Twelve Rounds to Glory: The Story of Muhammad Ali

by Charles R. Smith Jr., Bryan Collier (Illustrator)

A dynamic author-illustrator team follows the threetime heavyweight champ through twelve rounds of a remarkable life.

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. . . . I’m the prettiest thing that ever lived!"

From the moment a fired-up teenager from Kentucky won 1960 Olympic gold to the day in 1996 when a retired legend, hands shaking from Parkinson’s, returned to raise the Olympic torch, the boxer known as "The Greatest" waged many a fight. Some were in the ring, against opponents like Sonny Liston and Joe Frazier; others were against societal prejudice and against a war he refused to support because of his Islamic faith. Charles R. Smith Jr.’s rap-inspired verse weaves and bobs and jabs with relentless energy, while Bryan Collier’s bold collage artwork matches every move — capturing the "Louisville loudmouth with the great gift of rhyme" who shed the name Cassius Clay to take on the world as Muhammad Ali.
Back matter includes a timeline.

Genres: Biography, Poetry, Picture Books, Sports, Nonfiction, African American, History

80 pages, Hardcover

First published November 13, 2007

About the author

Charles R. Smith Jr. is an award-winning author, photographer, and poet with more than thirty books to his credit. His awards include a Coretta Scott King Award for illustration for his photographs accompanying the Langston Hughes poem "My People" and a Coretta Scott King Honor for his biography of Muhammad Ali, Twelve Rounds to Glory. He is the author of Rimshots, Hoop Kings, Hoop Queens, Tall Tales, Short Takes, Diamond Life, and I Am America. A father of three himself, Charles brings his love of basketball and baseball right down to the toddler set in Let's Play Basketball! and Let's Play Baseball! His recent work celebrates subjects he's been interested in since he was a kid, such as The Mighty 12, which honors Greek gods and goddesses. He currently lives in Poughkeepsie, NY, with his wife, Gillian, and their three kids. You can visit him online at www.charlesrsmithjr.com.

Reviews

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time choosing a rating. The book is cleverly organized into 12 chapters(rounds), complete with "ding-ding" to show the end of the round. The text is poetic, and the images are lovely. I had a hard time with some of the content, though. It seemed to me that the author tried too hard to paint Ali as a totally good guy and then had trouble explaining multiple marriages and children out of wedlock, firing friends, etc. I lived when many of the events described were happening, and I see much to admire in Ali's life. But to paint it so glowingly? Some passages won't hold up well to careful scrutiny, I'm afraid, and reflect an interesting choice on the part of the author. What should writers do with material that doesn't fit the lens they choose to use for the information?

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nonfiction written in lyrical poetry form. A fabulous example of how to present nonfiction in a unique format. Corretta Scott King Award.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Energetic poems and beautiful illustrations.

[CH _Kenya Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this wonderful biography, Muhammad Ali life story is being told as a twelve right fight. It also reads like a large poem. It cronicles the life of a fired-up teenager from Kentucky who won 1960 Olympic gold to the day in 1996 when a retired legend, hands shaking from Parkinson’s, returned to raise the Olympic torch. It depicts Ali in the ring, against opponents like Sonny Liston and Joe Frazier as well as his experiences against societal prejudice and against a war he refused to support because of his Islamic faith. His story is inspirational and should be shared in classrooms with students especially middle school students.

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because we are having the author speak in the Spring, I'm reading as many of his Charles R Smith's books as I can handle. His topic is usually sports, which is why I can't read them all. He is SUCH a great middle grade poet, though. I love the style of this poetic biography of Ali, and I assure you I had no interest in Ali prior. That's some talent, there, getting me to be interested in a boxer and boxing!
I highly recommend this book to kids interested in boxing, and middle school students interested in poetry, boxing, or biographies. Heck, as an adult I loved this!

[₳₦₮ⱧØ₦Ɏ ₲ł฿฿₴ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think a theme for this book is to stay with what you think is right. In the book Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) was asked to fight in the Vietnam War but Muhammad said no because if his religion.

[529_Quincy Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twelve Rounds to Glory is the biography of Muhammad Ali's life told by Charles R. Smith. There are a few unique qualities in this biography which are truly captivating. First, Charles Smith managed to organize Muhammad Ali's entire life into 12 rounds. From beginning to end any person seemingly familiar with boxing is provided with an excellent schema which enables the reader to follow Ali's life in an organized way. Charles Smith also captured a number of exciting moments in the ring, even going so far as to describe each jab and hook. The language utilized is confident and poetic, any person who has heard Muhammad Ali speak would instantly associate the authors style of writing with Ali.

