Champion

Starred review from April 15, 2002
Haskins (The Story of Stevie Wonder) and Velasquez (Grandma's Records) pay tribute to Muhammad Ali in this rather adoring yet noteworthy biography, which brings to light the boxing great's many types of triumphs. The author knows how to interest kids, tracing the fighter's career to his 12th birthday, when the theft of his new bicycle made him want to find the thief and beat him up; as Haskins tells it, a policeman advised him "that he had better learn how to fight first" and offered the boy boxing lessons at his gym. The hero is not invulnerable: then known as Cassius Clay, he was so afraid of flying that he bought his own parachute and wore it during the flight to the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. Haskins recaps familiar highlights of Ali's life and career, including his decision to join the Nation of Islam (and his later embrace of world Islam); the loss of his title as world heavyweight champion when he refused, on religious grounds, to fight in the Vietnam War; his remarkable 1974 win over George Foreman to regain the crown; his experience with Parkinson's; and his surprise appearance as the final torch-bearer at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. A liberal sprinkling of Ali's famous rhymes provides additional insight into his personality. Velasquez does justice to the subject with his imaginatively conceived oil paintings; sometimes these approach a photographic crispness, sometimes they suggest Ali's inner victories and struggles. Informative and inspiring. Ages 6-10.

July 1, 2002
Gr 3-6 -"The first boxer to win the heavyweight championship three times" is paid tribute in this easy-to-read biography in a picture-book format. Reflecting Ali's penchant for hyperbole, Haskins introduces his subject as larger than life. "No matter where he was, someone would know him. Someone would feed him. Someone would give him a place to sleep. He was probably the most famous person alive." That said, the author moves on to Ali's boyhood in racially segregated Louisville, KY, where, as Cassius Clay, he was introduced to boxing at the age of 12 and quickly demonstrated enormous talent. The boxer's rhyming boasts are highlighted in bold throughout the text. Haskins details Ali's decision to join the Nation of Islam, his refusal to join the army, and the negative impact these actions had on his reputation and career. The athlete's return to the ring in the 1970s, his retirement, and his struggle with Parkinson's Syndrome are also discussed. The book concludes with Ali's dramatic appearance at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, GA. Velasquez's fine oil portraits are worth noting as are his smaller illustrations, which capture the action in the ring like a series of photographic snapshots. Given Ali's recent return to the national scene, this book should find an immediate audience. -Alicia Eames, New York City Public Schools

Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.