Rebound

Written by Kwame Alexander

Narrated by Ron Butler

Hoop kings soar
in kicks with wings.
Game so sweet
it's like bee stings.
(Ouch!)
He swished you
in your face.
Stung you like
a can of mace.
These boys so fly
they're outta space!

Before he’s Chuck “Da Man” Bell, proud father of Jordan and Josh Bell, Charlie is a kid who dreams of basketball glory. In his mind, he can steal, jump, dunk, and make the crowd go wild just like a pro baller. But when tragedy strikes, Charlie can’t help but make all the wrong moves.
Will a series of missteps keep him benched, or can he learn how to rebound? Find out in the follow-up to Kwame Alexander’s slam-dunk novel The Crossover.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 2, 2018
• ISBN: 9781501994623

Kwame Alexander

Kwame Alexander is a poet, an educator, and the New York Times bestselling author of more than thirty-five books, including his Newbery Medal–winning middle grade novel The Crossover. Some of his other works include Booked, which was longlisted for the National Book Award; The Playbook: 52 Rules to Aim, Shoot, and Score in This Game Called Life; Swing; the picture books How to Read a Book and How to Write a Poem (coauthored with Deanna Nikaido), both illustrated by Melissa Sweet; and The Undefeated, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, which was longlisted for the National Book Award and won the Caldecott Medal, a Newbery Honor, and the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. He is a regular contributor to NPR’s Morning Edition, currently serving as their poet ambassador. He lives in Virginia with his family. Visit his website at kwamealexander.com. 

Reviews for Rebound

[maymay · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I LOVE the book. I've been playing basketball for a long time and this was what I needed ? ??

[skw · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An absolutely amazing read. A must for YAs and adults alike. This was just what me and my Sun needed on a Sunday afternoon 9000 miles from my hometown Baltimore. The character development was superb. CJ was my favorite from the start. Then of course Granddaddy. Once we are back in the states, this book will have a permanent spot in our library for sure! Thank You Kwame Alexander for sharing your gift with the world.

[stephmward · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I had no idea what to expect when I opened the cover of Rebound. It took about 10 pages for me to get used to the format -- this book is written in verse, in technical terms "a metrical line in a poetic composition", in other words, it's poetry. In addition, it weaves in a sort of comic strip/graphic novel element as the main character, Charlie Bell, imagines himself as a star basketball player. And it is an absolute pleasure to read.

This is the story of how Charlie Bell gets into trouble and goes to live with his grandparents after the death of his father. Reeling from the loss of his beloved dad, Charlie learns how to be a good friend, a good son and a good person. He doesn't always see eye-to-eye with his stern grandfather or his talented cousin, but he cherishes his time with his family and his best (girl) friend CJ. He learns to see that sometimes friends can be wrong, can do the wrong thing and that surrounding yourself with good people and good influences isn't just a good idea, it's your responsibility.

Rebound is a coming-of-age novel that is so well written, so keenly observed, so complex and yet simple at the same time, it is an absolutely absorbing and beautiful book to read.

[ecataldi-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful prequel to the award winning young adult novel, The Crossover. Written entirely in verse, Rebound follows Chuck Bell, the summer after his father's unexpected death when he is sent to stay with his grandparents. Angry and disinterested in everything except comics he is resigned to hate the whole summer but he soon discovers that he loves hanging with his father's family and to his surprise he's actually really good at basketball, a sport he always kind of avoided. The summer is filled with the Harlem Globetrotters, The Boys and Girls Club, comics, lawn mowing, and family. Chuck Bell has no idea how impactful this summer will be on the rest of his life. A slam dunk.

[lindamamak · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

prequel to The Crossover, the life of Chuck Bell father to the twins in the Crossover.