Title: The Crossover
Author: Kwame Alexander
Awards: Newbery Medal
Book Focus: Poetry, Contemporary Realistic Fiction
Kwame Alexander was born in Manhattan, NY and wrote his first poem when he was twelve years old. He has written 32 books and won many awards, such as the Newbery, The Coretta Scott King Author Award, and the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award. He has said that he writes in poetry because it’s accessible and relatable. Kwame Alexander is also a is popular speaker at schools, libraries, and conferences.
The Crossover is the story, told through poetry, of Josh and Jordan Bell, twin middle school aged boys. Jordan, who goes by the nickname JB and Josh, whose nickname is Filthy McNasty, are stars of their school’s basketball team. Their father was a professional basketball player whose career was cut short by injury, and their mom is the assistant principal of their middle school. Their story takes the reader through the events of JB’s first girlfriend, a major fight between the boys with serious consequences, and the uncertain health of their father. Through these events the boys recognize the power of family, community, and hope.
The Crossover is a novel written through poetry, which could be called a verse novel, since it could be classified a contemporary realistic fiction novel written through poetry. As a novel, this is narrative poetry, but it also conforms to free verse poetry, using some “rhythm and cadence for its poetic form” (Tunnel et al, 2016, p. 99). For example, in describing a playoff game, Alexander wrote, “Sliding and Gliding into rare air, lighting up the sky and the scoreboard” (p. 182). Although The Crossover is not a concrete poem, on page three, the font and print takes shape, which adds interest and movement to the text.
Kwame Alexander uses many writing elements to bring his story to life. Vocabulary plays a large role in The Crossover. Throughout the book Josh uses words that are important to the text and are defined for the reader. For example, the word crossover is used and defined as “a basketball move in which a player dribbles the ball quickly from one hand to the other” (p.29). These definitions are followed by examples of how the word relates the events in the book. Other words defined in the book include calamity, patellatendinitis, and pulchritudinous. These words are examples of precise vocabulary and also expose the reader to new, interesting words.
Another writing element used in this book is figurative language, which “conveys meaning quickly and with emotional intensity” (Tunnel et al. 2016, p. 27). Josh’s dad said to him, “Filthy, talking to your brother right now would be like pushing water uphill with a rake, son” (p. 91). I also appreciate the use of alliteration, which adds energy to the text. Josh describes, ” Up by sixteen with six seconds showing, JB smiles, then struts side steps stutters spins, and sinks a sick sliding sweeeeeeeeeet seven foot shot” (p. 94).
Dialogue is not used in the traditional sense in The Crossover. There is not much use of punctuation or long conversations between characters, but yet there is interesting dialogue. The dialogue is written in italics to distinguish it from the rest of the text. The brevity of the dialogue emphasizes the meaning. After Josh throws the ball so hard at JB during a game that he is hurt and bleeding, Josh talks with his mom:
You’re twins, not the same person. But that doesn’t mean he has to stop loving me.
Your brother will always love you, Josh. I guess.
Boys with no discipline end up in prison. Yeah, I heard you the first time.
Don’t you get smart with me and end up in more trouble. Why are you always trying to scare me?
We’re done. Your dad is waiting for you.
Okay, but what about the consequences?
You’re suspended.
From school?
From the team.
…….
–The Crossover, p. 140
The poetry in The Crossover is an example of music in language. Tunnel et al. stated, “The sounds of words increase the appeal and strength of a story as they blend together , create emphasis, repeat tones, establish patterns, provide cadence, and add variety” (2016, p. 28). The part of the book when Josh is playing basketball with his dad and then his dad has a heart attack has significant cadence, pattern, and tone. Alexander wrote,
Crowd wild
Dad drives
Steps stride
Runs fast
Hoop bound
Stutter steps
Let loose
Screams loud
Stands still
Breath short
More sweat Grabs chest
Eyes roll
Ball drops
I scream
“Help, please”
The Crossover, p. 195
Many of the insights in The Crossover come in the form of “Basketball Rules,” which occur throughout the book. Rule #3 stated, “Never let anyone lower your goals. Others’ expectations of you are determined by their limitations of life” (p. 66). Rule #5 stated, “When you stop playing your game you’ve already lost” (p. 93). These rules, or insights, apply to both basketball and life issues. After being yelled at by JB’s girlfriend, Josh waits to see if his brother will defend him. After no response from him Josh said, “Sometimes it’s the things that aren’t said that kill you” (p. 156).
The Crossover can also be considered in the category of multicultural literature. Tunnel et al. stated, “Literature can be one of the most powerful tools for combating the ignorance that breeds xenophobic and judgmental behaviors” (2016, p. 202). The characters and story told in The Crossover are believable and engaging to the reader, who may or may not be from the cultural group that the book centers on. The reader becomes invested in Josh’s story, wondering what will happen with his relationship with his twin brother and what will happen with the father’s health. The use of nicknames for Josh and Jordan, as well as the girlfriend who is called Sweet Tea by Josh, make the characters feel like real people. The emotions that the characters express also aids in their credibility. At the end of the championship game Josh realizes his father is dying. He said, “Before I know it, the whistle blows, the ball in my hand, the clock running down, my tears running faster” (p. 220). We feel the loss of his father along with Josh.
The Crossover could be considered a culturally specific children’s book (Tunnel at al. 2016). This book is about an African American family and the details mentioned rend it authentic. Josh’s dreadlocks are important to him, and when some of them get cut off by JB, Josh is devastated. This, in fact, is part of why Josh throws the ball so hard at JB later in the book. There are also details like musical artists, shoe brands, and language style that add to the realism. Author authenticity is also present, because the book was written by member of the African American culture.
References
Tunnell, M. O., Jacobs, J. S., Young, T. A., & Bryan, G. (2016). Children’s literature, briefly (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Between the Trees 