This novel in verse is rich in character and relationships. . . . Poet Alexander deftly reveals the power of the format to pack an emotional punch." —Kirkus, starred review
I was surprised that I enjoyed The Crossover as much as I did. This is another book that I am unlikely to have ever chosen to read on my own, but I could definitely see myself using it in the classroom as it has many teachable elements and, very importantly, shows boys that there are books out there for them and their interests. It is not a typical “boy” or “sports” book, though, and that is what I liked so much about it; this book would serve a diverse set of readers well, and I believe that would be a major player in its success in the classroom.
Kwame Alexander’s decision to write the book in verse was a bold one, but I could now not picture it being written any other way. This is one element that would add a lot of depth to the possibilities in teaching this book in the classroom. It would serve well as a bookend to a poetry unit, and I think it would be great to pull from to analyze as poetry. It is also a much less intimidating way to introduce students to poetry than more traditional forms, and I think it represents well the diversity in forms of poetry, as well as the fact that poetry can be what you want it to be; that is much of the fun in it. Boys are often turned off to poetry, but reading something like The Crossover could open a door for them, especially given the way much of the writing flows similarly to rap lyrics.
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"The poems dodge and weave with the speed of a point guard driving for the basket, mixing basketball action with vocabulary-themed poems, newspaper clippings, and Josh's sincere first-person accounts that swing from moments of swagger-worth triumph to profound pain." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
I also think that Alexander’s choice to write in verse emphasized the emotional elements of the book. Whether it be in Josh’s passion for basketball, his love for his family, his jealousy and loneliness as JB gets busy spending time with his girlfriend, or his grief over the tragic loss of his father, this book is rich in emotion, and through Josh, Alexander creates a teenage boy’s inner monologue illustrating that emotion that young men often feel compelled to hide. That is another reason I feel this book would be important to teach. Alexander does a great job showing that, even as a young man, it is okay to feel and express emotions. He gives Josh and JB positive parental role models, and that healthy family dynamic plays out the way that we see Josh so easily express his emotions. As someone who played basketball in school, I enjoyed that Alexander included it as such a major part of Josh’s life, but I was even more glad that he did not allow it to be a surface level “basketball book” and took it to those deeper emotional levels. The basketball will be a hook for many readers, especially male readers, but once they are engaged in the book, they will be opened up to a unique reading experience that gets them thinking and feeling.
"Alexander has crafted a story that vibrates with energy and heat and begs to be read aloud. A slam dunk." —School Library Journal, starred review
