The Crossover Book Review by Kwame Alexander

Written by Kwame Alexander 

Published by Clarion Books in 2014

ISBN: 978-0544107717

Plot Summary: The crossover is a story about twins Josh Bell and Jordan JB bell and their love for basketball. Their parents are a major part of the story as their mom is the assistant principal and their dad is a former basketball superstar. Josh is the main character in the story and we follow along with him as he navigates many different aspects of life including his brother getting a girlfriend, a bet that causes him to have to cut his hair, and his dad struggling with major health issues including a severe heart attack which kills him after several previous heart attacks. Josh's relationship with his brother goes from one of anger to one of love knowing that they need to lean on each other during this very hard time in their lives. 

Critical Analysis: This book explores many themes that of life that people find themselves in. There is the theme of family with the brothers relationship taking center stage throughout the book, the theme of death and grief when dealing with their father's death, and the theme of resiliency as they chart a new path together knowing that they have each other to lean on. This is a great coming of age story that will put you in Josh's shoes as you walk through the ups and downs of life. 

Review: Kirkus Book Review

Basketball-playing twins find challenges to their relationship on and off the court as they cope with changes in their lives.

Josh Bell and his twin, Jordan, aka JB, are stars of their school basketball team. They are also successful students, since their educator mother will stand for nothing else. As the two middle schoolers move to a successful season, readers can see their differences despite the sibling connection. After all, Josh has dreadlocks and is quiet on court, and JB is bald and a trash talker. Their love of the sport comes from their father, who had also excelled in the game, though his championship was achieved overseas. Now, however, he does not have a job and seems to have health problems the parents do not fully divulge to the boys. The twins experience their first major rift when JB is attracted to a new girl in their school, and Josh finds himself without his brother. This novel in verse is rich in character and relationships. Most interesting is the family dynamic that informs so much of the narrative, which always reveals, never tells. While Josh relates the story, readers get a full picture of major and minor players. The basketball action provides energy and rhythm for a moving story.

Connections: Students could tell their own life story in verse focusing on one aspect of their lives that has been a major part of it. 

Students can create a vocab list and then work in groups in order to create a story using those vocabulary words as the main part of each page. 

Other books by Kwame Alexander 

Booked (Book 2 in the series) ISBN: 978-0544570986

Rebound ISBN: 978-0544868137

 

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