Kwame Crashes the Underworld by Craig Kofi Farmer - ADVISABLE

Kwame Crashes the Underworld by Craig Kofi Farmer, 335 pages. Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2024. $18. 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Kwame is about to go on a trip to Ghana. His grandmother recently passed away and his family is going to her celebration of life, but he's reluctant. He is choosing to not address his grief and is trying to get out of the trip. But, the night before he is to go, he's staying over at his friend's house when suddenly, they are attacked by an aboatia, a whistling monkey like mythical creature. It steals his dashiki (a shirt his grandmother made him) and he and his friend Amber chase it until they fall into another world - a world where Kwame discovers he is a "shard of mother earth" and a special one - tasked with saving the world. 

Full of adventure, monsters, gods and culture, Kwame Crashes the Underworld was an exciting read. Kwame learns about where he came from, builds a respect for his grandmother's culture and fights a bunch of demons and monsters. Amber is hearing impaired and even with no special powers (Kwame has a cool magical sword) she holds her own against them as well. There are a lot of these mythical books in so many cultures, this one contains a glossary. Kwame is African American Ghanan, Amber is Afro Korean 

Lisa Librarian 

Booked by Kwame Alexander - ESSENTIAL

Alexander, Kwame Booked, 314 pgs. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016. Language: G (1 swear); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG.  

Nick loves soccer and he’s a really good athlete. In fact, he’s the best player on his team.  His best friend Coby plays for a different team, and he’s the best, too.  Both teams have been invited to a very prestigious Soccer Tournament in Dallas, so the boys are very excited. Plus, the girl he likes probably likes him back!  Nick’s life should be perfect, but it isn’t.  He’s bullied at school, has a strict father who makes him read a dictionary for “homework” and now, his parents are separating and his mother is moving away to Kentucky leaving Nick with his dad.  

Kwame Alexander is an amazing poet.  This novel in verse reads like a soccer match; thrilling, poignant and full of excitement.  I love how Alexander takes a sports story and makes it really about a family problem. Oh, and it's also about reading! Lots of great books are mentioned, we have a champion for children's lit!  Such a great read. There are not enough soccer books out there; this one is a winner.  Goal!  

MS - ESSENTIAL  Lisa Librarian

The Playbook by Kwame Alexander - GIFT

Alexander, Kwame The Playbook : 52 Rules to Aim, Shoot, and Score in this Game Called Life, 169 pgs. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017. $14.99. Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.   

This book is a collection of 52 life rules, some inspirational life sketches and personal reflections on Kwame Alexander’s life.  Unlike his other novels in verse, this one is missing Alexander’s intense poetry.  

The book design is wonderful! The end papers are textured to feel like a basketball. However, 52 is a lot of rules.  The short biographies (Pele, the Williams sisters, LaBron James) give good insight to successful people, but they are hidden in a book that is more “words of wisdom” than text.  I supposed this would be a good gift (birthday? graduation?) but it would need some promotion in a middle school library.  It’s not like his other books.  

MS - GIFT Lisa Librarian

Becoming Muhammud Ali by James Patterson, Kwame Alexander, and Dawud Anyabwile - ESSENTIAL

Becoming Muhammud Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile, BIOGRAPHY 320 pages, jimmy patterson (Little, Brown and Company). 2020. $17

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (Boxing)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Cassius Clay grew up in Louisville, Kentucky. He had a bunch of great friends, including Lucky - who helps narrate this story.  Growing up in the 1940s and 1950s, Cassius wasn't allowed to hang out wherever he wanted, couldn't go to the cool amusement park with his brother Rudy, or even look at a new bike outside a shop in town without getting chased away by the owner.  More than anything, though, Cassius wanted to box - on TV.  Patterson and Alexander tell a gripping story of perseverance  and focus, as they recount the childhood of world famous boxer Muhammad Ali.

