, amiable preteen summer story there used to be a lot of; let's hope this heralds a revival." -Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
	"Keplinger takes a stab at middle grade and completely nails it! The characters' voices are strong and this awesome tale of strength, struggle, and friendship needs to be heard, by tweens as well as adults. Nola and the Swift boys could be any one's next door neighbors, but luckily they're ours to embrace." -RT Book Reviews
	"The small-town Kentucky setting, unfolding events, and emotional interactions between characters young and old all play their parts in establishing the story's solid sense of realism." -Publishers Weekly
	"Realistically, there's no easy solution; the conclusion doesn't sugarcoat the pangs of growing up...A fine, honest and heartfelt coming-of-age tale." -Kirkus    Kody Keplinger grew up in a small Kentucky town. During her senior year of high school, she wrote her debut novel, The DUFF, which is a New York Times bestseller, a USA Today bestseller, a YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, and a Romantic Times Top Pick. It has since been adapted into a major motion picture. Kody is also the author of Lying Out Loud, a companion to The DUFF; That's Not What Happened; Run; Shut Out; and A Midsummer's Nightmare, as well as the middle-grade novels Lila and Hadley and The Swift Boys & Me. Kody lives in New York City, where she teaches writing workshops and continues to write books for kids and teens. You can find more about her and her books at kodykeplinger.com.       We all sat down at our tiny table to eat. After we said grace, Richard and Mama did most of the talking, and I piped up every once in a while, but Canaan didn't hardly say a word. Mama asked him once or twice if he was feeling okay, and he said yes and shrugged, again, but that was all. He did eat everything on his plate, though. I think that made her feel better.After the plates were cleared, I walked Canaan outside. He started chewing on his lip again, and he shoved his hands into his pockets. "I guess it's time, huh?""To go home?" "Yeah." He groaned. "I wish Dad would hurry up and get home already. The longer he takes, the worse it's gonna get. Kevin's probably still locked in the closet."I imagined tiny little Kevin in the boys' dark closet, curled up into a ball on the floor. The thought made me want to cry. I swallowed. "Your daddy will be home soon.""Yeah, I know. Anyway, thanks for dinner. Tell your mama it was really good.""I will."He sighed. "All right, well . . . see you tomorrow, Nola."If I'd known then that that night would be one of the last times Canaan Swift was ever in my house, I would have stopped him. I wouldn't have let him leave. I would have asked Mama if Canaan could stay the night, sleep on the couch. I would have held on as long as I could.I wouldn't have let him walk away, watching from the sidewal
    [url] => https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/15954865
    [pa] => 
    [publisher] => Scholastic Inc.
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