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Patterson & Alexander Write Ali Book

/ CBS Detroit

NEW YORK (AP) — Authors James Patterson and Authors James Patterson and Kwame Alexander are teaming up on a book for young people about Muhammad Ali.  are teaming up on a book for young people about Muhammad Ali.
LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 01: Author Kwame Alexander arrives at the 44th NAACP Image Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on February 1, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for NAACP Image Awards)

 

"Becoming Muhammad Ali" is being called a "biographical novel" by the rival imprints JIMMY Paterson Books and HMH Books for Young Readers, which will jointly publish the book and announced it Monday. "Becoming Muhammad Ali" comes out Oct. 5.
The book is authorized by the late boxer's estate and by his widow, Lonnie Ali, who said in a statement, "Muhammad would be proud to know that this story will be a source of inspiration for kids everywhere."
Patterson and Alexander will use poetry and prose to tell of Ali's childhood in Louisville, Kentucky, when he was named Cassius Clay.
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 05: James Patterson signs copies of his new book co-writed with Bill Clinton "The President Is Missing" at Barnes & Noble, 5th Avenue on June 5, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images)

 

"I'm thrilled to be partnering with Kwame in honoring the life of a legend," Patterson said in a statement. "Few people know Muhammad Ali as Cassius Clay, and his journey to becoming Ali is truly inspiring. It'll show young kids the importance of perseverance in pursuing their dreams and most importantly, to never give up."
25th February 1964: American boxer Cassius Clay, later Muhammad Ali, celebrates his win over Sonny Liston in their heavyweight title fight at Miami Beach, Florida. Clay won the contest, becoming world champion for the first time, when Liston failed to come out at the start of the seventh round. (Photo by Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images)

 

Added Alexander, who recalled reading Ali's memoir "The Greatest" as a child: "I couldn't put the book down. So, when Jim called and said we should write a novel together, about Ali, it was like coming full circle."
JIMMY Patterson Books is an imprint of Hachette Book Group and HMH Books for Young Readers is part of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
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First published on March 16, 2020 / 10:19 AM EDT

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