The Queen of Katwe: One Girl's Triumphant Path to Becoming a Chess Champion

The &quot;astonishing&quot; (<i>The New York Times Book Review</i>) and &quot;inspirational&quot; (<i>Shelf Awareness</i>) true story of Phiona Mutesi - a teenage chess prodigy from the slums of Uganda - soon to be a major motion picture starring David Oyelowo and Academy Award-winner Lupita Nyong'o.<br><br>One day in 2005 while searching for food, nine-year-old Ugandan Phiona Mutesi followed her brother to a dusty veranda where she met Robert Katende. Katende, a war refugee turned missionary, had an improbable dream: to empower kids in the Katwe slum through chess - a game so foreign there is no word for it in their native language. Laying a chess­board in the dirt, Robert began to teach. At first children came for a free bowl of porridge, but many grew to love the game that - like their daily lives - requires persevering against great obstacles. Of these kids, one girl stood out as an immense talent: Phiona.<br> <br>By the age of eleven Phiona was her country's junior champion, and at fifteen, the national champion. Now a Woman Candidate Master - the first female titled player in her country's history - Phiona dreams of becoming a Grandmaster, the most elite level in chess. But to reach that goal, she must grapple with everyday life in one of the world's most unstable coun­tries.<br> <br>Filled with aspiration, determination, and belief, <i>The Queen of Katwe</i> is a &quot;remarkable&quot; (NPR) and &quot;riveting&quot; (<i>New York Post</i>) book that shows how &quot;Phiona's story transcends the limitations of the chessboard&quot; (Robert Hess, US Grandmaster) . This is &quot;a must-read for all who dare to dream&quot; (<i>Library Journal</i>, starred review) .