Malcolm inspired me with his eloquence, his wisdom, and his thirst for

truth and righteousness. This powerful, page-turning story tells us how he

discovered these qualities within himself. MUHAMMAD ALI
Powerful and charming makes you see things in a whole new way.
One of the best books Ive read in quite some time. CHRIS ROCK
CANDLE WI CK PRE SS
On sale
January 6
2015
F O R I M M E D I A T E R E L E A S E
Young Malcolm Littles parents have always told him that he can achieve anything, but from what
he can tell, thats nothing but a pack of lies after all, his fathers been murdered, his mothers
been taken away, and his dreams of becoming a lawyer have gotten him laughed out of school.
Theres no point in trying, he gures, and, lured by the nightlife of Boston and New York, he
escapes into a world of fancy suits, jazz, girls, and reefer.
But Malcolms efforts to leave the past behind lead him into increasingly dangerous territory when
what starts as some small-time hustling quickly spins out of control. Deep down, he knows that the
freedom hes found is only an illusion and that he cant run forever.
Based on events that happened in the early years of this civil rightsera icons life, illuminated
by Ilyasah Shabazzs unique knowledge of her fathers inner self, and shaped by Kekla Magoons
talent at bringing historical characters to life in ction, X: A Novel follows Malcolm from his
childhood through his turbulent teens, when years of hustling and outrunning the law (as well as
fellow hustlers) nally ends in incarceration, a reconciliation with his parents teachings, and a
determination to challenge racial injustice. Shabazz and Magoon offer a cinematic inside account of
this formative time that gives compelling insight into the man Malcolm would become.
About this young-adult novel, Ilyasah Shabazz says, My father and I both lost our fathers to
assassination at an early age, but my fathers voice, his beliefs, and his lessons remained a vital part
of my childhood. I consider it an honor and a privilege to tell the story of his life and work.
X: A Novel will be published in January 2015, just ahead of the ftieth anniversary of Malcolm Xs
death. It will be supported by a national marketing and publicity campaign, press tour, and select
appearances.
Candlewick Press is set to release the rst-ever novel
based on Malcolm Xs young adulthood,
the riveting and revealing X: A Novel, written by his daughter
Ilyasah Shabazz with Kekla Magoon,
BEING PUBLISHED IN JANUARY 2015, IN TIME FOR THE
FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF MALCOLM XS DEATH.
by I lyas a h S ha b a z z wi t h K e k l a Mago on
On sale January 6, 2015
$16.99 ($19.00 CAN) HC: 978-0-7636-6967-6 E-book: 978-0-7636-7425-0
384 pages Age 14 and up Also available in audio
#xthenovel
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ILYASAH SHABAZZ, third daughter of Malcolm X, is an activist,
producer, motivational speaker, and the author of the critically
acclaimed Growing Up X, as well as the recently released picture
book Malcolm Little, illustrated by A. G. Ford. Growing Up X
received an NAACP Image Award nomination, appeared on BETs
and Essence magazines best book lists, and was a United Press
International Book of the Week.
As a proponent of the global family, Ilyasah Shabazz promotes
education, interfaith dialogue, and building bridges between
cultures.
She has produced training programs to encourage higher education for at-risk youth
sanctioned by City University of New Yorks Ofce of Academic Affairs. She served
for twelve years on Mayor Ernest D. Daviss youth board for the city of Mount Vernon,
including appointments as director of public relations, director of public affairs and
special events, and director of cultural affairs.
She is a mentor for Nile Rogerss We Are Family Foundation, whose mission is to inspire,
educate, and promote a global family by building bridges between cultures for young
leaders of the world. She mentors at various group homes, lock-up facilities, high schools,
and college campuses through production of her youth empowerment program, the
WAKE-UP Tour

X-Tra Credit Forums.

Ilyasah Shabazz served as a member of the U.S. delegation that accompanied President
Bill Clinton to South Africa to commemorate the election of President Nelson Mandela.
She serves as trustee for the Harlem Symphonic Orchestra, the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty
Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center, and the Malcolm X Foundation. She is a
member of the Arts Committee for the New York City Opera at Lincoln Center and served
as a project advisor for the award-winning PBS documentary Prince Among Slaves. She is
also a member of the West Virginia University Diversity Visiting Committee. She holds an
MS in education and human resource development from Fordham University and a BS in
biology from SUNY/New Paltz. She currently lives in Westchester County, New York. For
further information, please visit www.ilyasahshabazz.com.
by I lyas a h S ha b a z z wi t h K e k l a Mago on
KEKLA MAGOON is the award-winning author of ve young-adult novels:
The Rock and the River, Camo Girl, 37 Things I Love, Fire in the Streets, and
How It Went Down, as well as numerous works of nonction for young
readers, including Today the World Is Watching You: The Little Rock Nine and
the Fight for School Integration, 1957 and the forthcoming PANTHERS! The
History and Legacy of the Black Panther Party in America (January 2016).
She is the 2010 recipient of the Coretta Scott KingJohn Steptoe Author
Award for New Talent and a three-time NAACP Image Award nominee.
Her debut novel, The Rock and the River, was named an American Library
Association Notable Childrens Book, an American Library Association
Best Book for Young Adults, a Bank Street College Best Childrens Book
of the Year, a Booklist Top Ten Historical Fiction for Youth selection, and a Junior Library Guild
Selection. It was also a Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award Master List selection (Illinois),
an Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award nominee, a Nutmeg Childrens Book Award
nominee (Connecticut), a Maine Student Book Award Master List selection, and a Capitol Choices
Noteworthy Book (Washington, D.C.).
Camo Girl was named a Kirkus Reviews Best Childrens Book, and both 37 Things I Love and Fire in
the Streets were Junior Library Guild Selections.
Known for her ability to connect with young readers, both on and off the page, Kekla Magoon is
highly sought after as a school presenter and conducts school and library visits nationwide. In
2012, she was selected to serve as the Young Adult Writer-in-Residence for the Miami-Dade Public
Library System, a position grant-funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Kekla Magoon is actively engaged in the YA and childrens writing community. She is frequently
invited to speak at writing conferences and book fairs. She serves on the Writers Council for the
National Writing Project and on the board of directors for the Womens Mosaic. She was a founding
board member of VIDA: Women in Literary Arts.
Magoon holds a BA in history from Northwestern University and an MFA in writing from Vermont
College of Fine Arts. She was raised in a biracial family in the Midwest. Prior to becoming a full-
time author, she worked with youth-serving nonprot organizations in New York City and Chicago.
Visit her online at www.keklamagoon.com.
by I lyas a h S ha b a z z wi t h K e k l a Mago on
Background photograph by Everett Collection/SuperStock