James Patterson's prose - the perspective of Cassius' best friend Lucky, and Kwame Alexander's poetry as the voice of Clay is outstanding. Even kids with no prior knowledge of Muhammad Ali will be engaged and excited as they watch this young boy focus everything on his boxing.  The illustrations are incredible, black and white drawings by The Crossover graphic artist Dawud Anyabwile capture the 1950's perfectly.


Lisa Librarian

Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek by Kwame Mbalia - OPTIONAL

Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek by Kwame Mbalia, 460 pages. Disney Hyperion, 2024. $18 

Language: G (3 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (bullying, physically fighting, peril, danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

After trouble at home in North Carolina, 12yo Jax Freeman is sent to Chicago to live with his grandmother and uncle. Almost immediately, he begins seeing strange things—and soon discovers he’s a summoner, descended from a long line of them. Thrown into a new school, Jax meets friends who share similar magical abilities and begins a crash course in his hidden heritage. But Chicago has its own problems. One of his new friends goes missing, the city’s five magical families are locked in bitter feuds, and the Freeman name has carried blame and suspicion for generations. Young and inexperienced, Jax and his friends must risk everything to find their missing friend, mend the rift between the families, and clear his family’s name once and for all.

A lot is happening here—between the world-building, the history of the magic, and the heritage behind it all, it was sometimes a lot to keep track of. That said, the magical adventure itself was great. Jax is a strong character; he makes mistakes, but he handles the chaos around him with humor, which makes him easy to root for. I enjoyed all of the train references and history. Now that this book has laid much of the groundwork, I think the second installment will be easier to follow. Some parts were explained in detail, while others felt a bit glossed over, but overall, it set up an intriguing start to the series. All of the characters are Black.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian 

Animal Ark by Kwame Alexander - OPTIONAL

Alexander, Kwame  Animal Ark  Illustrated by Joel Sartore  PICTURE BOOK  National Geographic, 2017.  $15.99  Content: G.   

This is a poem about animals and how special they are.  Each page has a line from the poem with an attractive photograph of cute and interesting animals.  The poem implores the reader to have an interest in protecting and respecting animals in our world.  There is a note from the photographer and the poet at the end of the book that explains their love and interest in wild animals and the style of poem used.  There are a few pages that open up to a full spread including the last page which gives the names of the animals.  There are not any facts about the animals throughout.  This book is more about the poem and the idea that animals are important to our world.  As cute as the photographs are and the poem has a great rhythm, the book seemed to be lacking the kind of real information National Geographic usual provides.  

EL (K-3) – OPTIONAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander - - ESSENTIAL

Alexander, Kwame The Crossover, 237 pgs. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing, 2014. $16.99. Language: G (0 swears); Violence: PG; Mature Content: PG. 

Josh and Jordan are twins and basketball players.  Their dad played a little pro b-ball, but now coaches his boys from the bleachers. As 7th graders with a great game, they are stars of their team, but now it’s time to start growing up, and that means consequences when rules are broken.  

Told in verse (great verse by the way, it’s like reading rap) this novel reads like a basketball game, fast paced with some unexpected game changers.  An excellent Newbery Medal Winner. 

EL MS - - ESSENTIAL  Lisa Librarian

Rebound by Kwame Alexander - ESSENTIAL

Alexander, Kwame Rebound, 414 pages. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018. $17. Language: PG (1 swear, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG.

In this thrilling prequel to Crossover, 12-year-old Charlie has had a rough year.  He and his dad had been planning this year’s summer vacation, but when dad collapses in the kitchen right in front of Charlie, and the hospital does all they can, but it doesn’t save him, Charlie turns from a sweet boy into an angry teenager.  Mom is having trouble making ends meet, and when Charlie steals from his neighbor’s front porch, that’s the last straw - it’s off to his grandparents for the summer. His cousin Roxie lives nearby, and together they spend time at the Boys and Girls club, where Charlie really starts to get good at basketball. But the pain of his dad’s death is ever present, his grandparents feel it too.  Loss is hard.

