#tbt: Twelve Rounds to Glory: the story of Muhammad Ali by Charles R. Smith Jr.

Image: Candlewick Press

Twelve Rounds to Glory: the story of Muhammad Ali by Charles R. Smith Jr.. Illustrated by Bryan Collier. 80 p. Candlewick Press, 2007. 9780763616923. (Own)

Happy Thursday TMS Readers! I hope you're planning a wonderful day off this Teacher Convention Weekend. #tbt features Twelve Rounds to Glory: the story of Muhammad Ali by Charles R. Smith and illustrated by Bryan Collier. This verse biography of the original G.O.A.T., was published in 2007 and won a Coretta Scott King Author Honor. Twelve rap-style poems capture the energy and essence of Ali and are accompanied by brilliant collage illustrations by one of my favorite illustrators.

Waiting on Wednesday: Halfway to Harmony by Barbara O'Connor

Image: Macmillan

Halfway to Harmony by Barbara O'Connor. 256 p. Farrar, Straus & Giroux/ Macmillan, January 12, 2021. 9780374314460.

Waiting on Wednesday features Halfway to Harmony by Barbara O'Connor. Ms. O'Connor is the author of a few TMS favorites such as, How to Steal a Dog and Wish, though my personal favorite is The Small Adventure of Popeye and Elvis. She's a middle grade author who doesn't waste a word. Her books are short, accessible and aim straight for the heart. Here's the publisher's synopsis for Halfway to Harmony, which is due out January 12, 2021.

"Walter Tipple is looking for adventure. He keeps having a dream that his big brother, Tank, appears before him and says, “Let’s you and me go see my world, little man.” But Tank went to the army and never came home, and Walter doesn’t know how to see the world without him.

Then he meets Posey, the brash new girl from next door, and an eccentric man named Banjo, who’s off on a bodacious adventure of his own. What follows is a summer of taking chances, becoming braver, and making friends—and maybe Walter can learn who he wants to be without the brother he always wanted to be like."

November is Picture Book Month! Review: Madeline Finn and the Library Dog by Lisa Papp

Image: Peachtree Publishers

Madeline Finn and the Library Dog by Lisa Papp. unpgd. Peachtree Publishers, March, 2020. 9781682630594. (Review of paperback edition borrowed from public library.)

I found this sweet book on the new book display at my local library and couldn't resist that sweet cover and the word, library. That's the way to a librarian's heart! But, I'm no pushover!

We've all had a few Madeline Finn's in our life. The child who hates to read. The child who struggles to read. The child who hates to read because he/ she struggles to read. I was one of those struggling readers who eventually learned to love to read. I was in "group three," the lowest of the low. The group that was behind in the Dick and Jane series. The group that looked on enviously as the kids in group one roared with laughter over something humorous in one of the stories. The group that was the last to laugh and we didn't really once we finally got there. So Madeline is me.

Aside from that personal connection to a long ago younger me. This story pulls the reader in with both words and illustrations. The reader FEELS Madeline's frustration and aches for her. It's beautifully wrought and allows both readers and non-readers alike to empathize/ sympathize with Madeline. 

This book is just gorgeous and I'm sorry that I missed its hardcover release several years ago, but happy that my library featured it prominently. 

Teen Tuesday: American Royals by Katharine McGee

Image: Penguin Random House

American Royals by Katharine McGee. 464 p. Random House Books for Young Readers/ Penguin Random House, September, 2019. 

It seems apropos on this Election Day to feature an alternate history. What if George Washington were made king of the newly formed United States of America instead of elected president? Teen Tuesday features American Royals by Katharine McGee. This is pure escapist fun. King George the Third and his family rule America. George's father abolished the ascendancy rule of first male as heir to the throne, so his eldest, Beatrice, will become America's first queen someday. She trains for that role with purpose and dedication. Her parents give her a file filled with eligible royal men to consider as husband material. There's a slight problem though. Beatrice has fallen for a commoner.

