From two heavy-hitters in children's literature comes a critically acclaimed biographical novel of cultural icon Muhammad Ali.
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 most popular storyteller of our time. He is the creator of unforgettable characters and series, including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Jane Smith, and Maximum Ride, and of breathtaking true stories about the Kennedys, John Lennon, and Tiger Woods, as well as our military heroes, police officers, and ER nurses. Patterson has coauthored #1 bestselling novels with Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, and collaborated most recently with Michael Crichton on the blockbuster Eruption. He has told the story of his own life in James Patterson by James Patterson and received an Edgar Award, ten Emmy Awards, the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation, and the National Humanities Medal.
This author also writes under the following name: Džejms Paterson
But we sure do know the great boxing champion the world has ever seen: the one and only boxing legend who lived, Muhammad Ali!
The book is a biographical book in verse written amazingly with hard-hitting words which presented exactly what the characters would have felt during the times of struggle, all the pain and efforts, the wins and the joy of overcoming all the ruthless discrimination and racism Cassius Clay had to face ever since he was a kid.
I love how the writing and the illustrations depict well the grit and the genuine expressions he had.
I like the mention of the opponents of each fight with specific date records. The book told exactly how determined and different Cassius was from the very beginning. Nothing, I say, nothing distracted him; nothing would change his mind even when he tasted defeats. Instead he got more determined each time. He wanted to do something big and make a difference. Indeed, he did!
Some chapters in between aren't in verse, like the last chapter which talked about the final days of Muhammad Ali. I did end up crying. I came to realise he was a stronger personality much more than I thought he was! He didn't buckle under rules and regulations, he fought against them. He didn't do what others thought was necessary, he did things what he thought was necessary.
You will love this book and actually see how a person can make their life as they want when they are really determined. Kudos to the team for such a good book!
Well that was so interesting and well written. From the documentaries I've seen about the great Muhammad Ali I feel like his spirit was captured incredibly well in this book! Perfect for NZ Y6 through to Y9!
WOOOW. Confession: this might be the only Patterson book I read and that’s because it’s co-authored with Kwame Alexander.
I absolutely loved this book. The cadence of Cassius’ pieces mirroring the rhythm of a fighter in the ring was BEAUTIFUL. The illustrations woven in were GORGEOUS. And, the story was just BRILLIANT. I loved it.
Becoming Muhammed Ali: a Novel is a nominee in the 2023 Grand Canyon Reader Awards "tween" category. Before he was Muhammad Ali, winner of Golden-Gloves and three-time world’s best heavyweight, he was Cassius Clay, an African-American boy with big dreams and an even bigger heart. Cassius Clay always knew he was destined for greatness, as did everyone around him. With his confident attitude and his never-ending compassion for everyone around him, how could they not? This biography follows the childhood of Muhammad Ali, switching between poetry and narrative prose. Filled with the adventures of Cassius and his friends, his personal experiences with racism, memories of his family that shaped him as a boxer, and his early boxing career, this book reveals the inspiring life of one of the best athletes in the world. This is an inspiring and empowering story for everyone fond of biographies and novels in verse!
7/29/22 Kwame and James are a great team! This was my second time reading this (somewhat fictional) biography about Ali's youth & teen years and it's still a special story. I may have enjoyed it even more as I looked at all the wonderful illustrations this time. Last time, I was reading a digital version. It is good to see that Muhammad Ali is being shared with a younger generation. Give this to fans of sports stories, novels in verse or stories of people who stand up for their religious beliefs. 4/24/21 Like The Hero Two Doors Down: Based on the True Story of Friendship between a Boy and a Baseball Legend, this is an accessible biography for younger readers and tweens. A collaboration between Kwame Alexander and James Patterson, it tells about Muhammad Ali's early years as a youth in Louisville, Kentucky. Kids will enjoy the short chapters and interspersed illustrations.
Alexander’s books excite me every time. It was new for me to read one of Kwame’s books that was based on a real person. While KA’s books are relatable and relevant, Im looking forward to hopefully seeing more historical writing from him. I’m not sure which parts were Patterson’s responsibility, but it all worked. A great way to dig deeper into a Black American, and heroic figure. I hope middle to YA readers will pick this up.
Audiobook - Kwame Alexander does an amazing job with the narration. The audiobook is enjoyable but you miss the pictures and the visuals of the lines written in verse.