The poetic rhythm of the on court action is magical.  But, even more magical are the short comic panels interspersed with Charlie’s dreams of being a super basketball player.  What a terrific addition to an already wonderful book! The rest of the story is full of heart, joy sadness and love. I loved the nostalgia of the skating rink, the arcade and the comic books.  This one will stay with me, I’ve been thinking about it all day.  Charlie is so likeable, his cantankerous grandfather was just like mine.

EL, MS - ESSENTIAL  Lisa Librarian

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander - ESSENTIAL

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile, 217 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019. $13.

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: PG; Violence: G. 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Josh (Filthy McNasty) and Jordan (JB) are twins and basketball players. Their dad played a little pro b-ball, but now coaches his boys from the bleachers. As 7th graders with a great game, they are stars of their team, but now it’s time to start growing up, and when JB gets a girlfriend, (and Josh likes the girl, too) Josh worries that his brother and he may be playing different games, and he's angry. If Josh can't control his temper, he can't play ball. 

I love the graphic novel version! Well edited for the format and Dawud Anyabwile's illustrations are perfect. I haven't read the original novel in a couple of years, so the story was fresh. Slam Dunk!

Lisa Librarian

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia - OPTIONAL

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia, 482 pages, Disney Hyperion, 2019, $18.

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content G; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: MS – OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

7th grader, Tristan Strong has gone to his grandparent’s farm to recover from losing his best friend, Eddie.  His first night there he is attacked by a strange ten inch doll-like creature named Gum Baby, that makes off with Eddie’s journal of African and American African stories.  Tristan follows and inadvertently rips a hole into the world of Alke, where the old stories and their Gods exist.  The hole in the sky causes life-threatening problems for Alke’s residents.   To top it off, a haint has followed him.  Tristan must save Alke’s world before the destruction spills over into his own. 

I really wanted to like this story more because there is a dearth of good African heritage mythology brought into modern times.  This book suffer from its strength though: too much action.  There is so much going on that I’m not sure Tristan even had a chance to use the bathroom (not that we need to know that, but you get the idea).  Because of that, there isn’t much character development or tension build up. So at 482 pages, the book felt superficial and long.  This book also left me wishing for a pronunciation guide for the African names and a short note about what was actual mythology.   

Michelle in the Middle

Black Star by Kwame Alexander - ESSENTIAL

Black Star (Door of No Return #2) by Kwame Alexander, 384 pages. Little, Brown, 2024. $18.

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (lynching mentioned) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Charlene (Charley) is good at baseball. She can pitch with both hands and hits well, too. But except for Cool Willie Green and Henry, called Socks, she doesn't have a team. Being black in the segregated south in the 1920s leaves her few options, so when the town bully challenges Charley and her "team" to a baseball game at the church picnic, Charley accepts, even though 3 kids aren't really a team. 

Black Star is the 2nd in Alexander's novel in verse trilogy, The Door of No Return. Kofi from the 1st book is now Charley's wise and beloved grandfather. I was on the edge of my seat for the last half of the book, loved Nana's stories and the glimpses of his history. Alexander now has a Basketball title (Crossover), a Soccer Title (Booked) and now this one about Baseball. An essential purchase, especially if you have The Door of No Return. 

Lisa Librarian 

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia, Robert Venditti, and Olivia Stephens - ADVISABLE

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia, adapted by Robert Venditti, illustrated by Olivia Stephens, 128 pages, GRAPHIC NOVEL. Disney Hyperion. 2022. $22. 9781368075008

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content PG; Violence: PG (friend’s death, fighting)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

7th grader Tristan Strong is staying with his grandparents following the traumatic loss of his friend. While there, he accidentally rips open a rift into the world, Mid Pass. He finds the inhabitants there struggling against an evil that is threatening not only MidPass but could spill over into our world. Tristan encounters Black American folk heroes, John Henry and Brer Rabbit in his quest to return home and help MidPass. To accomplish this, he must find the trickster Anansi, who may hold the key to helping both worlds. 

