The Crossover
Graphic Novel - 2019
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Cross over : graphic novel
Opinion
From Library Staff
From Library Staff
Thanks to their dad, 12-year-old Josh Bell and his twin brother, Jordan, are kings on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood—he's got mad beats, too, which help him find his rhythm when it's all on the line. The graphic novel adaptation of #ownvoices Kwame Alexander's bestselle... Read More »
Told from the point of view of one of a pair of twin brothers, this book reads uses words and formatting to tell a story about basketball and family.
This graphic novel adaptation of The Crossover tells the story of middle-school basketball playing twins, Jordan (JB) and Josh Bell and their family. It includes all of the basketball action as the book does, but offers an exciting visual interpretation. The expressions on the faces of the charac... Read More »
From the critics
Community Activity
Age
Add Age Suitability
dux_in_da_library thinks this title is suitable for 9 years and over
violet_baboon_288 thinks this title is suitable for 9 years and over
WVMLlibrarianShannon
Apr 27, 2015
WVMLlibrarianShannon thinks this title is suitable for 11 years and over
Quotes
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ArapahoeStaff26
Apr 15, 2020
I've seen him launch it from thirty feet before, ALL NET. That boy is special, and it doesn't hurt that Chuck "Da Man" Bell is his father. And mine too. JB bounces the ball back to me. JB's a shooter, but I'm sneaky and silky as a snake ___ ... pg. 27
I love this game like winter loves snow. pg. 31
JCLChrisK
Mar 19, 2015
CROSS-O-VER
[kraws-oh-ver] noun
A simple basketball move
in which a player dribbles
the ball quickly
from one hand
to the other.
As in: When done right,
a crossover can break
an opponent's ankles.
As in: Deron William's crossover
is nice, but Allen Iverson's crossover
was so deadly, he could've set up
his own podiatry practice.
As in: Dad taught me
how to give a soft cross first
to see if your opponent falls
for it,
then hit 'em
with the hard crossover.
Summary
Add a SummaryBasketball loving twins, Josh Bell aka Filthy McNasty and Jordan Bell aka JB are trying to follow in their father's footsteps who people on the court called Da Man. Their father had played professional basketball in Italy. After finding out their father quit because of a medical condition, they do all they can to make things better. Things get complicated when Jordan gets a girlfriend and the dad's health issues getting worse. Josh gets mad at JB and this anger shows in a basketball game. Can Josh patch things up with his brother? Will their dad get back to full health? Read the book to find the answers.
LibraryK8
Jun 24, 2014
Josh Bell, known as Filthy McNasty to those on the court, is one of top two players on his middle school basketball team. The other player is his twin brother, Jordan. The two are expected to become big stars as their father was an amazing basketball player before he retired, known to his fans as Da Man!
Filthy and Jordan are ready for an epic year on their team, taking them all the way to playoffs, when things are complicated by a new girl, who captures Jordan's eye and their father's heart problems.
Comment
Add a CommentThis is a great book for those who love basketball (like me).
This is a marvelous book.
It does not matter if you love, or hate, poetry and basketball. This book has something for everybody.
It is an emotional, relatable, and powerful story about the bond of family and the game of life.
Okay. If you like sports, or poetry, or both, this book is for you. I personally don't like basketball, or any other sport for that matter, but I still loved this book. I finished it in one day, and I cried at the end. I highly recommend this book.
This 2015 Newbery Medal winner is written in free verse. The author uses different font sizes and spacing on the page, as well as the energetic voice of the 12 year old narrator, to quickly engage the reader. The basketball and school slang and similes, metaphors, and analogies will create a vivid experience for middle graders, ages 9 and older. The ALD Koelbel YA/Teen Book Group agreed it is a realistic coming-of-age story that we would be comfortable recommending. It brings up interesting issues such as the importance of sports, of family loyalty, and the helpless feeling of watching a loved one neglect their health.
I adored Kwame Alexander's The Crossover a few years back. As a person who has very little interest in sports, I loved the way Alexander wove sports and family together through his beautiful poems. I loved the Bell family, I loved Josh's narration, and there was also something about the twists and turns in Alexander's prose that just had me completely head-over-heels.
This graphic novel version of The Crossover may even be better than the original. Having Dawud Anyabwile's gorgeous illustrations accompany Alexander's poetry is phenomenal. I felt like Anyabwile's artwork really showcased the heart and soul of the Bell family's trials and tribulations in such a way where it connected to the text perfectly. I loved the artwork, and how Josh and Jordan were designed, and I loved the attention to detail throughout.
The Crossover is still a wonderful and powerful story about family. A lot of what Alexander's words stated in 2014, are just as true in 2019. This edition boasts amazing artwork to accompany Alexander's beautiful words, and is a great addition to anyone's graphic novel collection or just for anyone who loves story about family and the turbulence than comes with being a part of one.
This book is one of those books that you just can't put down! I recommend that not only basketball fans (like me) read this but everyone who wants to be successful in life to read this!
Loved reading this book in graphic novel form & think this is a great way for the book to reach new readers!
The Crossover, by Kwame Alexander, is about twin brothers/basketball players, Josh and JB. The guys are inseparable both on and off the court. They also have a father that was a famous basketball player for Italy. The brothers are determined to lead their team through a great season as well as possibly winning the championship for their junior high. Then things start to change extremely. JB starts to spend more time with a new girl that turns into his girlfriend, they notice their mom and dad are fighting regarding an issue, and the twins grow apart. This book is one of the best poetry books I’ve ever read. The Crossover is a rhythmic/poetic adventure that can really connect you emotionally to all of the events that take place in the novel. I found myself constantly flipping the pages, eagerly waiting to see what was going to happen next. Kwame Alexander did an amazing job on this novel and continues to with his other ones as well. I absolutely recommend this book, you will not regret reading it 4.5/5.
@CreativityReader of the Hamilton Public Library's Teen Review Board
The Crossover is about two twins who play basketball together, Josh and Jordan. Ever since they were little they loved playing basketball. Now they are 12 years old, and they are getting to a stage of life where they have other interests than just basketball. Jordan is interested in girls and Josh hasn’t hit that stage of life yet. Their dad who also loves basketball has heart trouble and he is in the hospital. While their Dad is sick, Jordan spends less time with Josh and more time with his girlfriend (Alexa). Their dad is also spending less time with them because he is in the hospital. Overall the family becomes very separated, especially the brothers and this creates a lot to challenges. Eventually, they all work together to connect the family, including Alexa, back together. This book was a really nice read. It is one of my favourite books and it is written in a poem style. Aside from being very touching, it is an easy and quick book to read!
@rusty_reads of the Teen Review Board at the Hamilton Public Library
A novel in verse, very creative, with slowly revealed depths that take the reader from the emotionally simple focus of a talented 7th grade basketball player on the excitement and art of his sport to dealing with the problems he creates in his family. Josh is one of two twin brothers who are the sons of a retired professional basketball star and who are themselves young prodigies. But when brother J.B. threatens their partnership by falling in love with a girl in their class, Josh’s jealousy and anger creates a rift between them. His father has a different set of problems, refusing to think about his own health and finances, instead focusing on turning his sons into stars. The boys’ mother, the Assistant Principal at school, tries to hold the family together and keep a balance in their lives beyond basketball.
The poetry is done in different styles, from a bragging explosive hip-hop to quiet introspection to rhythmic dialogue between the brothers. Very impressive. It would be an interesting read-aloud, especially for two people.
Easy and fun to read.