![]() They’re kings of the court, star players for their school team. Subscribe below to get notified when I post new updates.12-year-old Josh and his twin Jordan have basketball in their blood. I can’t wait to see how it does as a series on Disney+. Also, did I mention this is in non-rhyming verse? I would recommend this title to those who love sports, especially the obvious coming of age stories and reading about siblings. Its characters and their relationships are highly believable, and despite their flaws, readers can still root for them. When the dad goes into a coma after playing some one-on-one with Josh, Josh goes into the “what if this happened instead” mode as he blames himself for stressing his father out too much.Īll in all, The Crossover by Kwame Alexander is an excellent book that anybody from a tween to an adult can enjoy. What is revealed about their dad’s failing health is handled in genuine ways. It can be sugar coated in some places that’s only because the mom doesn’t want the twins to worry too much about their dad. He then puts it into a variety of examples, including “As in: I think/my grandfather/died of hypertension?” For example, Josh describes hypertension – the illness the dad has – including how to pronounce it. For instance, when Josh is feeling down about all that’s going on around him, including JD not speaking to him, he relays this basketball lesson: “Rebounding/is the art/of anticipating,/of always being prepared/to grab it./But you can’t/drop the ball.”Īs for the definitions, Josh would define a word, and then put it into various sentences, including one that ties into the story at that particular moment. They’re strategically placed at certain moments to reflect the plot at that time. Every now and then, a lesson will show up in the book, but it’s not slapdash. Other aspects that makes the book unique is the way that it includes basketball lessons and definitions of various words (I assume these words are part of the vocabulary test that Josh and JD have to take). The ways that they are written, especially when Josh tells readers his play-by-plays on the court, are how they should be spoken, and they are a blast to read out loud! I would love to see how those sections are translated in the show. Additionally, the poems themselves have a wonderful flow to them. Not all of it is in rhyme, which may appeal to those might not like poetry for that reason. He’s a former basketball player who loves jazz, especially Horace Silver, but he has some health issues that the brothers have different reactions to when things take a turn for the worse.Īs I mentioned before, the book is told in verse. I also love the supporting characters like Chuck – their dad. How they make up feels natural without being overly sentimental. Josh tries to tell JD that he’s sorry only to be given the cold shoulder many times. In addition, how they interact once their bond starts unraveling feels real. ![]() JD has a bald head, and he loves to place bets. ![]() He is a good dunker too, but he sometimes thinks that the world revolves around him. Josh, who goes by the nickname Filthy McNasty on the court, loves his dreads, English, and language. They play basketball, but they have their differences. This is especially true when they realize that breaking the rules comes at a price. The twins must come to terms with growing up on and off the court. But once JD falls in love with the new girl at school, Josh can’t help but feel left out, and their bond starts to unravel. The Crossover tells the story of Josh and Jordan (aka JD) Bell – twin 13-year-olds who love playing basketball and excel at it too. I can easily see why it’s fun, honest, and heartbreaking. Additionally, Disney+ will produce a series based on the novel. It won the Newbery Medal in 2015, and it’s the only one of the batch that’s written in verse. For 2022, The Crossover by Kwame Alexander was one of the titles that we picked for a multitude of reasons. As a Children’s Librarian, one of the tasks that I have to do every year is host Battle of the Books for 5th graders.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |