The Swag Is in the Socks
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $6.99
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
Xavier Moon is stepping out of the shadows when his great-uncle gives him some outlandish socks and some even stranger requests. A story about heart, confidence, and standing on your own two feet that is perfect for fans of The Season of Styx Malone and The Parker Inheritance.
"An excellent read-alike to Jacqueline Woodson’s Harbor Me or Janae Marks’ From the Desk of Zoe Washington.” –Booklist, Starred Review
"A warm but authentic picture of a middle schooler figuring out who he is and who he wants to be." –The Bulletin
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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
When Black seventh grader Xavier Moon's 12th birthday rolls around, his pianist great-uncle Frankie Bell sends a snazzy pair of polka-dot socks and a letter: "Far as I can see, you got nothin', other than the fact that you a wire-mouth, stutterin' boy with jailbird parents.... This is a challenge. An invitation to get your sad self together." Xavier Moon has long dreamed about following his grandfather, uncle, and father's shoes by becoming part of the Scepter League—a school club for those with "super swag" whose creed emphasizes social responsibility. When Xavier gets his chance to interview with the League, he makes it his mission to get inducted by any means necessary. Meanwhile, donning the socks, and other pairs that continue to arrive, offers him a route to confidence and swag of his own. In this inspirational novel told in Xavier's winning first-person narration, Baptist (Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero) delivers a warmly familiar, intergenerational look at getting to know oneself. Ages 8–12.
