The Queen of Katwe
One Girl's Triumphant Path to Becoming a Chess Champion
(Author) Tim CrothersBIOGRAPHY: GENERAL. 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 chess-board 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. 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.
Tim Crothers
Tim Crothers is an award-winning journalist and author known for his book "The Queen of Katwe." His writing style is vivid and empathetic, capturing the resilience and spirit of his subjects. Crothers' work highlights the power of storytelling to inspire and uplift readers, particularly through his portrayal of the remarkable chess prodigy, Phiona Mutesi.