Booked by Kwame Alexander

Having to read a dictionary from beginning to end is not anyone's idea of entertainment. Yet, to Nick Hall's father, a wordsmith who has written a dictionary of unusual words, nothing could be further than the truth. The dictionary has become required reading for thirteen year old Nick...

A wordsmith himself, Kwame Alexander's free verse poetry always finds the right rhythm, tone and precision to voice Nick; an extremely bright, passionate soccer player suffering through the bends and curves that life brings. The poems capture the true voice of a thirteen year old boy whose parents are divorcing, is being bullied at school, and has a mad crush on a girl with whom he hasn't the foggiest idea of how to approach. He is supported by a well rounded, dedicated friend, Coby, parents who are supportive and loving, a school librarian that is cool and insightful, and April, the girl his heart melts for, who is understanding, patient, and who also has a crush...on Nick.

Alexander beautifully weaves the soccer play, and Nicks devotion to the sport, with all the emotional hurdles that Nick deals with. Humor abounds, and the word play is fun, with footnotes defining words learned from his father's dictionary and often funny commentary explaining why he used it. There are so many uses and discussion points for the classroom; dealing with divorce, bullying, relationships, as well as gaining an appreciation for poetry. Excellent for reluctant readers.
Mark's Picks Rating: 4

Reading Level: 3.9 • Interest Level: 4-7 • AR Points: 3 • Lexile: 660L
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin • 314 pages • Copyright: 2016 • ISBN: 978-0-544-57098-6 • Available in Perma-Bound Binding