The Crossover

The voice of this novel-in-verse brought me so much delight I could play it repeatedly like a song. Every page popped, sizzled, and sang in my brain like a B-ball in the hand of Michael Jordan on a basketball court.

I felt the emotions of the main character, Josh, deeply. His love for his brother, confidence at school despite inward insecurity, fear of losing a loved one, and love of the game shone through on every page. 

My child liked how Crossover was a basketball-themed book, and they had this to say: I play basketball and like watching it. Crossover wasn’t too long. It also had rhymes which sounded cool. I like how there were two basketball players—not just one. You can learn about two different players and their point of view.

Written in poetic verse, this novel is captivating, clever, and emotional. I love it when a book is written with so much emotion that I have to wipe away the tears. Yes, I cried. Alexander combined sport with heart, and this book has depth, and covers so much more than basketball. The family scenes are realistic and powerful.

The Crossover tells the story of basketball phenom Josh Bell and the unexpected events that turn his life upside down, both on and off the court. Poet and author Kwame Alexander uses all the tools in his poetry toolkit to bring this vibrant story to life. The rhythm and motion of his verse shake the foundations of the story and place the reader firmly in the center of the court and the heart of the main character. Winner of the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award, this book is a must-read and a great introduction to the power… show more.

Kwame Alexander is an astoundingly good writer for children and young adults. The Crossover is a verse novel, telling the story of 12-year-old basketball talent Josh and his twin brother Jordan (the Black sons of a former pro basketballer). The verse novel is a format that as an adult I have to admit I avoid like the plague - but Alexander uses poetry to unfold the action of the novel like an actual game of basketball. “The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I'm delivering”. The pace is fast and mesmerizing, and this… show more.