The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

Reviewed by Gary

“They are MOVING & GROOVING, … CrissCROSSING and FLOSSING, … leaving you SLIPPING as they score, nothing but net.”

When they are on the court together, you will not beat them, no matter what. Meet the Bell brothers, the basketball “phenoms” who deliver on the court every single day.

Josh and Jordan Bell are two brothers with a dad who used to be an NBA player. He was known as “Da Man” for his ridiculously good basketball skills. The Bell brothers have remarkable basketball technique and are potential NBA All-Stars too. Their season gets off to a wonderful start as they win every single game, but then Jordan meets a girl and everything changes. When their season is nearing an end, Josh and his dad are playing basketball together. That’s when disaster strikes. Will the brothers find a way to play through their loss?

One of the reasons I like this book is that the author allows you to envision what’s going on during the game in your mind, just like when you’re watching a movie. The free verse poetry and the shape of the poems really allow you to visualize the movement of Filthy McNasty’s ankle-breaking crossovers and his brother JB’s ridiculous range. In addition to this, the basketball and brotherhood topic help provide supplementary action and brings energy into the story.

Another reason why I like this book is how Josh and Jordan, the two brothers, are so different. Josh, on one hand, is a man with many moves, and he loves to brag. His “game so sweet, it’s a crepes suzette.” Jordan is a shooter, a “ladies man,” and a boy who loves to bet. “If it’s ninety degrees outside and the sky is cloudless, he will bet you that it’s going to rain.” Even though the two brothers are so different, they find out a way to get along.

Crossover is a book that really shows you winning isn’t always everything when it comes to life. Kwame Alexander really allowed me to feel the drama going on in the brothers’ life. I would recommend this book to anybody who knows a lot about basketball. I would give this book a 10/10 rating. So, go to the library and check this book out!

Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 237 pages