Interest LevelReading LevelReading A-ZATOSWord Count
Grades 4 - 8Grades 3 - 4n/a3.920343
National Book Award Long List
New York Times Bestseller


Like lightning/you strike/fast and free/legs zoom/down field/eyes fixed/on the checkered ball/on the goal/ten yards to go/can’t nobody stop you/
can’t nobody cop you…
In this follow-up to the Newbery-winning novel THE CROSSOVER, soccer, family, love, and friendship, take center stage as twelve-year-old Nick learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams. Helping him along are his best friend and sometimes teammate Coby, and The Mac, a rapping librarian who gives Nick inspiring books to read.
This electric and heartfelt novel-in-verse by poet Kwame Alexander bends and breaks as it captures all the thrills and setbacks, action and emotion of a World Cup match!
Hardcover, 320 pages
Published on April 5, 2016 by HMH Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 0544570987
ISBN-13: 9780544570986
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     Voting is open March 3 to May 9, 2017.
     
    Winners will be announced on May 31st at a special ceremony featuring the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Gene Luen Yang and publicized nationally!
     
    Voice your choice and tell us what your Book of the Year is!
     
    About:
    Launched in 2008 by the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader, the awards provide young readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions about new books being written for them.


    How were these finalists chosen? Each year, over 36,000 children from different regions of the U.S. read, discuss, and choose their favorite new books, with supervision from the International Literacy Association. The most popular books in each age group become the Children’s Choice Book Award finalists.