Becoming Muhammad Ali
Sold Out
paperback
"This utterly delightful story about Ali's childhood is a smash hit."—School Library Journal (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.
James Patterson is the world’s bestselling author, best known for his many enduring fictional characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Michael Bennett, Maximum Ride, Middle School, I Funny, and Jacky Ha-Ha. Patterson’s writing career is characterized by a single mission: to prove to everyone, from children to adults, that there is no such thing as a person who “doesn’t like to read,” only people who haven’t found the right book. He’s given over a million books to schoolkids and over forty million dollars to support education, and endowed over five thousand college scholarships for teachers. He writes full-time and lives in Florida with his family.
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.
* "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
"Cassius's narrative illustrates his charisma, drive, and work to know who you are."-- Publishers Weekly, 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
Related Items
Where the Black Flowers Bloom
$16.99
hardcover Synopsis A gripping, richly imagined fantasy set in an alternate African world in which a Black girl finds her power and saves her people from evil, by the...
Beasts and Beauty Dangerous Tales
$17.99
hardcover Synopsis Forget the tales you thought you knew in this collection of twelve dangerous stories from New York Times bestselling author Soman Chainani that challenges you...
Alice Austen Lived Here
$17.99
Hardcover Synopsis From the award-winning author of Melissa (George), a phenomenal novel about queerness past, present, and future. Sam is very in touch with their own...