The Champ: The Story of Muhammad Ali

An engaging look at life and legacy of Muhammad Ali for readers of all ages

Muhammad Ali was one of the world’s best-known figures, and this incredible biography delves into precisely why. From his unlikely beginnings as a skinny, young Cassius Clay learning to box at a local gym to becoming the heavyweight champion of the world at the famous “Rumble in the Jungle,” where even the skies let loose with rain right after his victory, Ali has captivated the world. Tonya Bolden’s careful research and elegant telling, paired with R. Gregory Christie’s incredible paintings, make this a book that will inform and inspire readers of all ages.

"Bolden's engaging text has a free-verse structure punctuated with enthusiastic exclamations that is enjoyable to read aloud....  The illustrations are striking."
—School Library Journal (Starred review)"Bolden's engaging text has a free-verse structure punctuated with enthusiastic exclamations. . . . Christie's use of bold pinks and yellows, sketchy pencil lines, and dark strokes of paint illuminate the playful text and emphasize Ali's exciting life." - School Library Journal, StarredTonya Bolden is the author-editor of many wonderful, critically acclaimed books for adults and children. She lives in New York City.

R. Gregory Christie is a two-time Coretta Scott King Honor Book winner for illustration, most recently for his work on Anne Rockwell’s Only Passing Through, a picture-book biography of Sojourner Truth. He lives in Brooklyn, NY.