The graphic novel version of Kwame Alexander's Booked would be a good addition to the middle or high school library collection. The minimalist drawings are still attention-grabbing and build off of and enhance the text. I have actually not read the verse novel version of Booked, so the whole storyline was new to me. I did feel the story was a little jumbled or choppy at times, bouncing between aspect's of Nick's life. But the story was not hard to follow, the topics will be relatable for younger kids, and the pacing was appropriate Thank you to the publishers and #NetGalley for the ARC.

I read The Crossover in 2015 and rated it 5 stars. While I didn't love Booked as much, it was still an engaging story about a young boy who loves soccer and deals with issues related to family, bullies, and his first crush. My 4th grade students love graphic novels so I know they would enjoy the cute illustrations, but I'm curious how they would feel about the overuse of complex vocabulary and the various subplots throughout this book.

This book was received as an ARC from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group - Etch/HMH Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I am a fan of the work of Kwame Alexander and have read Crossover and it is one of our most popular books in our collection. I could not get enough of Booked and how Nick had to deal with drama in school and in home with his overachieving father and controlling mother and he made a name for himself on the soccer field. Since this book has so much diversity of multiple cultures, I know this book will do very well in our library. I can see this book circulating very well in our library and potentially becoming the second graphic novel chosen for Battle of the Books for the future years to come.

We will consider adding this title to our JGraphic Novel collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.