Sparks will fly in this hip-hop-hot teen novel that mixes social protest and star-crossed romance, from Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Honor–winning author Kwame Alexander! He Said, She Said is perfect for fans of Walter Dean Myers and Rachel Vail alike. This paperback edition includes a Q&A with author Kwame Alexander. He says: Omar "T-Diddy" Smalls has got it made―a full football ride to UMiami, hero-worship status at school, and pick of any girl at West Charleston High. She says: Football, shmootball. Here's what Claudia Clarke cares about: Harvard, the poor, the disenfranchised, the hungry, the staggering teen pregnancy rate, investigative journalism . . . the list goes on. She does not have a minute to waste on Mr. T-Diddy Smalls and his harem of bimbos. He Said, She Said is a fun and fresh novel from Kwame Alexander that throws these two high school seniors together when they unexpectedly end up leading the biggest social protest this side of the Mississippi―with a lot of help from Facebook and Twitter. The stakes are high, the romance is hot, and when these worlds collide, watch out! Dual POV: He says, she says. Get both sides of the story as Omar, the star quarterback, and Claudia, the driven activist, tell it like it is. - High School Romance: He has his pick of any girl at West Charleston High. She thinks he and his "harem of bimbos" are a waste of time. When they’re forced to work together, sparks are guaranteed to fly. - Jock and Activist: All he cares about is his football ride to UMiami. All she cares about is getting into Harvard and changing the world. Neither of them expected to fall for the opposition. - Social Justice for Teens: A school budget cut brings these two unlikely leaders together to spearhead the biggest social protest this side of the Mississippi, all with a lot of help from Facebook and Twitter. “This lively romance has humor and heart.” - Kirkus Reviews “Claudia and Omar, with their entertaining and distinctive narrative voices, are a couple worth rooting for in this lighthearted, socially conscious romance.” - Horn Book Magazine “A fiery and funny romance with an undercurrent of social justice and awareness.” - Publishers Weekly “Alexander’s hip-hop narration...is positively lyrical. A story contemporary students will really relate to and enjoy.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books You've heard that men are from Mars and women are from Venus, right? Well, forget that planetary ish —Omar and Claudia are from different solar systems. Meet Brooklyn transplant Omar "T-Diddy" Smalls: West Charleston High's football god and full-blown playa. He's got a ton of Twitter followers, is U Miami bound, and cannot wait to hit South Beach . . . and hit on every shorty in a bikini. Then there's Claudia Clarke: headed for Harvard, straight-A student, school newspaper editor, and all-around goody two-shoes. She cares more about the staggering teen pregnancy rate than about hooking up with so-called fly homies and posting her biz on Facebook. Omar and Claudia are thrown together when they unexpectedly lead (with a little help from Facebook and Twitter) the biggest social protest this side of the Mississippi. The stakes are high, the romance is hot, and when these worlds collide, sparks will FLY! Believe that! Kwame Alexander is a poet, an educator, and the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty-five books, including his Newbery Medal–winning middle grade novel The Crossover . Some of his other works include Booked , which was longlisted for the National Book Award; The Playbook : 52 Rules to Aim, Shoot, and Score in This Game Called Life ; Swing ; the picture books How to Read a Book and How to Write a Poem (coauthored with Deanna Nikaido) , both illustrated by Melissa Sweet; and The Undefeated , illustrated by Kadir Nelson , which was longlisted for the National Book Award and won the Caldecott Medal, a Newbery Honor, and the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. He is a regular contributor to NPR’s Morning Edition , currently serving as their poet ambassador. He lives in Virginia with his family. Visit his website at kwamealexander.com.