Swing Sideways

“This is a summer neither Annabel nor readers will ever forget.” —School Library Journal

Perfect for fans of Bridge to Terabithia and Walk Two Moons, this debut middle grade novel is the story of two girls and the unforgettable summer in which they learn about true friendship and loss.

Annie has been promised a summer of freedom in the country. Freedom from a difficult school year, freedom from her fake “friends” back in the city, and, most of all, freedom from her mom’s life-governing spreadsheets and rigid schedules. When Annie meets California, who is visiting her grandfather’s farm, it seems she has found the perfect partner for the summer she’s always craved. Especially when California offers Annie a real-life adventure: if she and Annie can find the ponies her mom rode as a girl, surely it will remind her mom how wonderful the farm is—and fix what’s broken between her mom and her grandfather.

But Annie’s summer of freedom is sprinkled with secrets, and everything she has learned about bravery and love will be put to the test when the truth behind the ultimate secret changes her life forever.

• Unlikely Friendship: Annie is ruled by schedules and spreadsheets. California lives for freedom and dares. Together, they form a bond that will define their summer and change them both forever.
• A Summer Adventure: The two girls embark on a quest to find a pair of long-lost ponies, hoping to heal a fractured family and uncover the truth along the way.
• Coming of Age Story: A powerful novel about finding your voice, discovering the courage to be yourself, and learning what it means to be a true friend in the face of hardship.
• A Bittersweet Read: Perfect for readers who love poignant stories that are both heartwarming and heartbreaking, exploring deep emotional bonds and the pain of loss.

“This is a summer neither Annabel nor readers will ever forget.” - School Library Journal

“This powerful tale of friendship and hope, made especially poignant by each girl’s struggle to repair family relationships, will capture hearts. Add an injured dog...woods made for adventures, and heartbreak that never becomes mawkish, and you have a story about so much more than summer fun.” - Booklist

“This will please country girls at heart, those needing to be brave, and those wanting a good summer story of friendship and growth.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books