I could say a lot more about this novel but I reckon I should hand the spotlight to Yash who also has a lot to say. I love the little subtle ways Alexander finds to subvert stereotypes about Black Americans. He is the more studious of the two education is enforced by their mother who has a PhD and is the principal of the school the two boys go to. The language used is such a treat to read Josh engages in the language he uses to tell his story with the glee of the very young. Josh’s internal conflicts are relatable though he is not struggling to save the world from an evil overlord, his world is still very much threatened by the sudden changes in his brother and his father’s bullheadedness. Josh losing his dreads due to a bet he loses foreshadows the dramatic changes that are in store for him. This identity is further established and Josh’s connection to his heritage made evident by his love for and attachment to his dreads. The energy of the poems perfectly captures the young age and identity of the narrator. The words bounce around the page like it is their very own basketball court, their rhythm irrepressible and their boldness knowing no bounds. The Crossover comes to life long before the words are even read. So Josh’s feelings of abandonment by his brother and worries about his dad continue increasing until they reach boiling point and he lashes out. Josh’s mom asks him to keep an eye on their dad for her. His dad, too, refuses to go to a doctor even though he may be suffering from a potentially serious disease.
When Jordan, Josh’s twin brother, meets a girl and suddenly starts spending more time with her than Josh and their dad, Josh gets upset. They are aces on the basketball court skills they inherited from their dad who was a professional basketball player when he was younger. Josh and his brother Jordan are very close, to each other as well as to their parents.
Crossover focalizes (mostly) on Josh Bell, one half of a pair of twins. First I will talk about the awesomeness that is the novel and then Yash will do the same and we may repeat ourselves but other than going up on rooftops to shout out the awesomesauciness of this novel, (alas we do not have rooftops, at least I don’t), there is little else we can do with as much effectiveness.įirst, a synopsis. Kwame Alexander’s The Crossoverwon the Newbery Award in June and for good reason as Yash and I will attempt to illustrate in our reviews. Published March 18th 2014 by HMH Books for Young Readers
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