novel in verse: the crossover

Meghan Kemp

            The Crossover, written by Kwame Alexander is a novel written in verse that received the honors of 2015 Newberry Medal Winner and the 2015 Coretta Scott King Honor Award.  The story is written from the perspective of a twelve year old boy named Josh Bell.  Josh, along with his twin brother Jordan, are talented basketball players who live with their parents, who also double as their assistant principal and a former professional basketball player.  Although both boys seem equally talented on the basketball court, Josh excels in all of the academic fields at school and also is skilled in speaking in verse, as if telling his family’s story along to a beat.  Josh, also known as Filthy, takes us through his daily life which many pre-teens would be able to relate to.  We learn of his competitive streak with his father and brother, the jealousy he feels because his twin spends a great deal of time with his new girlfriend, of health concerns of the father, and other matters such as getting in trouble at school and having to complete chores before the day’s end.  As the audience reads Josh’s story in verse, they can’t help but become connected to his honest interpretation of life, as well as feel empathy as he grieves the loss of his idol, his father.

            I would recommend this book for middle school or high school students.  Reluctant readers may be attracted to this story, as there is not an overwhelming amount of text present in the novel.  The book was certainly an easy read and was a quick read as it was formatted in verse, making it seem as if I were reading short poems rather than lengthy paragraphs.  The story itself would be very relatable for teens as common themes were present throughout the novel.  Students may relate to the love of athletics and competition, a desire to have a boyfriend or girlfriend, fitting in with peers, getting along with parents that sometimes seem to be out to get you, as well as grief and loss.  This was a powerful novel as the author made the main character, Josh, truly open up about his honest feelings of jealousy, selfishness, as well as feelings of betrayal.  Josh also spoke in a way that would appeal to many young students, and myself included as he states, “At the top of the key, I’m MOVING & GROOVING, POPping and ROCKING- Why you BUMPING?  Why you LOCKING? Man, take this THUMPING.  Be careful though. ‘Cause now I’m CRUNKing CrissCROSSING FLOSSING flipping and my dipping will leave you SLIPPIN. G on the floor, while I SWOOP in to the finish with a fierce finger roll… Straight to the hole: Swoooooooooooosh.”

 

Alexander, Kwame. 2014.  The Crossover.  New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.