(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile. Patterson and Alexander, two heavyweights in the world of books (and their respective publishing houses), unite to tell the story of how Cassius Clay grew up to be Muhammad Ali, one of the greatest boxers of all time. The book, authorized by the Ali estate, is not so much a biographical novel as a chance to hang out with young Cassius Clay as he lives his daily life in Louisville in the late 1950s--going to school, being with friends, shooting hoops, watching boxing on television, and working, while navigating the dangers of life in a segregated city, all of which is related in lean and eloquent first-person verse with plenty of white space on each page. Clay's poetic narration is framed by first-person prose sections (called "rounds" instead of chapters) by his (fictional) best friend Lucius Wakely, who, by the end of the story, writes for a big newspaper and is at ringside for the "Rumble in the Jungle," Ali's 1974 fight in Zaire against George Foreman. Anyabwile, who illustrated the graphic novel edition of Alexander's The Crossover (rev. 5/14), adds a powerful visual element with occasional dynamic, full-page black-and-white images; and a short bibliography is appended.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2020

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. Alexander and Nelson honor the achievements, courage, and perseverance of ordinary black people as well as prominent black artists, athletes, and activists. Alexander's free-verse poem conveys a sense of pride at what his "unflappable" and "unafraid" predecessors have accomplished and what people continue to do today. Nelson's realistic oil paintings depict racial oppression in the past and present--demonstrating that racism remains deeply entrenched in America today.

Reviewer: Jonda C. McNair | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile. This graphic-novel adaption of Alexander's Newbery Medal–winning verse novel, about African American twins and middle-school b-ballers Josh and JB Bell, retains all the on-court drama, swaggering narrative voice, and poignant emotional pitches of the original. The basketball action comes alive in the angular, motion-filled art, in shades of black, white, and (aptly) orange; the art also captures the story's more tender social interactions, moments of familial intimacy, and later scenes of heartbreak surrounding the boys' father's death.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2014; November, 2019

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile. In this 1988-set prequel to The Crossover, twelve-year-old Charlie Bell is spending the summer with his grandparents following the sudden death of his father. He finds solace on the basketball court. This story of realistic family dynamics, a search for confidence, and first romance is propelled by energetic, staccato poetry and elevated by a visceral exploration of grief. Occasional comics visualizing the fast-paced basketball action explode off the page.

Reviewer: Eric Carpenter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2018

(3) YA This coming-of-age novel in verse centers on seventeen-year-old best friends Noah, who's white, and Walt (a.k.a. Swing), who's black. A conversational tone belies the multivalence of this story about the complexities of friendship, romance, patriotism, and prejudice. Life seems on the upswing until a wrenching, pulled-from-the-headlines incident shatters the boys' lives and underscores Noah's feeling that "America is sometimes / not so beautiful."

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Ekua Holmes. With Marjory Wentworth and Chris Colderley. Twenty poems, each "celebrating" a notable poet, variously mimic poets' styles, incorporate their feelings and themes, or acknowledge and thank them. The celebrated poets represent a wide range of cultures and time periods. Vibrant, arresting mixed-media collages complement and extend the themes and rich imagery presented in the poems. Educators teaching poetry or introducing influential poets will welcome this stellar title. Biographical information appended.

Reviewer: Jonda C. McNair | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2017

(2) 4-6 Photographs by Thai Neave. Alexander turns motivational speaker in this collection organized like a basketball game, with four quarters and rules. Alexander's narrative of his early life in sports weaves its way through a lively display of colorful graphics, black-and-white photographs, short poems, and inspirational quotations by famous people. The uplifting volume reads like a locker-room pep talk by a coach with stories to tell and advice to give.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2017

(3) K-3 Photographs by Joel Sartore. With Mary Rand Hess and Deanna Nikaido. Striking, detailed photographs of animals appear against black or white backgrounds as descriptive, sometimes metaphorical text plays loosely with the haiku form. Word placement and font size vary across the pages, adding dynamism to the images. Three gatefolds each present smaller labeled photos and a longer poem. The slim volume invites awe of and appreciation for endangered animals. Photographer and poet notes are appended.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) YA Seventeen-year-old Blade Morrison, son of a famous rocker, just wants to avoid the attention his family receives for his father's drug-and-alcohol-fueled bad behavior. When a family secret is revealed, further alienating Blade, the Hollywood-raised teen embarks on a life-altering trip to Ghana. Alexander's verse, co-written with Hess, evokes the moody emotions of Blade's favorite real-life rock ballads (lyrics to which are interspersed).

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Daniel Miyares. "SURF'S UP, BRO!" calls a surfer-dude frog. "Not yet, Dude," responds his bookworm buddy. While Dude and Bro (still with nose in book) make their way to the beach, Bro reveals tantalizing Moby-Dick plot points that pique Dude's interest. Miyares's highly pigmented illustrations and Alexander's snappy, spare text (all in dialogue) create a high-energy tribute to the power of a good book.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2016

(1) 4-6 Nick is a wordsmith, thanks to his linguistics-professor father, but he would rather be shining on the soccer field. He's blindsided when his parents separate; things worsen at school, too, as he and best friend Coby are targeted by the racist Eggleston twins. With accessible forms and engaging formatting, this novel in verse offers sports action combined with spot-on portrayals of middle-school life.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2016

(2) 4-6 Twelve-year-old twins Josh and Jordan (JB) are a well-oiled machine on the basketball court. But then JB gets a girlfriend, and before Josh knows it, things start to change. Josh's narration is a combination of exciting play-by-play game details, insightful observations on middle school, and poignant meditations on sibling dynamics and familial love. This verse novel has massive appeal for reluctant readers.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2014

(2) YA Claudia Clarke--sharp, opinionated, and Harvard-bound--is the only girl who isn't impressed by quarterback Omar "T-Diddy" Smalls. Omar takes a bet that he can win Claudia over, and when his usual seduction tactics fail, he applies his social clout to Claudia's cause du jour. His burgeoning social awareness and transformation from carefree jock to true campus leader are satisfying and convincing.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2013

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Tim Bowers. A bass-guitar-strumming rooster dreams that he'll win the annual Barnyard Talent Show; his jazz-playing bandmates and competitors include Thelonius Monkey, Mules Davis, Duck Ellington, and Ella Finchgerald. The hokey story and middling rhymes, accompanied by rambunctious art, are informed by a mind that knows this subject cold, as evidenced by Alexander's back-of-book jazz timeline, bios, and glossary.

Reviewer: Nell Beram