Bound To Stay Bound

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Booklist - 12/01/2016 After 12-year-old Cassius Clay, as he was known then, had his new red bike stolen, he practiced at the gym and learned to fight back against injustice wherever he saw it. Illustrations in oils in rich browns, shades of grays, and white highlights show the fighter Muhammad Ali in many action poses exhibiting his strength and lightning speed. The strong diagonals in the compositions portray movement and excitement, from boyhood to boxing matches. A “POW?!?” in a large font peppers several pages as Ali conquers bout after bout to win 56 out of 61 professional fights. The People’s Champion, he was one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, whose poetic statements are legendary (“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee—His hands can’t hit what his eyes can’t see!”). Back matter gives more information about his life in the ring, his conversion to the Nation of Islam, his struggles with Parkinson’s, and his death, on June 3, 2016. Sure to provide inspiration for young readers. - Copyright 2016 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 01/01/2017 K-Gr 2—A kid named Cassius Clay discovers boxing in this nonfiction picture book. Barretta sets the scene through Muhammad Ali's three record-setting heavyweight championship titles. Oversize comic book—style action words ("POW!") highlight Ali knocking out Sonny Liston, George Foreman, and Leon Spinks. Circling back to Ali's childhood, Barretta recounts the oft-cited origin story of 12-year-old Cassius riding high on his brand-new bike. Unfortunately, the bike disappears, and when Cassius reports the theft to police officer and boxing coach Joe Martin, threatening to "whup" the thief, Martin suggests that he first learn how to fight. Regular sessions at the gym develop in Cassius a single-minded determination to be the greatest boxer in the world. As he becomes a more public figure, his self-confidence never wavers, effectively illustrated by a few choice quotes, bold and set apart from the mostly invented dialogue. Morrison's dynamic oil paintings complement Barretta's lively text, capturing a self-assured Ali in detailed spreads. Action scenes full of movement and intensity draw readers into the boxing ring and depict Ali's growth from a gangly youth to a dominant athlete. Two pages of unfailingly positive biographical information fill in the rest of Ali's career. A brief bibliography and suggestions for additional reading are also appended, but no source notes are included. VERDICT This is an attractive choice as an inspirational read-aloud, but report writers will want to seek more nuanced and thorough sources.—Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Hennepin County Library, MN - Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

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