The Crossover

Alexander, K. (2014). The crossover. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

Josh and Jordan are twin brothers. They are extremely talented at basketball. Their number one fan is their dad. He not only coaches them in the game of basketball but also in the game of life.  Josh is more focused on the game while his brother Jordan isn’t as committed as his brother. His girlfriend Sweet Tea has a hand in that. After the tragic loss of their father, they must learn to keep his memory alive.

 

Evaluative Criteria:  Plot; Style

 Plot is shown in this book by introducing the family unit united and tight. The readers can relate because boys whose fathers are involved tend to be involved in sports. The story surprises us with the twist and turns as the brothers who used to be inseparable after an incident on the court no longer speak to each other. Another turn occurs during a fantastic day they boys were having with their father he suffers a heart attack and later dies. The strength this family has helps them deal with the tragic loss as a whole. This whole book is written in rhyme. The style Kwame Alexander presents is all his own. He includes a lot of similes and symbolisms. The twins are compared to stars on the court, at the end the twins compare their father to the star who will forever be watching over them from the sky.