The Illustrations by Bryan Collier are striking and rich. The colors used to depict Muhammad Ali throughout the book shows a wide range of tone variation common in reality due to lighting but often neglected by other artists. The illustration on pages 38 and 39 I found particularly interesting. The style in itself has a pop-up book effect yet it is a flat image. The photographers depicted in the drawing actually seem to be taking pictures of you the reader. If you look behind the photographers what you may have dismissed as a simple black background becomes a sea of faces.

Muhammad Ali surely wasn't a perfect man, but he is a great example of how determination, self confidence, and hard work can help you achieve your dreams. Beyond stepping into the ring and beating some of the best boxers to ever wear gloves Ali defied the United States of America by dogging the draft from Vietnam when it wasn't popular. It is hard to imagine a man brave enough or crazy enough to do both in his lifetime, yet Ali stands as a testament that it can be done. There is also exposure to Islam (Nation of Islam and general practices).

I would recommend this book to any students who wishes to learn about Muhammad Ali by stepping in the ring.

[Orbs n Rings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a beautiful poetic expression of the life of Muhammad Ali, his life as a legend, an eloquent speaker and his heart of gold.

Twelve Rounds to Glory: The Story of Muhammad Ali is a poetic expression of Ali's life. From his birth in Louisville, Kentucky to his current life and struggles with Parkinson's Disease, follow along with each round of the book as Ali battles through his boxing career. In reviewing this book I learned about many highlights in Ali's life I was not aware of. Like his earliest interest in boxing brought on by a stolen bike, his encounter with man, a cop, who became his trainer. Ali's arrest, jail time and why, plus so much more. Each round a snippet of his life's greatest and not so greatest moments. This book ends with a glance at her personal life, his many wives, all his children and what he is doing today. In the back of the book you will find a timeline which outlines his career from 1942 up to his retirement from boxing in 1981. Written by Ali's son this book is not just about his fathers boxing career, but also about the struggles Ali encountered in breaking the mold. Which as a black man included standing up for himself and eloquently speaking out. Throughout his career Ali was his own promoter by his use of words in a constant poetical and lyrical motion. I feel this is an excellent book for a not only children but also for adults who would like to learn more about Muhammad Ali. A legend, a boxer who fought not for money but to express his strength, pride and his freedom, his character passed down to Ali from his own father, Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr.

[Griffin G · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author explains to the reader how you should never stop to do what you love and follow your dreams. The setting takes place in many different places all over the world, but he was born in Kentucky where he did not have a lot of money and had to work very hard. He boxed in the middle/late 1900's against some of the best boxers in the world. The protagonist of the novel is Muhammed Ali who is a professional boxer and is one of the best in the world. The story is told in third person omniscient and gives details about what Muhammed is thinking. Muhammed Ali born as Cassius Clay worked hard and hard to be a boxer and faced many obstacles. He had to face many consequences, but fought through them to follow his dream and do what he loved.

I think that this book was very good and was full of action and adventure. When Cassius was entered to serve in the army and refused although he knew he would have to go to jail, he did it for the love of the sport. I thought it got a little boring at times when it didn't give full detail about certain things, but overall I thought the book was very good. I had a text to self connection because my grandfather once served in the army, and also I play sports and they largely affect my life. The reader understands to always follow your dreams and to not let anything get in your way to achieve those dreams. I believe that the whole book was good although it had slow points. I would recommend this book to all my friends because of all the events that occur and are interesting.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptional picturebook biography with layout and verse and art style that portray the essence of Muhmmad Ali. The book is organized in 12 rounds based on significant events or stages of his life. The the light filled almost glowing collage illustrations seem to jump from the dark background pages. The book portray the ups and downs of his professional career and personal life without glossy over his failings. Quotes and phrases in bold large black print at odd angles and placement on the page remind me of Ali's personal style that was flamboyant and unpredictable. Ali was known to taunt his opponents and play up to the press with rhyming chants so it seems appropriate that the main text of the book is written in a rhythmic rapping style, however in parts this seems contrived and at times especially in the beginning of the book I had to read passages 2 or 3 times to understand the the message or facts being conveyed. I imagine many children will have difficulty reading and understanding the rhyming text.
Muhammed Ali was a man of his time, whose life was affected by racism, rising black pride, and the Vietman War. He lived in a time in which disadvantaged young men could gain wealth and social standing by competing in a brutal sport. Now an aged Ali's body is failing from severe Parkinson but his faith and spirit are still strong and he is an amazing inspiration to people around the world.

[Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some books I pick up because I'm a children's librarian but end up reading for myself. DREAMHUNTER was one of those books. TWELVE ROUNDS TO GLORY was not. There was never a moment in which I didn't know that my profession was the only reason I was reading an illustrated biography about Muhammad Ali, written in verse.

While reading the book I assumed that it won the King honor for the illustrations, which are excellent. But no, I went back and checked and it won for the writing. Huh. I really, really don't understand the committee's choices this year. I felt the text oversimplified and glorified a very controversial person - even the section about his four wives made him sound misunderstood.

