A young girl learns how to manage her emotions and channel her tennis hero, Arthur Ashe, in the new book by Geisel Award-winning creator James Yang.A young girl loves to play tennis with her father. And dreams of being like her hero, Arthur Ashe. But sometimes her brain feels like it's bouncing, just like a tennis ball. And it's hard not to lose her temper. Dad reminds her that being a tennis star is about how you act both on and
off the court.
Geisel Award–winning author and illustrator James Yang has created an unforgettable story about the power we have over our emotions when we take a deep breath, focus, and
swing!
On sale: August 4, 2026
Age: 4-8 years
Grade: Preschool - 3
Page count: 40 Pages
ISBN: 9780593693100
Reading level: Lexile: 500L | Fountas/Pinnell: L
James Yang is the author and illustrator of several acclaimed picture books, including
A Boy Named Isamu, which won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature Honor, and
Stop! Bot!, which won the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award. His work has appeared in publications like
Graphis,
Newsweek,
Forbes,
Fortune,
The New York Times, and
The Wall Street Journal. You might have seen some of his art in many of New York City's subway cars! He lives in Brooklyn.
You can visit him at JamesYang.com or follow him on Instagram @YangBlog.
Praise for Swing!:★ "Yang (A Universe Big & Small) serves up some big themes—equanimity, role models, persistence—and aces every one in this tennis story."—
Publisher's Weekly, starred review
"A winning salute to the value and importance of childhood role models."—
School Library Journal Reviews"The digital art is groovy fun. . . with retro midcentury modern televisions and old-school tennis garb. . . A sporty read best served to avid tennis lovers."—
Kirkus Reviews
“A story that's simultaneously nostalgic and fresh.”
—Booklist
