Book Review: The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't know why it took me so long to read Kwame Alexander's The Crossover. As someone who loves poetry, respects hip-hop, enjoys YA literature, and geeks out over the clever artistry of non-traditional novels, I'm exactly the kind of reader who should have read The Crossover a decade ago. Perhaps it's just my skepticism of basketball (and all sports, really) that got in the way, but I'm disappointed in myself for not reading this earlier. Nevertheless, I'm grateful that I finally took the plunge and tackled Alexander's award-winning book: it clearly deserves all the accolades that it's received over the last ten years.

The novel-in-verse focuses on the relationship between twin brothers, Josh and Jordan Bell, as they dribble down the complex court of middle school relationships and family dynamics. When the new girl in school captures Jordan's attention, Josh must face the inevitable conflicts that arise with shifting family dynamics; to further complicate matters, the boys' father, Chuck "Da Man" Bell, faces health issues that drastically shift the perspectives of every member in the Bell family.

This isn't just a "basketball book," but a novel that touches upon many timeless themes under the broader scoreboard of growing up. Told entirely from the perspective of Josh (a.k.a. "Filthy McNasty"), the narrative's rapid-fire verse captures the emotional rollercoaster of adolescent life - on and off the courts. The first few chapters illustrate Alexander's mastery of language, rhythm, and rhyme - with sizzling lyrics worthy of Jay-Z and metrical flow as graceful as Michael Jordan. When I did a "first-chapter Friday" with a class of fourth-graders, I felt like a frenzied tourist in Hamilton territory. In fact, if Lin-Manuel Miranda ever writes a novel, he'll want to emulate the accessible - but simultaneously sophisticated - style of Alexander (Kwame, that is... not Hamilton).

Fortunately, though, Kwame Alexander's skillset is not exclusively limited to surface beauty: underneath the stellar language is fertile soil of thoughtful character development and unique story arcs. Because the book is brief, it's a great novel for struggling readers and students with short attention spans. More importantly, though, it's a modern masterpiece that will connect with many readers - regardless of age - who know what it's like to love and lose beneath the intimidating shadows of the backboard, classroom, and dining room table. As our protagonist, Josh Bell, discovers in the pages of Kwame Alexander's beautiful book, the real world isn't just a series of free-throws: it's a journey of layups, fouls, benching, three-point shots, and (occasionally) a slam dunk in the game of life.

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