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69th out of 107 books
—
105 voters
Chess Rumble
by
G. Neri (Goodreads Author)
A story in free verse about a troubled boy who learns to use his mind instead of his fists through the guidance of an unconventional mentor and teh game of chess.
Hardcover, 62 pages
Published
November 1st 2007
by Lee & Low Books
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gr maybe mature 4th to 9th grade
Before I opened this book, I was expecting a graphic novel. However, it is a Novel in free verse form with occasional illustrations done by Jesse Joshua Watson. The point of view is a kid - maybe 5-7th grade who is getting into a lot of trouble, after his sister dies and his father leaves the family. He is convinced that everyone around him is out to get him. Lucky for his future, the principal tries something different for "punishment" and sends him to the librar...more
Before I opened this book, I was expecting a graphic novel. However, it is a Novel in free verse form with occasional illustrations done by Jesse Joshua Watson. The point of view is a kid - maybe 5-7th grade who is getting into a lot of trouble, after his sister dies and his father leaves the family. He is convinced that everyone around him is out to get him. Lucky for his future, the principal tries something different for "punishment" and sends him to the librar...more
Eleven-year-old Marcus is an extremely troubled youth. His sister, with whom he was close, died the year before of a heart ailment. His father left. Marcus is big and gets teased and bullied about it – especially by a particularly mean kid named Latrell. He copes with his problems by either getting in fights or withdrawing from everyone.
After yet another fight in school, he is sent to the library to cool off. There he encounters “CM” or “Chess Master.” CM tries to teach Marcus chess, and show h...more
After yet another fight in school, he is sent to the library to cool off. There he encounters “CM” or “Chess Master.” CM tries to teach Marcus chess, and show h...more
I checked this out of the library expecting a comic. It WAS shelved with the comics and graphic novels after all. That's not what I got. It's illustrated, and there's an ongoing narrative, but I think it's a poem. The naration appeared in verse, anyway, and I found that distracting. Not rhyme, just verse, in columns on the pages.
Anyone could see where this was going. A young man, living in a bad neighborhood, loses a sister and his father in very quick succesion. He becomes a discipline problem,...more
Anyone could see where this was going. A young man, living in a bad neighborhood, loses a sister and his father in very quick succesion. He becomes a discipline problem,...more
I work for the St. Louis City Family Court as a psychologist (31 years!), and as such have been priveleged to meet kids (mostly African-American) from poor, gang-infested, drug-infested neighborhoods in which life is cheap; most are from single-parent families and have lots of problems in school (Don't get me started on the St. Louis Public School System, it ain't pretty). I also have loved Chess, been playing since I was nine. I've taught a lot of kids to play this game, and have tried to impar...more
Interest level: 7th +
Reading level: easy
Genre: Realistic fiction, Trial by Fire, Chess, Poetry
Marcus is trouble. His father left when his sister died, his mother is still in mourning, his sisters annoy him, and a bully at school is driving him crazy. So he fights back, using his fists, and this doesn't go down well with the school principal. If he can't keep his anger under control he will be expelled from school. Then he meets CM, a chess master who challenges him to a game. Although Marcus' fa...more
Reading level: easy
Genre: Realistic fiction, Trial by Fire, Chess, Poetry
Marcus is trouble. His father left when his sister died, his mother is still in mourning, his sisters annoy him, and a bully at school is driving him crazy. So he fights back, using his fists, and this doesn't go down well with the school principal. If he can't keep his anger under control he will be expelled from school. Then he meets CM, a chess master who challenges him to a game. Although Marcus' fa...more
I have to attach this book to Zeta Elliott's BIRD because they are both realistic tales about young Black boys that are needing to reach out to something besides the gangs in the street. Our media strongly places little Black boys in one situation and that is faced down with nowhere to go. But this book, like BIRD, turn that young male child looking up, getting up and moving on. I wish that some of our media specialists, our urban librarians, suburban librarians, rural librarians and our educato...more
Chess Rumble opens with the illustration of a boy extending his hand towards the viewer. In perspective, the fist looks life-size if the reader is eight to twelve—the ages recommended by the publisher—and invites engagement. “Peace!” as is often said in this reviewer’s home.
It is certainly not the same fist that’s found a few pages later, when protagonist Marcus is smacking his nemesis Latrell for teasing him in public. Marcus, of course, ends up in the principal’s office. Little threat there, h...more
It is certainly not the same fist that’s found a few pages later, when protagonist Marcus is smacking his nemesis Latrell for teasing him in public. Marcus, of course, ends up in the principal’s office. Little threat there, h...more
Everyone should read this book! I can't remember how I heard of it, but I was doing a chess-related online search and I ended up with this book written down, plus I loved finding The Hip Hop Chess Federation (http://www.hiphopchessfederation.org/).
