Book Review:

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander is one of my current favorite books. Both of my sons loved it, too. Written in verse, it is the story of twelve-year-old basketball player Josh Bell. He and his twin brother are basketball stars, but things begin to change when his brother becomes interested in a girl, and his dad gets sick. The audiobook is also excellent, and I highly recommend it.

Discussion Questions:

(Taken from: https://riteenbookaward.org/node/511)

1. What is the meaning of the title The Crossover? Does it have two meanings?

2. There are ten poems in the book called “Basketball Rules.” Discuss these poems and how they fit into the overall story.

3. Why did the boys’ father not want to go to a doctor? How did you feel about that decision?

4. Discuss the importance of sports in the lives of the Bell family. How did playing basketball help each person become who they are or want to be?

5. A lot of Josh's poems use different font types, sizes, styles. Why do you think the author did this? Did it add to the story, or did you find it distracting while reading?

6. Many people expect twins to be exactly alike. Is that the case with Josh and Jordan? How are they similar? How are they different? Which one would you most want to be friends with and why?

7. Between his brother, his father, and his mother, Josh has a lot of people influencing his life in different ways. Who do you think has the most influence on him? Is it a good or bad influence?

Food Ideas:

Taco dip in a pie plate with shredded cheese as the orange basketball and olives for the black lines, clementines with lines drawn on them like basketballs, mandarin orange cups with lines drawn on the top like basketballs, cupcakes decorated like basketballs, and cups, or “nets,” of cheese balls with a paper backboard attached to the back of the cup. It was so fun (and so cute!)!