This book tells the story of the childhood and early boxing career of Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay). It is written by both James Patterson and Kwame Alexander alternately in the form of prose and verse. The pictures help tell the story and are very well done. The story helps kids understand the discrimination and racism Cassius and his friends faced every day even when they were very young. It also does a great job portraying the tenacity, strength, and confidence Ali had even as a young man.
The story is well-written and very approachable for young students. Between the pictures and the verse, it moves quickly. I highly recommend either listening and reading together or reading instead of the audiobook.
All the stars for Kwame Alexander's poetry; less stars because it was hard listening to tell whose POV you were listening to. Also never felt like we got to know Lucky as a character - his voice wasn't very distinct and his chapters were kind of annoying interruptions to Cassius's compelling narrative. Highly recommend reading AND listening at the same time, if you can. It's easier to keep the characters straight, Kwame Alexander has a great narrator voice, and you get to enjoy the amazing illustrations!
Becoming Muhammad Ali is a fictionalized middle-grade/young adult story/biography written in verse. The book included beautiful artwork between the pages, and the chapters are cleverly titled Rounds - as in boxing. Kwame Alexander had an intensive bibliography and consulted with Ali’s family, friends, and neighbors to include intimate details about his childhood and teenage years. I watched an interview, and Alexander asserted it’s his favorite book he’s written to date. I can tell because I believe it’s one of his best books and in my top 10 of the year. That's saying a lot because I stan Kwame Alexander. However, I haven’t finished Jim Butcher’s Battleground - so there’s that. 👊🏿 👊🏿 The novel is narrated by Cassius Clay, Muhammad Ali, in verse and Lucky, Clay’s close friend, in prose. Initially, the shift in POV is disorienting, but I adapted quickly. Also, the rhythm, pacing, and tone of the book captured Ali's voice with his slick raps and witticisms but, at the same time, is vintage Alexander. Alexander captures Clay’s complexity as a growing boy, his hubris, fears, devotion to family, naivety, and ambition. 👊🏿 👊🏿 I did not know much about Ali’s life as a child or teenager. But it is evident Alexander did the work to capture Clay's youth. He was raised in the Jim Crow Louisville, Kentucky, and it profoundly impacted Clay’s outlook on life, which influenced his activism later in life. He began boxing at 12 and gained fame as a local boxing legend because of his televised fights. 👊🏿 👊🏿 The theme of persistence underscores the entire novel. Clay's determination set him on a path of failure, success, hardship, and ultimately triumph. Muhammad Ali is an American hero! 👊🏿 👊🏿 Thank you, Kwame Alexander; every child needs to read this book.
I previewed this as a potential read aloud for my students and it is perfect! Very engaging subject (especially if you have a reluctant reader) and lots of great discussions will be had. It's written in prose so it is easily accessible for struggling students.
I love watching documentaries or films about the life of Muhammad Ali and this is the best biographical account I’ve read specifically written for young people about his younger days and commitment to being champion. Told in the kind of verse I can imagine Ali himself saying, and then prose through the voice of his friend, I think this makes the Ali message accessible to this new generation of 8+ kids. I can’t wait to look up some information and images to back this one up to sell to my kids at school.
Where I'm From I am from black Cadillacs from plastic-covered sofas in tiny pink houses. I am from the one bathroom we all shared and the living room you stayed out of.
I am from Friday fried fish and chocolate birthday cakes from Levy Brothers’ slacks and shiny white shoes, from Cash and Bird, from storytellers and good looks, from don’t say you can’t till you try… (p. 28-29)
Alexander writes in poetry from Muhammad Ali's perspective as the young Cassius Clay. Patterson writes in prose from the perspective of Ali's good friend "Lucky." The chapters are a numbered "round" (e.g. "Round One," "Round Two"). Each begins with 3-4 pages of Lucky providing some insight into Ali's life. Then there are several poems by Alexander. Most of Alexander's poems are small moments - a family party, a conversation between Ali and his grandfather, playing ball with neighborhood friends.
Dawud Anyabwile's black and white (ink?) illustrations are comic-like and engaging, expanding readers' understanding of the ideas in the text.
READ THIS ALOUD to your students. A colleague of mine is reading this aloud to her third grade students (with a lot of adult guidance) and they can't get enough. There are so many possible conversations we can have or students can lead for themselves. "What does Cassius mean when he says, "The fight is won before you get in the ring"? Definitely BOOK TALK and watch students grab it off the shelf!
