Alexander, K. (2014). The Crossover. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
This book is beautiful, motivational,
brilliant and devastating! The book is written in free verse form and it will
challenge and move you out of your comfort zone if you don’t normally gravitate
towards free verse novels. I thought that would be a challenge for a reader, but the rhythm and movement of the words was enjoyable. The main characters Jordan and Josh Bell are 13-year-old twin
basketball stars! The characters are real and relatable to young readers. Basketball is a living metaphor in the book. Alexander
gives wisdom and life lessons to adolescents using the metaphor of basketball,
I wasn’t prepared to ugly cry and that is exactly what happened. Kwame
Alexander's, The Crossover won both
the Newberry and Coretta Scott King Awards for children's literature in 2015.
Grade level: 6-8
Below is a video of the author Kwame Alexander reading an expert of The Crossover.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbMj6lG4shM
Published in January of 2018 Alexander realeased a pre-quel. Before Josh and Jordan Bell were streaking up and down the court, their father was learning his own moves. In this prequel to Newbery Medal winner The Crossover, Chuck Bell takes center stage, as readers get a glimpse of his childhood and how he became the jazz music worshipping, basketball star his sons look up to.
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