Kwame, A. (2014). The crossover. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Summary: The Crossover is about two middle school brothers, Josh and Jordan. Both brothers love basketball and are quite good at the game. Their father used to be a professional basketball player but doesn't play anymore. This interests the boys and when they start to discuss this with their father, he avoids the conversation. During one of their games, the boys make a bet about who will win the game. Josh eventually loses and his brother goes to cut off a piece of his hair. Accidentally, a lot more than a "piece" is cut off. When Josh goes to his mother for help, she suggests that the damage is done and they need to cut off his precious hair. Josh looks for a container to hold his hair in the attic and stumbles upon some of his father's old things and finds his basketball ring among other items. After this discovery the boys find out why their father doesn't play ball anymore and the fear that he keeps secret from his boys. Eventually, the boys continue with their basketball games and become more involved in school. After a while Jordan develops a crush on a girl and starts a relationship with her. During this time, Josh feels completely left out and begins to spend more time alone. He starts to feel jealous and insecure that the relationship with his brother isn't the same anymore. Josh starts to spend a lot more time alone at his house and slowly starts to realize that there may be something wrong with their father. After a while, Josh comes to the realization that his father is sick and that is the reason he doesn't play ball anymore. The twin's father seems to have a genetic heart disease that other members of the family have had and have caused deaths in the past. Josh starts to see how his mother talks to the father about going to the doctor and the dad refuses. At the end of the book, during a high-stakes basketball game, Josh and Jordan's father has an emergency that does not end well for the family.
Strengths:
Crossover's strengths lie in how it handles very difficult issues such as serious health issues and coming of age themes. This book delves into family life and contains a family unit that shows how beneficial it can be when involved parents guide their children through the struggles of life. Kwame Alexander says that he believes poetry can save the world. With his lyrical and hard-hitting poetry in The Crossover, he does just that.
Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BONWz5Ao82E
Similar Books:
- Caminar by Skila Brown
- Garvey's Choice by Nikki Grimes
- Patina by Jason Reynolds
Other books by Kwame Alexander:
- Booked by Kwame Alexander
- Rebound by Kwame Alexander
LSSL 5385 Requirement Met: Read a book by Kwame Alexander
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