I didn't read much of the poetry out loud, so can't comment too much on it, but it occasionally rhymed and often didn't, and sometimes felt like metered rhyme and sometimes free verse. Not my favorite poetic style.

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've decided to read 29 children's book during Black History month 2016. This was book #28. 12 Rounds of Glory: The Story of MUHAMMAD ALI by Charles R. Smith, Jr. Illustrated by Bryan Collier. I've loved Ali since I was a child and my dad would talk about him and how amazing he was. This book details Ali's life in 12 rounds...from Cassius Clay to Mighty Mouth to Ali to Champ of the World to Retired Peace Maker. Smith uses some of Ali's rhymes while creating unique prose to chronicle this story. The artwork is brilliant and clearly shows Ali's transformation through the years. Another outstanding display of historical significance that everyone should know.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not particularly interested in Muhammad Ali, but Charles R. Smith Jr.'s poetry is so catchy and readable that I enjoyed the book all the same. I met Smith recently at a dinner, and heard him recite/perform some of his poetry, which is heavily influenced by rap. Oddly, while I don't care for rap, I really like his poetry. I also like the way he divided the book into 12 chapters he called "rounds" to tell the story of Ali's life. This book certainly deserved the Coretta Scott King honor book award it received. I look forward to reading more books by Smith.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and skillfully illustrated, this biography of Muhammad Ali was enlightening and inspirational. I was not a big fan of the illustrations, specifically the "fight" scenes where a starburst-like image appears where a hit would be, but the verse is direct, especially for boys, but still gives a wealth of knowledge. Even with an overview of his life, I want to know more, especially his smart talk with opponents and attitude toward life and his religion.

A great story for anyone.

[Alma Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book composed of twelve poems that are used to tell the life of Muhammad Ali, a great American boxer. The poems begin with his birth and continue on to his adolescence, where Muhammad's rambunctious personality arises and he begins to take interest in boxing. Growing up he continues to box and quickly becomes an excellent boxer because of his incredible skill. Years later, Muhammad is faced with Parkinson's syndrome and is forced to end his boxing career. He still is alive and continues to fight the disease just as hard as he would once box.

[Andrew Hartze · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was very creative and pretty fun to read. I liked the way the author put it in ryhme. It was almost as if he were just talking to Muhammad Ali first hand,and telling Muhammad his life story. This was because the author used the word you, meaning Muhammad Ali. It was interesting reading some more of his quotes. My favorite was "you think the world was shocked when Nickson resigned,just wait till I whup Formans behind!" The pictures were very neat too.

[Torien Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the novel" 12 Rounds to Glory: The Story of Muhammad Ali" by Charles R. Smith Jr., twists a biography with history and religion. It reviews Muhammad's struggle to greatness. All the obstacles he had to face that could of caused his career to vanish. It shows that the words Muhammad Ali choose to antagonize his opponents, was actually poetic. This novel captures his life inside the ring. Also, what he had to deal with outside the ring as well.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very innovative book with verse that mirrors Ali's assertive jabbing and bobbing. Collier's illustrations are vibrant and powerful, especially his Ali with lifted hands, at their best with an impressionistic approach - his close-up human figures were less satisfying - or his masterful use of collage. The book is too demanding in its length and its hagiographic approach to Ali - while not hiding his weaknesses, they are couched in his greatness. The display text is a great match for this book.

[Linette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really liked the concept of telling the story of Muhammed Ali in 12 poems. The language was beautifully written. But the overall was like listening to Muhammed Ali bragging constantly. I could hear the rap. Cleverly written. For me, however no person is perfect and this, even with the last poem about Parkinson's disease and Ali being only human still felt like a glorification of the man.

[Richie Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

31 October 2007 TWELVE ROUNDS TO GLORY: THE STORY OF MUHAMMAD ALI by Charles R. Smith Jr., illustrated by Bryan Collier, Candlewick, November 2007, ISBN: 978-7636-1692-2.

"You think the world was shocked when Nixon resigned?
Wait till I whup George Forman's behind.

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee,
His hands can't hit what his eyes can't see.
Now you see me, now you don't,
George thinks he will, but I know he won't.

I done wrassled with an alligator,
I done tussled with a whale,
Only last week I murdered a rock,
Injured a stone, hospitalized a brick,
I'm so mean I make medicine sick."
-- Muhammad Ali (as quoted in TWELVE ROUNDS TO GLORY)

Back in June, when the American Library Association was meeting in Washington, D.C., I had the opportunity to spend some quality time over in the National Portrait Gallery. After immersing myself in historical portraits for hours, blissfully wandering through dozens of rooms, alcoves and hallways, I had the good fortune to encounter an amazing exhibit titled "Being There," which showcased more than one hundred unforgettable photographs by Harry Benson. It was like looking at a visual soundtrack of the world I've experienced through the media over my five decades of life on Earth.

