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Becoming Muhammad Ali

Two literary heavy-hitters deliver a knockout critically acclaimed, bestselling biographical novel of cultural icon Muhammad Ali.

★ "utterly delightful...a smash hit."―School Library Journal (starred review) ★ "A knockout!"―Booklist (starred review) ★ "stellar"―Kirkus Reviews (starred review) ★ "two heavyweights in the world of books unite."―The Horn Book (starred review) ★ "powerful."―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Before he was a household name, Cassius Clay was a kid with struggles like any other. Kwame Alexander and James Patterson join forces to vividly depict his life up to age seventeen in both prose and verse, including his childhood friends, struggles in school, the racism he faced, and his discovery of boxing. Readers will learn about Cassius' family and neighbors in Louisville, Kentucky, and how, after a thief stole his bike, Cassius began training as an amateur boxer at age twelve. Before long, he won his first Golden Gloves bout and began his transformation into the unrivaled Muhammad Ali.

Fully authorized by and written in cooperation with the Muhammad Ali estate, and vividly brought to life by Dawud Anyabwile's dynamic artwork, Becoming Muhammad Ali captures the budding charisma and youthful personality of one of the greatest sports heroes of all time.

Winner of the 2021-2022 Sunshine State Young Readers Award (Grades 6-8) and 2022 Magnolia Book Award, and nominated for six state awards!

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Becoming Muhammad Ali

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ISBN-13:	9780316498180
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	10/05/2020
Series:	Becoming Ali , #1
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	388,509
File size:	14 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Kwame Alexander is the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty books, including his Newbery Medal-winning novel The Crossover and The Undefeated, winner of the Caldecott Medal and Newbery Honor. He is the founding editor of Versify, which aims to change the world one word at a time. James Patterson is the most popular storyteller of our time. The creator of the Middle School and Treasure Hunters series, he founded JIMMY Patterson to publish books that young readers will love. He lives in Florida with his family.

Hometown:

Palm Beach, Florida

Date of Birth:

March 22, 1947

Place of Birth:

Newburgh, New York

Education:

B.A., Manhattan College, 1969; M.A., Vanderbilt University, 1971

Website:

http://www.jamespatterson.com

From the B&N Reads Blog

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Editorial Reviews

★ 09/28/2020
Newbery Medalist Alexander (The Crossover) teams up with Patterson (the Max Einstein series) to deliver this propulsive fictionalized biography of boxer, activist, and cultural icon Muhammad Ali, beginning with his early life as Cassius Clay. Structured in “rounds” in lieu of chapters, anecdotal narration describes his rise to prominence, starting with 16-year-old Cassius’s 1958 fight for the Golden Gloves championship and ending with his 2016 death after receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Alternating narrators tell the story: prose lines by Lucky, a childhood friend of Cassius’s, gives readers a front-seat view of the boxer’s young life in the West End of Louisville, Ky.—his supportive working-class parents, his dislike of school, and his experiences with segregation—and his gradual ascent from Golden Gloves hopeful to three-time world heavyweight champion. In spare, witty lines of free verse, Cassius’s narrative illustrates his charisma, drive, and work to, in his beloved grandfather’s words, “know who you are, Cassius. And whose you are. Know where you going and where you from.” Black-and-white art by Anyabwile (The Crossover graphic novel adaptation) visually anchors scenes both domestic and iconic in this powerful, accessible view of a fascinating figure. Ages 8–12. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Becoming Muhammad Ali:
Winner of the 2021-2022 Sunshine State Young Readers Award (Grades 6-8) and 2022 Magnolia Book Award, and nominated for six state awards!

* "A stellar collaboration that introduces an important and intriguing individual to today's readers."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "The prose and poems reflect Clay's both public bravado and private humbleness as well as his appreciation and respect for family and friends. A knockout!"—Booklist, starred review

* "This utterly delightful story about Ali's childhood is a smash hit. Get this uplifting, informative book onto library shelves and into kids' hands."—School Library Journal, starred review

* "Cassius's narrative illustrates his charisma, drive, and work to know who you are."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "Patterson and Alexander, two heavyweights in the world of books, unite to tell the story of how Cassius Clay grew up to be Muhammad Ali, one of the greatest boxers of all time."—The Horn Book, starred review

From the Publisher

★ 10/01/2020
Gr 4–8—Before the indomitable Muhammad Ali was known as a boxing legend and social justice leader, he was Cassius Clay, a young dreamer and fighter from Louisville, KY. As a young Black man, Cassius's childhood in the 1950s is shaped by the Southern United States' Jim Crow laws. Working towards a better life seems impossible; yet Cassius is a firm believer in who he is and where he's from. But where is he going next? It all begins with a stolen bike, a boxing ring, and unrelenting determination. Told in "Ten Rounds," this utterly delightful story about Ali's childhood is a smash hit. Patterson handles narrator Lucky's prose while Alexander crafts Cassius's poetry. This creates a distinct, clear flow for each Round, starting with a thought-provoking intro which then progresses into Cassius's rhythmic expansion of events. Despite many roadblocks along his boxing journey, Cassius's positive, winning demeanor reveals that the biggest hurdle when pursuing a passion is one's mindset. Though the overarching narrative ends with the 1959 Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, the "Final Round" chapter overviews Ali's life in and out of the ring. A bibliography is included. VERDICT The overwhelming positivity filling the pages encourages readers to never be afraid of who they are, making this story golden. Get this uplifting, informative book onto library shelves and into kid's hands.—Emily Walker, Lisle Lib. Dist., IL

School Library Journal

Young listeners who are curious about how Muhammad Ali developed his boxing prowess, strong principles, and distinctive verbosity won't want to miss this biographical audiobook from two literary heavyweights. The story follows Ali—then called Cassius Clay—from his early teen years in Louisville to his first national Golden Gloves title. While prose chapters—told from the perspective of Cassius's friend, Lucky—provide helpful context, the verse chapters are where author/narrator Kwame Alexander truly shines. Alexander's dynamic hip-hop-influenced delivery is ideally suited to Cassius's swagger, and he channels Cassius's ebullient grandiosity while grounding listeners in the young athlete's dedication to his sport and his roots. The result is an audiobook that's fast, pretty, and powerful—just like Ali himself. R.A.H. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

SEPTEMBER 2020 - AudioFile

★ 2020-08-04
Two bestselling authors imagine the boyhood of the man who became the legendary boxing icon Muhammad Ali.
Cassius was a spirited child growing up in segregated Louisville, Kentucky. He had a loving home with his parents and younger brother, Rudy. Granddaddy Herman also was an important figure, imparting life lessons. His parents wanted him to succeed in school, but Cassius had difficulty reading and found more pleasure in playing and exploring outdoors. Early on, he and Rudy knew the restrictions of being African American, for example, encountering “Whites Only” signs at parks, but the brothers dreamed of fame like that enjoyed by Black boxer Joe Louis. Popular Cassius was especially close to Lucius “Lucky” Wakely; despite their academic differences, their deep connection remained after Lucky received a scholarship to a Catholic school. When Cassius wandered into the Columbia Boxing Gym, it seemed to be destiny, and he developed into a successful youth boxer. Told in two voices, with prose for the voice of Lucky and free verse for Cassius, the narrative provides readers with a multidimensional view of the early life of and influences on an important figure in sports and social change. Lucky’s observations give context while Cassius’ poetry encapsulates his drive, energy, and gift with words. Combined with dynamic illustrations by Anyabwile, the book captures the historical and social environment that produced Muhammad Ali.
A stellar collaboration that introduces an important and intriguing individual to today’s readers. (bibliography) (Biographical novel. 8-12)

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