Kwame Alexander is a poet, speaker, educator, and New York Times bestselling author of twenty-four books, including The Crossover, which received the 2015 John Newbery Medal for the Most Distinguished Contribution to American Literature for Children. His other works include the novels He Said, She Said and Booked, as well as his nonfiction debut, The Playbook: 52 Rules to Aim, Shoot, and Score in This Game Called Life. He is the cofounder of LEAP for Ghana, an international literacy program. Visit him at KwameAlexander.com. Mary Rand Hess is a poet, screenwriter, editor, and author of several books, including Animal Ark: Celebrating Our Wide World in Poetry and Pictures (National Geographic, 2017), which she coauthored with Deanna Nikaido and Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander.
Blade Morrison begins his story by disclosing, "I am / the wretched son / of a poor / rich man." Master storytellers and poets Alexander (The Crossover, 2014) and Hess (The Day I Met the Nuts, 2009) have joined forces to pen a rhythmic, impassioned ode to family, identity, and the history of rock and roll. The only things 17-year-old Blade can count on as the wealthy but neglected son of famously erratic rock god, Rutherford Morrison, are his soulful guitar ballads and his girlfriend, Chapel. When Rutherford disappoints Blade one time too many and they end up fighting, Blade's sister reveals the family's secret in a moment of anger: Blade is adopted. Suddenly the music leaves him; when Chapel is no longer there to anchor him either, Blade sets out to meet his birth mother. A mixtape of classic rock hits guides him from Los Angeles all the way to the small village of Konko, Ghana, where a delay getting to the school where his mother works brings him unexpected fulfillment. Scattered throughout the novel-in-verse are some of Blade's original rock ballads, though every poem feels like a song, pulsing with Alexander's signature lyrical style. Blade ends up finding much more than what he expects: self-discovery, community and a deeper understanding of what family means. Stared Booklist review for SOLO by Kwama Alexander HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Alexander has a history of appealing to teens of all sorts and a Newbery to his name; don't expect this collaboration to stay on shelves long. --- Caitlin Kling Booklist Two Starred view from Media Break! The 17-year-old son of a troubled rock star is determined to find his own way in life and love. On the verge of adulthood, Blade Morrison wants to leave his father's bad-boy reputation for drug-and-alcohol-induced antics and his sister's edgy lifestyle behind. The death of his mother 10 years ago left them all without an anchor. Named for the black superhero, Blade shares his family's connection to music but resents the paparazzi that prevent him from having an open relationship with the girl that he loves. However, there is one secret even Blade is unaware of, and when his sister reveals the truth of his heritage during a bitter fight, Blade is stunned. When he finally gains some measure of equilibrium, he decides to investigate, embarking on a search that will lead him to a small, remote village in Ghana. Along the way, he meets people with a sense of purpose, especially Joy, a young Ghanaian who helps him despite her suspicions of Americans. This rich novel in verse is full of the music that forms its core. In addition to Alexander and co-author Hess' skilled use of language, references to classic rock songs abound. Secondary characters add texture to the story: does his girlfriend have real feelings for Blade? Is there more to his father than his inability to stay clean and sober? At the center is Blade, fully realized and achingly real in his pain and confusion. A contemporary hero's journey, brilliantly told. (Verse fiction. 14-adult) Media Break
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