Like lightning/you strike/fast and free/legs zoom/down field/eyes fixed/on the checkered ball/on the goal/ten yards to go/can't nobody stop you/can't nobody cop you Twelveyearold Nick is a footballmad boy who absolutely hates books. In this followup to the Newberywinning novel The Crossover football family love and friendship take centre stage as Nick tries to figure out how to navigate his parents' breakup stand up to bullies and impress the girl of his dreams. These challenges which seem even harder than scoring a tiebreaking gamewinning goal change his life as well as his best friend's. This energetic novelinverse by the poet Kwame Alexander captures all the thrills and setbacks the action and emotion of a World Cup match. Review An obvious love of words and the way they flow together and create their own rhythm makes Alexander's work somewhat irresistible... To pick up Booked is to find yourself turning page after page swept along as Nick spills out his story. New York TimesA satisfying winning read Kirkus starred reviewEminently readable... readers will surely love Alexanders joyous word play and celebration of reading Booklist starred reviewAlexander scores again. Emotionally resonant and with a pace like a player on a breakaway. Publishers Weekly starred reviewWarm and believable... Alexander understands reluctant readers deeply and here hands them a protagonist who is a smart readingaverse kid Horn Book starred review About the Author Kwame Alexander is a poet educator and the New York Times bestselling author of 28+ books including The Undefeated Booked and Rebound... See more
Like lightning/you strike/fast and free/legs zoom/down field/eyes fixed/on the checkered ball/on the goal/ten yards to go/can't nobody stop you/can't nobody cop you Twelveyearold Nick is a footballmad boy who absolutely hates books. In this followup to the Newberywinning novel The Crossover football family love and friendship take centre stage as Nick tries to figure out how to navigate his parents' breakup stand up to bullies and impress the girl of his dreams. These challenges which seem even harder than scoring a tiebreaking gamewinning goal change his life as well as his best friend's. This energetic novelinverse by the poet Kwame Alexander captures all the thrills and setbacks the action and emotion of a World Cup match. Review An obvious love of words and the way they flow together and create their own rhythm makes Alexander's work somewhat irresistible... To pick up Booked is to find yourself turning page after page swept along as Nick spills out his story. New York TimesA satisfying winning read Kirkus starred reviewEminently readable... readers will surely love Alexanders joyous word play and celebration of reading Booklist starred reviewAlexander scores again. Emotionally resonant and with a pace like a player on a breakaway. Publishers Weekly starred reviewWarm and believable... Alexander understands reluctant readers deeply and here hands them a protagonist who is a smart readingaverse kid Horn Book starred review About the Author Kwame Alexander is a poet educator and the New York Times bestselling author of 28+ books including The Undefeated Booked and Rebound the followup to his Newbery medalwinning 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.