Loaded with adventure, the graphic novel keeps up a frenetic pace as Tristan battles foe after foe. This is a nice companion to the novel version. It’s helpful to get a visual on the iron monsters and the different facets of MidPass. The artwork is vibrant and laid out well. Those interested in Black American folk lore will enjoy this telling.

Michelle in the Middle 

Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin - ADVISABLE

Illegal by Eoin Colfer and Andrew Donkin, illustrated by Giovanni Rigano, 125 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Sourcebooks (Jabberwocky) 2018. $20.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 'f') Mature Content: PG (mention of brothel) Violence: PG (peril, death) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

When Ebo discovers that his brother Kwame has left their village in search of their sister Sisi and a better life in Europe, he follows. It's a dangerous journey, and Ebo must find work along the way to make enough money to pay the smugglers for passage across the desert and the ocean. A chance meeting brings the brothers together, but the condition of their boat and the fact that neither can swim may be their end. 

Colfer and Donkin have told a tragic story, based on the actual experiences of thousands of refugees. It's heartbreaking that these are children on their own, hiding and fighting for survival. Rigano's illustrations change the color palette to help keep track of the non-linear plot (the story starts near the end - when they are on the ocean, and is mostly told through flashbacks) While it may be terribly close to home for some of my refugee students, Illegal is a great book for building empathy and informing my patrons about this world problem.

Lisa Librarian

Flying Lessons and Other Stories by Ellen Oh - ADVISABLE

Oh, Ellen (Editor), Flying Lessons & Other Stories, 216 pgs., Random House Children’s Books, 2017. Language: G ( 0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: G .   

This compilation of 10 different stories by 10 different authors celebrates diversity – and – basketball, independence, friendship, family, and culture.  We need Diverse Books organized this anthology because we need more books with children of color, with children with disabilities and with children in various life circumstances.  

Every story was well written, and the message of diversity wasn’t “in your face.”  This is a great collection of authors – Kwame Alexander, Kelly J. Baptist, Soman Chainani, Matt de la Pena, Tim Federle, Grace Lin, Meg Medina, Walter Dean Myers, Tim Tingle, and Jacqueline Woodson. Children and teens that read these stories will see themselves, universal truths, and diverse lives.  

EL, MS – ADVISABLE  Lisa Librarian

Standing in the Need of Prayer by Carole Boston Weatherford and Frank Morrison - ADVISABLE

Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison. PICTURE BOOK Crown (Random House). 2022. $19. 9780593306345 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

The lyrics of Standing in the Need a Prayer have been reworked to chronicle African American history. From the slave trade, through Emancipation, illustrations of heroes like the Tuskegee Airman, Martin Luther King and Ruby Bridges, Florence Griffith Joyner, and Colin Kaepernick, rounding out with Black Lives Matter. 

Frank Morrison's illustrations are gorgeous! Reminded me of Kwame Alexander's Undefeated in both purpose and style. I loved that there was a reference section talking about each of the featured people, as well as some great online resources. 

Lisa Librarian

The People Remember by Ibi Zoiboi and Loveis Wise - ESSENTIAL

The People Remember by Ibi Zoiboi, illustrated by Loveis Wise. PICTURE BOOK Balzer + Bray (Harper Collins), 2021 $20.00 9780062915641 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Using the principals of Kwanzaa, Ibi Zoboi lyrically tells the story of African Americans. Beginning in Africa (with an amazing poem for two voices)she writes about the slave ships, the ocean, the plantations, Harriet Tubman, emancipation, the great migration, celebrations, religion, and community. She mentions historic figures in industry, music, civil rights, literature and politics, and continues through today, recognizing the recent victims of violence. 

Zobois' debut picture book is magnificent. Like Kwame Alexander's "Undefeated", this is an important book - the histories are very brief, it is beautifully illustrated and will be a terrific addition to my picture book section. A great read anytime of year , but certainly one I will pull out with the Kwanzaa books in December.

:Lisa Librarian