While there were a number of photos in the exhibit with which I was quite familiar, one that I could not believe I'd never seen before has Muhammad Ali with his boxing gloves laced up, clowning with the Beatles when they visited his training camp in 1964.

It was so fascinating to see John Lennon and Muhammad Ali together in a photo like that, one that was taken in the era when I first got to see each of them on television, a sweet, innocent time for me despite the recent Presidential assassination having shaken my childhood.

"I ain't got no quarrel with the VietCong. No VietCong ever called me nigger."
-- Muhammad Ali

"If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace."
-- John Lennon

It would be these two larger-than-life figures, two of the most famous people in world that I've lived through, two men I idolized from the early Sixties onward, who would change my life and my outlook on everything I'd previous thought, when each spoke out so passionately during my young adolescent years against the Vietnam War.

TWELVE ROUNDS TO GLORY is a visual and textual celebration of the life and times of a great American hero. Amidst the recounting of his legendary boxing career -- bout-by-memorable-bout -- we see how Ali's legacy as a man of conscience, an antiwar spokesman whose words echoed the world over, became one of the pivotal aspects of his life. The other legacy, also portrayed so vividly here, is of Ali's desire to help those in need, and his need to eventually go back into the ring at an age when he shouldn't have done so in order to earn huge paychecks that could be used to finance care for the underprivileged in America. It is so sad to contemplate how Ali might be in far better shape today if he'd not felt it necessary to put his physical well-being, his mortal body, on the line for the sake of others.

Woven into TWELVE ROUNDS OF GLORY are significant chapters of the story of the America of my own lifetime:

"Admired and loved
by your Olympic peers,
you soon returned home
to parades of wild cheers
that greeted you
as you stepped off the plane
with hundreds of people
all chanting your name:
'Ca-shus,
Ca-shus,
' they roared across Louisville.
But the welcome was short
because away from the sport
the country you fought for still
put people, like laundry,
in two separate piles,
and forced you, a black man, to deal
with hate-filled words
spit into your ear,
like, 'I don't care who you are,
boy; get out of here!'
With anger and hate directed at you
they tried to sucker-punch your pretty brown face.
But anger and hate, thrown like weak jabs,
couldn't knock out
a prince of black race.
Sparking fire inside,
fanning flames of black pride,
fanning flames of courage
and heart you would ride
while blazing your path
as you turned pro,
you burned with a fire
that set you aglow.
Fighting opponents and hatred
with two glowing gloves,
you spoke your mind freely
while radiating love.
A black prince perched
on the precipice of fame,
young Cassius, the world
would soon chant your name."

Illustrator Bryan Collier -- who is a champion in his own right with repeated Caldecott and Coretta Scott King award recognition -- has created watercolor-and-collage images that often have the larger-than-life Ali busting right out of the pages. Large blocky text quotes and sounds from the ring dance through the pages, peppering the verses of text and providing balance to the paintings.

"If God's with me, can't nobody be against me!"
-- Cassius Clay

TWELVE ROUNDS TO GLORY is one of those joyful noise books: it didn't matter a bit that I was sitting here alone (not counting the old dog downstairs). I just couldn't help but to read the whole book cover to cover, aloud and loudly, getting into the groove of the rhythm and the rhyme of the verse.

"THWACK!"

Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com

[Latitude 33 Bookshop · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful picture book for nine year olds and up. It tells about the life of Muhammad Ali in verse and poetry-slam style. I am fascinated by the life of Ali and loved this book by Charles Smith Jr. with amazing illustrations by Bryan Collier.

[Starr Elementary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. As a child growing up during Ali's rise, I watched this happen, but didn't really "pay attention". It was amazing to learn about Ali as a person and not just the personality that he was in the boxing ring.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. As a child growing up during Ali's rise, I watched this happen, but didn't really "pay attention". It was amazing to learn about Ali as a person and not just the personality that he was in the boxing ring.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful book about a controversial figure. I think Smith did a great job telling a full story. While clearly he is a great admirer of Ali he didn't shy away from including a few of Ali's less admirable moments. My only criticism is I think it goes on a little too long.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Norman A. Sugarman Children’s Biography Honor Awards selected for 2008.

[Candi]

Ages 10 and up

[Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book written in poetry style. I liked the idea of it, but either I was distracted or I just was not that in to it...

[Nor · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first time read a book of English poem. It was nice. The atory is about Muhammad Ali's battle & struggle to be a world champ.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Alex]

This is about Muhammad Ali and his journey through his boxing career. How he got to the top, and how he eventually came to the end of his career due to Parkinson's.