STORY SYNOPSIS Boastful, explosive, committed and controversial, Muhammad Ali is one of the greatest and most revered athletic figures in American history. His tale is not just one of athletic prowess. Ali’s story is one of commitment and dedication, humanitarianism, religious conviction, and standing up for one’s beliefs. His great traits also brought great detractors, especially in his early years, as he was pompous and vocal, frequently disparaging his opponents inside and out of the ring. Ali gave up boxing for his religious beliefs, refusing to fight in the Vietnam War, bringing about him banning from his sport and prosecution (which was later overturned). Once his court battle was finished Ali boxed again and again. Age and Parkinson’s may have caused his retirement from boxing but only deepened his religious faith and turned him toward charitable and humanitarian work. Muhammad Ali is a man who secured the release of American hostages from Iraq in 1990, carried the Olympic torch in Georgia in 1996, and was named a Messenger of Peace by the United Nations in 1998. To this day, America’s great sports legend travels more than 200 days per year for good causes and donates to charities. REVIEW MUHAMMAD ALI: AMERICAN CHAMPION is not just a sports story. It is a glimpse into the heart of a great African American man who earned fame with his hands, but remained an influential character because of his heart. The story is condensed for young readers (elementary and middle school), but is a good overview of the man beyond his boxing abilities. He is a hero that children can admire and emulate. He epitomizes the American ideal in that he: • Is focused and committed to his goals (boxing); • When defeated (and he was several times) he trained harder; • Gave up his sport for what he believed in; • Used his fame for good; • He continues to serve others The comic celebrates his life beyond boxing and helps inspire readers to do more for themselves and others. IN THE CLASSROOM I suspect that most kids have heard of Muhammad Ali the amazing boxer, but I seriously doubt most students are familiar with his character and controversies. It is his efforts outside the ring that really make the man interesting and unforgettable. The man who never gave up is worth studying in the classroom. This comic would be a great story to use when studying a unit on heroes. Sure, we have mythological heroes, super heroes, but we also have real life heroes – those modern day persons who create good in the world. While kids would no doubt chose police officers, fire fighters, and military personnel, Muhammad Ali would be a great sports hero who has added so much great to the world beyond his athleticism. I recommend using the THIEVES method of reading nonfiction with MUHAMMAD ALI: AMERICAN CHAMPION. This method increases student understanding of the nonfiction texts by giving them lifelong reading strategies, which can also be utilized when trying to comprehend texts during standardized tests. OTHER INFORMATION Direct quotes from primary sources are depicted in a pale yellow (the references are published in the front of the book). The book also includes a table of contents, chapter headings, additional facts, a glossary with pronunciation guide, reading suggestions, a bibliography and an index. MY RECOMMENDATION: Highly Recommended. http://graphicclassroom.blogspot.com/2010/02/muhammad-ali-american-champion.html
The Graphic Classroom Blog
Books written in graphic format are favorites of mine! It makes it perfect for students who are reluctant readers and never seem to finish a book on their own. It is also a wonderful way to introduce nonfiction books to young people. Young adults who want to read anything they can get their hands on will enjoy the graphics, exhilarating stories, and fast paced text. The full-color graphics make an enormous impact on the story. The author includes a box on most pages that includes narration that gives extra information to the reader to help with comprehension. Vocabulary has been well selected, and this book is an excellent resource that could be used for writing a summary, a book report, or as a source for research. The reader will learn how Ali began boxing when he had his bike stolen as a child and wanted to find the person to took it and beat him up. A wise police officer who taught boxing took Mohammad under his wing and taught him the fine art of boxing. From there, the reader will follow his career. They will also read about how Rope a Dope and the Ali Shuffle were moves Ali made in the ring. There are four chapters in just 27 pages, and all major facts are well covered. At the end of the book, the author includes two pages of more information. In addition, there is a Glossary, Read More Section, Internet Sites, Bibliography, and Index. I highly recommend this book for children who want to start their own personal libraries, for classroom and school libraries, and for enticing the reluctant reader.
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