Meanwhile, Beatrice's fraternal twin siblings, Samantha and Jefferson, are taking a gap year between high school and college. Jefferson enjoys his role as America's most eligible bachelor and Samantha is considered the family rebel.

The fast-paced narrative switches POV and keeps the action lively. The reader is treated to court intrigue and shenanigans. This is the first in a series which is sure to charm. I read this one with my ears and really enjoyed it. The narrator's breezy style matched the breezy tone of the book. The nice thing about coming to a series later is that the wait time for book two is shorter. I placed a hold on the sequel right away! Review coming soon.

November is Picture Book Month! Review: Julián at the Wedding by Jessica Love

Image: Candlewick Press

Julián at the Wedding by Jessica Love. unpgd. Candlewick Press, October, 2020. 9781536212389. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

It was so wonderful to visit with Julián again! Here, he dresses in a natty lavender outfit to be in a wedding along with Marisol. His abuela is there to celebrate the union of two women in a joyful outdoor ceremony. Marisol has to wear a flower crown instead of her beloved baseball cap. Afterward, Julián and Marisol disappear and she ruins her dress. Her cap is recovered and she gifts Julián with her crown. A friendship is cemented and a union is celebrated. What joy!

The pastel on brown paper art is luminous. Fans of the first book, Julián is a Mermaid will cheer and readers new to Julián and he abuela will be intrigued. More, please!

Middle Grade Monday: Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander

Image: Little, Brown and Company/ Hachette

Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander. Illustrated by Daywud Anyabwile. 320 p. Little, Brown/ Hachette Book Group & Versify/ Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, October, 2020. 9780316498166. (Review of finished purchased copy.)

Middle Grade Monday features Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander. Mr. Alexander, author of the always-checked-out The Crossover, has teamed up with Mr. Patterson, the "author" of the ever-popular Middle School and I, Funny series to write a work of biographical fiction based on the early life of Cassius Clay that was fully authorized by the Ali estate. Have you ever heard the saying, "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee?" This was part of Ali's colorful and poetic smack-talk as he won bout after bout on his way to the title Heavyweight Boxing Champion. But what of the boy known as Cassius Clay?

Written in "Twelve Rounds," poet Alexander depicts twelve-year-old Cassius Clay, growing up in segregated Louisville, Kentucky with his parents, brother and extended family. His parents valued education and while Cassius was bright, school was difficult and boring. He knew he was destined for greatness and once he found boxing at age twelve, pursued it with a passion. As usual, Mr. Alexander's poetry crackles with energy, rhythm and sass.

Mr. Patterson's first-person prose introduces each chapter in the form of a fictional friend named Lucky, who provides some historical context and other extra information, including a glimpse into Muhammad Ali's adult life. The dynamic illustrations by Daywud Anyabwile, the same artist for Mr. Alexander's graphic novel adaptation of The Crossover, add to the interest of this dual-perspective narrative.

I wish we were in school and the library was open so that I could get this into my students hands ASAP! This is a book I will definitely reread with my ears. If you ever have the opportunity to listen to Kwame Alexander read his books, do it. While his poetry leaps off the page, hearing him brings an extra energy. 

Definitely a first-purchase! And, teachers, check out the Discussion Guide!

November is Picture Book Month! Review: A Polar Bear in the Snow by Mac Barnett

Image: Candlewick Press 

A Polar Bear in the Snow by Mac Barnett. Illustrated by Shawn Harris. unpgd. Candlewick Press, October, 2020. 9781536203967. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

A polar bear emerges from a snow den and lumbers across the snowscape in search of...what? That is the question that is repeated throughout this engaging, fun and intriguing new book by Mac Barnett. The cover with its embossed title and irresistible cut-paper polar bear has immediate appeal.

Mac Barnett is a minimalist. Make no mistake though. Therein lies his genius. There is depth here. Shawn Harris is a minimalist as well and the two styles work well here. Each spread begs the reader to linger. While this would make for a fantastic read aloud, it's perfect for a snuggling one-on-one read. Brilliant and absolutely enchanting! Truly a first-purchase!