The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander is about twins whose whole lives revolve around basketball. The older twin, Filthy MCnasty, and JB, his younger brother are both basketball stars. Their dad went to the world championships when he was younger and when he was doing a slam dunk, he hurt his knee. He could have had surgery for the injury but he decided not to. That was the end of his career and he never competed again. Skip foward years now and he is teaching his twins to be basketball prodigies.

One day in school JB finds a new girl walking in the cafeteria, and she is a basketball player too. Filthy MCnasty doesn’t approve of “Miss Sweet Tea”, the new girl, aka JB’s girlfriend. He starts spending all his time with her and he starts skipping practices and games. Meanwhile, the twins dad starts getting sick and he won't do anything about it. Will the twins make up and go to the championships? Is their dad going to be ok? What will happen to Miss Sweet Tea?

This book is both intense and caring. I give this book four and a half stars because the detail is AMAZING and you can feel the tense times the character goes through. You feel and live what is written on these pages. I like this book because it reminds me of the hard times but you will make it on the other side eventually, because life gets better.

-amazinga142

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander is the well deserved winner of the 2015 Newbery Award.   Wow, what a great book!  Told in poetry that is bold and powerful, this book sings!  The author tells the story of twin brothers who are basketball stars on their school team.  Lots of fast action on the court will thrill basketball fans.  The book goes deeper than basketball, because what is happening on the court reflects the complications of life off court.  Drive toward the hoop with this heart hammering winner of a book.  I finished it in a single reading.  Could not put it down!

Reviewed by Mrs. Castro