"A must read" - Marcus Rashford MBE.A New York Times Bestseller.From two heavy-hitters in children's literature comes a biographical novel of seismic cultural importance...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 neighbours 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 unrivalled Muhammad Ali.Fully authorised 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.

 

 

This book has been graded for interest at 10-12 years.

There are 320 pages in this book. This book was published in 2020 by Jacaranda Books Art Music Ltd .

Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, and the New York Times bestselling author of 28+ books, including The Undefeated, Booked and Rebound, the follow-up to his Newbery medal-winning middle grade novel, The Crossover. He's also the Founding Editor of Versify, an imprint that publishes fiction and poetry for children and young adults. Dawud Anyabwile is an Emmy Award winning artist, illustrator and co-creator of the groundbreaking comic book series Brotherman: Dictator of Discipline. Anyabwile has worked with companies such as Cartoon Network, Turner Studios, NBA TV, Nickelodeon, and many others as a character designer, storyboard artist, illustrator, and concept artist. Anyabwile illustrated the graphic novel adaptation of the New York Times best selling novel Monster by Walter Dean Myers. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Anyabwile now volunteers, teaches art classes to young students, and gives lectures when he isn't working on his art. Ned Rust has also collaborated with James Patterson on "Daniel X: Watch the Skies "and "Daniel X: Game Over. " He lives in Croton, New York with his family.