Description

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"Gripping and surprising. I gulped it down." —Sarah Crossan

Leah Baxter is a genius. She's a few wins away from becoming a junior chess grandmaster, and her life is on course to achieve everything her mom and coach want for her.

But Leah is at stalemate—grieving for her father, and feeling suffocated. She decides to make the ultimate sacrifice and quit chess. But chess doesn't want to quit her. Soon Leah discovers her new gambit: chessboxing, a dangerous hybrid sport which will test her body and mind to their limits. Can the pawn become the queen?

About the Author

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Stephen Davies spent several years living among Fulani herders in Burkina Faso as a missionary. He has written for the Guardian Weekly (Letters from Burkina Faso) and the Sunday Times, and is the author of several books for young readers.

Praise For…

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"A gripping and surprising novel about the destruction, but also the motivating power, of grief. I gulped it down." —Sarah Crossan

"Original, brash, funny and poignant." —Metro, Children's Books of 2019

"With a truly pulse-quickening climax, this exceptional novel rages with raw emotion. It's a bona fide page-turner with life-affirming insights into grief, friendship and finding new paths." —LoveReading4Kids

"This scintillating book pulses with energy. Chessboxer pounds with the punch of a boxer, and yet remains contemplative, with ideas behind the fast-paced plot as thoughtful as a chess player." —Minerva Reads

“Funny and fast, Chessboxer and its heroine bridge the gap between board games and the boxing ring…in unexpected and fun ways.” —Foreword Reviews

“A rising, rousing bout fueled by brains, brawn, and belligerency.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review