The Crossover

Josh Bell, a.k.a. Filthy McNasty, and his twin brother Jordan (JB), are junior high basketball phenoms; their father, Chuck "Da Man" Bell, played in a European league and put basketballs in their hands as soon as they could hold them. The boys have different strengths but play together well - usually. But JB wins a bet and gets to cut off one of Josh's locs, but then cuts off five, and Josh has to shave off the rest. Then JB gets a girlfriend, new girl Alexis, "Miss Sweet Tea," and has less time for Josh. And their dad is having health problems but refuses to go to the doctor, and the brothers discover that his career ended because he refused to get surgery. Ironically, it's his fear of doctors and hospitals that makes things worse, show more culminating in tragedy right as the twins' team is headed into their most important game.

This novel in free verse flows like a basketball game itself, full of rhythm and rhyme, loud and quiet, fast and slow. Josh narrates game action with hip-hop style: words appear in bold, caps, italics, and other creative typography. Thirteen is a difficult age - even if you're already six feet tall and can dunk - and Josh navigates sudden changes the best he can. Some poems are basketball rules, others are definitions (e.g. hypertension).

See also: Track series by Jason Reynolds, Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson, Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang

Quotes

"Silence doesn't mean
we have run out of things to say,
only that we are trying
not to say them." show less

Sometimes with novels written in poems I don't always get the full sense of the characters or the complete spirit of the story. With this one though, there's a shimmering energy that had me envisioning the twins and their father and relating to the warmth between them (and to Josh's loneliness when Jordan freezes him out). As a bonus, reluctant readers and non- will enjoy this; at the very least they'll pick it up and look through it.

Emotionally charged novel-in-verse that tells the story of twin brothers, Josh and Jordan, both talented basketball players. The book skillfully weaves together themes of family, friendship, and the challenges of adolescence with the excitement and passion of the game. With its unique poetic style and relatable characters, "The Crossover" is a powerful and heartwarming read that will resonate with readers of all ages, even those who aren't basketball enthusiasts.

Josh "Filthy McNasty" Bell and his twin Jordan are unstoppable on the basketball court, but their bond is challenged when Jordan starts focusing on girls and Josh discovers emotions he can’t dribble away. Written in slam-dunk verse, this novel blends the fast pace of the game with the slow pain of family hardship.

My initial thoughts were blah blah free verse sports blah—how boring. But actually, it was wonderful. It took a while to get going (for me), but soon I was routing for these boys and their family and feeling their pain. With his verse, Alexander captures the excitement, attitude and rhythm of the sports, portrays the humor and playfulness of home life, and he breaks our hearts with deeply felt emotions. I loved the basketball rules which translate (of course) to very valuable life wisdom. I would love to see how kids respond to this (esp. boys).

The Crossover will appeal to basketball fans, and it will likely grab reluctant readers with its quick wordplay, deft rhymes and kinetic, poetic take on the game. “The bass booms. / The crowd looms. / There’s music and mocking, / teasing nonstop, but / when the play begins / all the talk ceases.” Author Kwame Alexander has made a gift to teachers with this book: References to classical and jazz music (Josh’s dad nicknamed him “Filthy McNasty” after a Horace Silver song), probability (Jordan places bets on nearly everything) and the geometry of the game open up plenty of study topics without ever losing a step. Jordan’s fledgling romance and the strain it puts on the brothers’ relationship will draw sympathy from anyone show more who has ever felt deserted by a friend.

Kwame Alexander's THE CROSSOVER (2014) is not a stereotypical basketball story. Rather, it is a universal story with educated, black characters of growing up, of family, and of love told in narrative verse (poetry). Having said that, Alexander does tackle some contemporary issues of black life: of driving while black, of the consequences for black men who do not regulate their temper, of poor diet and not seeking medical treatment. At its core, though, the story is about the love between twin brothers who think they are drifting apart as they go through puberty and the role that basketball plays in healing them through their obstacles. THE CROSSOVER is an engaging, emotional read that is ideal for those who love poetry, basketball, or may be reluctant readers. show less

4.5 Stars

Basketball Rule # 1
In this game of life
your family is the court
and the ball is your heart.
No matter how good you are,
no matter how down you get,
always leave
your heart
on the court.

The Crossover encompasses so much and does it so well. It touches on family, friends, basketball, life, growing up, and the hardships and changes that come with this. While on the outside it may look like this is too much for a book to take on, Alexander weaves a tale through poetry that is both witty and heartfelt.

I love that Alexander so precisely paralleled life and basketball. They are interconnected in Josh's world. Both Josh's mom and dad play prominent roles in his life and it was refreshing to see strong parents who not only got along with show more their children but also parented their children. Josh's connection to his dad is an underlying theme throughout his story and one that played heavily on my heart.

Josh is a prodigal basketball star at 12 and alongside his twin brother they are an unstoppable force on the court. I loved the writing in these sections. You can actually hear the staccato beat of the ball against hardwood, against asphalt, as he narrates his moves down the court.

On the court, Josh is confidence, but off it, with the ever-changing canvas of prepubescent life, he is confusion, anger, loss. This comes across so clearly in his narrative. The imagery used while Josh works his way through all this is simply amazing.

I expected The Crossover to be purely about basketball and maybe a few references about the game of life. What I got was something that far exceeded my expectations. show less