This is an illustrated verse novel about Marcus, an African-American preteen who lives in the inner city and is having more and more troubles controlling his anger since his sister died and his dad left. He finds it laughable that mentor CM thinks che...more
This is an illustrated verse novel about Marcus, an African-American preteen who lives in the inner city and is having more and more troubles controlling his anger since his sister died and his dad left. He finds it laughable that mentor CM thinks che...more
This poetic short story is great. It tells the story of a boy who is a bit troubled. He grows up in the hood and lives the life of a kid who knows better but makes poor choices until he is introduced to the game of chess. I really enjoyed the theme of anything is possible, if you put your mind to it. There are so many other themes embedded too but that one sticks out the most. Its a feel good ending leaving you happy.
Chess in the ghetto is hard - especially when you are hungry. One teen's journey as he craves a sugary snack whilst playing chess. Watch as his stomach rumbles for high fructose corn syrup, shattering his concentration. If only he had a Twinkie, some Pringles, or even just some Skittles. A tale of checkmate, belly grumbles, and feeling peckish!
This brief novel in verse is about Marcus, a troubled inner-city boy who begins to deal with his anger issues and stay out of trouble after learning how to play chess. What I like about this story is how CM, the chess master, encourages Marcus to channel his energy into the game rather than getting into trouble. Once Marcus has calmed down he can begin to deal with the reasons for his anger--his sister's death and his father's absence. I like the fact that Marcus then gets his friend Latrell to...more
A great coming of age story in which the main character must battle the demons inside to overcome the urban demons that surround him. Written in a poetic form, Marcus conveys the conflicts within him while the graffiti like illustrations reflect the urban setting.
G. Neri's CHESS RUMBLE is appealing to reluctant readers, especially boys, on a number of levels. Neri nails the voice of a boy growing up in the inner city in a way that's reminiscent of Walter Dean Myers. Neri's main character, Marcus, is a young man dealing with family troubles and fights at school, until he meets a powerful mentor and learns to fight his battles on a chessboard instead.
This novella in verse is full of language that's vivid and accessible, and Jesse Joshua Watson's illustrati...more
This novella in verse is full of language that's vivid and accessible, and Jesse Joshua Watson's illustrati...more
I hear the "voice" in this compelling free verse story. After the death of his sister, Marcus is harboring a lot of anger. Playing chess is way of venting his anger and not ending up in trouble.
A story of Marcus and life as a teen in school and home told in rap-like verse. It is about how the game of chess can become a guide for life. Fast yet realistic read.
If young men and girls alike would read between the lines of this amazing little read, lives could be changed. Think three steps of ahead!
Excellent debut novel. I am impressed with everything G. Neri has written. I look forward to sharing all his books with my son.
Another novel in verse--this one is about a kid who has some anger issues and learns to solve his problems by playing chess!
This book is amazing because it talks about this kids life named Mark in poem form. This book sometimes makes me think about my life, like what would happen if my sister died. This book really brings sadness to you. I think this book is great because it has some good parts and some bad ones. This book ads on metaphors that make the book be more sad. I would recommend this book to people that like poems of sadness.
Too mature for our kids but really a good story.
chess and black people! my 2 favorite things!
Feb 23, 2010
Jake
added it
easy book, and teaches a good lesson
[I had a fan woman moment - G. Neri is my friend. I just think this is so cool, plus Frane Lessac is now my Facebook friend.]
A nice example of good book making. Well written, interestingly illustrated and produced. A good book to just happen to lay on a table around certain youth. I do have this on my book shelf by the art table, a place of honor.
A nice example of good book making. Well written, interestingly illustrated and produced. A good book to just happen to lay on a table around certain youth. I do have this on my book shelf by the art table, a place of honor.
6-9th grade. This graphic novel is very similar to Yummy in that it is a story of urban life and violence. I liked that it breaks from the usual image of "city life" demonstrating the wide variety of interests and postives that exist in every community.
almost made me cry
awesome!
May 06, 2013
Keisha
marked it as to-read
May 04, 2013
Joe Ofodile
marked it as to-read
May 02, 2013
Natasha Boahen
marked it as to-read
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G. NERI is the Coretta Scott King honor winning author of YUMMY: THE LAST DAYS OF A SOUTHSIDE SHORTY. He is also the recipient of the International Reading Association's Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award for his debut book CHESS RUMBLE. His latest novel GHETTO COWBOY won an ALA Odyssey Honor and the Horace Mann Upstanders Award. His work has been honored by the Simon Wiesenthal Center and t...more
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Jan 03, 2011 05:19pm