"With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I’m delivering,"
announces dread-locked, 12-year old Josh Bell.
He and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood, he's got mad beats, too, that tell his family's story in verse, in this fast and furious middle grade novel of family and brotherhood from Kwame Alexander
Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story's heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family.
Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story's heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family.
Hardcover, 240 pages
Published March 18, 2014
by Clarion Books
5/5 stars
I don't reach for verse novels very often, the ones I have read, I have enjoyed. Such is the case with The Crossover.
Kwame Alexander tells the story of 12-year-old Josh Bell, aka "Filthy McNasty" to his teammates and his twin brother Jordan. Two basketball phenoms following in the footsteps of their former-pro-player father. On the surface it's a sports story, full of rhythm and swagger on the court. But underneath it's really about family, sibling rivalry with first crushes pulling the twins in different directions. Add in a father whose health is quietly unraveling in the background and you've got a powerful story packed in.
It did't take long to get drawn into this story and I can see why it was the John Newbery Medal winner for 2015. The short, punchy lines still produced depth and emotions as the story progressed. It's a fast read on paper, but it doesn't feel slight, there's real weight packed into those verses.
It's easy to see why this one took the 2015 Newbery Medal. It's the kind of book that works for reluctant readers and poetry lovers alike and it earns every bit of its reputation as a modern classic in middle-grade fiction.
It did't take long to get drawn into this story and I can see why it was the John Newbery Medal winner for 2015. The short, punchy lines still produced depth and emotions as the story progressed. It's a fast read on paper, but it doesn't feel slight, there's real weight packed into those verses.
It's easy to see why this one took the 2015 Newbery Medal. It's the kind of book that works for reluctant readers and poetry lovers alike and it earns every bit of its reputation as a modern classic in middle-grade fiction.
This book is part of my 2026 Reading Off My Shelf Challenge - #31
No comments:
Post a Comment