Crossover

Alexander, K. ( 2014). Crossover. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Josh Bell, nicknamed Filthy McNasty by his father, is a middle-school basketball star  along with his twin brother Jordan. Their  father is a former pro-basketball player that played in the European League, so basketball is in their blood.   Josh and Jordan are inseparable on and off the court.   That is until Jordan meets the new girl in school and is soon spending all of his time with her.  Josh is lost without his brother and soon is angry that Jordan is no longer spending time with him.  On top of that, their father is having health problems, but refuses to see a doctor.  Tension heats up between Josh and Jordan, and during a game, Josh throws a ball at Jordan square in the face, which lands Josh on the bench for the rest of the season.  As if things weren't bad enough for Josh, his father has a heart attack and ends up in the hospital at Christmas time.  At the championship game at the end of the season, Josh's parents allow him to play, but during the game, their father dies of another heart attack.

This story is not just about basketball, but about family, relationships, and facing difficulties in life.   The relationship between the two brothers show the reader  the  importance of family over all other things.  The book is told entirely in verse, which makes it interesting to read.   Kids that would normally not choose a book of poetry will change their minds after reading this book.