Muhammad Ali

"A high-quality children’s biography that little readers are sure to enjoy. There are themes of hard work, determination, overcoming obstacles, boxing, sports, persistence, and confidence something Muhammad Ali clearly had plenty of."*

In this picture book biography of Muhammad Ali, author Gene Barretta and illustrator Frank Morrison tell the unforgettable childhood story of this legendary boxing champion and how one pivotal moment set him on his path to become the Greatest of All Time.

The Louisville Lip. The Greatest. The People’s Champion. Muhammad Ali had many nicknames. But before he became one of the most recognizable faces in the world, before the nicknames and the championships, before he converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali, he was twelve-year-old Cassius Clay riding a brand-new red-and-white bicycle through the streets of Louisville, Kentucky. One fateful day, this proud and bold young boy had that bike stolen, his prized possession, and he wouldn’t let it go. Not without a fight.

This would be the day he discovered boxing. And a champion was born.

Back matter includes biographical overview, photos, bibliography, and more resources.

*Brightly.com

About the Author

Gene Barretta is an award-winning author and illustrator of children's books. Among his honors are the Carolyn W. Field Award and the Bank Street Cook Prize Honor. His books include Lincoln and Kennedy: A Pair to Compare, Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin and Dear Deer: A Book of Homophones . Gene has contributed illustration and animation to Sesame Street and Between the Lions. He has also designed characters for the Jim Henson Company. He lives in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

About the Illustrator

Frank Morrison is the award-winning illustrator of many books for young readers, including Jazzy Miz Mozetta Brenda C. Roberts, winner of the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent; Katheryn Russell-Brown's Little Melba and Her Big Trombone, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor book; and Gene Barretta's Muhammad Ali. Before becoming a children's book illustrator and fine artist, Morrison toured the globe as a break-dancer. He lives in Georgia with his family.