For older students, PAIR THIS TEXT WITH War in the Ring: Joe Louis, Max Schmeling, and the Fight Between America and Hitler (Florio & Shapiro, 2019). With intermediate grade students, pair this with Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes Went from the Football Field to the Art Gallery (Wallace & Collier, 2018) and Above the Rim: How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball (Bryant & Morrison, 2020).
If you have a kid who enjoys The Crossover series, I highly recommend you pass this book their way. Told partly in prose by Cassius's friend, Lucky, and partly in verse from Cassius himself, we see how this charismatic young boy with a drive to be the best started on his journey toward a successful boxing career. I found the story inspiring, as many kids dream of becoming a household name from a professional career in sports. This demonstrates the hard work that went into training, but also shows the bullying, school struggles, and choices he made to put boxing over the other types of things kids his age were doing. I think sports lovers will enjoy this story, but the historical perspective of a Black male athlete is also important.
5 stars!!! Perfect execution. Kwame’s verse is a spot on representation of Muhammad Ali’s wit and ego. I loved the dual perspective narrative, giving us a glimpse at how Cassius Clay’s best friend saw him growing up. The illustrations are a plus. This will be a hit among my students.
eGalley provided by Edelweiss; ELC provided by Libro.fm
Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson & Kwame Alexander is an incredible biographical middle grade/young authors read that tells Muhammad Ali’s story as a child growing up in Louisville. I’m a huge fan of Ali the person and sports icon. I devoured this book & loved every word of prose & verse written. Even if you don’t know much about Ali I still can’t recommend this book enough! #mcdreads
As always learning anything about Muhammad Ali is a treat. I listened to the audiobook version of this and the narrator did not do a good job of transitioning between perspectives. It was hard to know who was narrating when leading to confusion and a huge drop in my appreciation of the book.
I found this book on a "Recommended Shelf" at the library, and I was like, OK, sure I'll read this. I FINALLY got to it, and I was really surprised. This book was amazing! It was super motivational, and I LOVED it. I'll definitely want to read it again.
Written with the help and support of the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, KY, this collaboration between James Patterson and Kwame Alexander is a biography that will appeal to middle grade readers far more than the typical book in the 92s section of their school library. There is prose and verse and some terrific illustrations drawn by Dawud Anyabwile that do get a nod from Kwame in his acknowledgements, but get nothing on the title page or the CIP record at the beginning of the book.
Becoming Muhammad Ali focuses on Cassius Clay, Jr./Muhammad Ali as a tween-ager and into the earliest years of his boxing career with a few tidbits from early childhood and quick recap of his rise to fame and his Parkinson’s diagnosis. Patterson/Kwame make much of his strong familial ties to grandfather, dad, mom, and younger brother Rudy, his awareness of the two sides of Louisville and the not so invisible racial line that divided his hometown, and his determination to achieve greatness in the boxing ring. Readers will get a glimpse of his struggles to read and although there is not a diagnosis, the idea that maybe dyslexia played a role in his difficulties in school.
With the “based on fact” comment in the preface and the MARC record designation of FICTION, I chose to shelve my multiple copies of this title in FIC ALE and FIC PAT in order to snag fans of both authors and even put a copy in 92 ALI. Since it it a 2022-2023 Texas Bluebonnet nominee, if I get a 4th copy, it will go into the boxing section of the 796s giving it different locations and therefore being seen by a wider variety of library patrons!
I was excited to get to listen to this biographical book, written in both verse and prose, as an audiobook. Cassius Clay knew he was destined for greatness from a very young age. He was motivated, disciplined, and even arrogant at times. However, he was also charming and showed true leadership skills, even in his younger years. While he faced racism and difficulties in school, he remained focused on the development of his skills in the fighting ring. Furthermore, he had the undying support of his friends and family who always knew he would one day be known all over the world. This was a fun read, giving everyone an entertaining look into Cassius Clay (AKA Muhammed Ali) up into his teen years.
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I really liked this book because it told his whole life story in a really good perspective. I also like how it explained how he became so great. It told the story from when he was born to the day he died and it explained it so precisely and that is what the book so good.
This is a great book that tells how Cassius Clay grew up and trained to become the world’s greatest boxer. It relates his humility and love for family and friends. It also tells of his championships and struggles, even with the government when he was drafted. He finds Islam and changes his name to Muhammad Ali. In the end he is slain by Parkinson’s Disease. The book is amazing.