Introduction

A loss is inevitable, like snow in winter. True champions learn to dance through the storm.

p. 230

Over the course of this blog, I’d like to try and read things that I might have missed either pre-library career or while I was away from youth services. Kwame Alexander’s The Crossover is a major one on our shelves that, no matter how many copies we have, is tough to get your hands on! This is a novel about the Bell twins, Josh and JB, who are navigating changing relationships in middle school. Josh’s narrative in and around basketball and how he relates to the members of his family is compelling – all the more so when tragedy strikes and the twins have to learn how to carry on.

The Good Stuff

It is absolutely no wonder at all that this book is considered a classic and a necessary read. I had the pleasure of reading Jason Reynolds’ Long Way Down when he visited my branch a few years ago and I still remember how it stayed with me – this book gave me the same feeling and struck me just as strongly.

Josh Bell is a kid who one of two of his school’s basketball superstars. The other, of course, is his twin brother JB. Their mom is the principle of their school and their dad is a former basketball phenomenon, both of whom love their sons deeply and try in their own ways to impart wisdom to the boys. Things begin to change when a new girl appears at the school and takes an interest in JB. From this point forward, Josh’s actions and reactions on and off the court carry more weight than they ever have before. (Can you tell I’m trying extraordinarily hard to not spoil it?)

If you haven’t ever read this book before, try to go in without looking up the details of the story. Alexander’s prose deserves to be experienced for yourself – it pulls you in and truly doesn’t let you go until the last page. It sticks with you afterward, too. This is doubly true for the graphic novel adaptation that features lively art that jumps at you off the page. Either edition is more than worth the wait in the library hold line to get your hands on.

One final thing I want to touch on before wrapping up is who to recommend this book to. Generally the answer is ‘everyone’, right? The thing here that I want to highlight, though, is that because this is such a quick and compelling read, I’d highly recommend this one for reluctant readers. This goes doubly so for the graphic novel adaptation because it doesn’t alter the text at all, instead elevating it with bold linework and a limited color palette. There are a few discussion guides that you may find useful as well if you’re reading this with a young person. I would recommend having a few in your back pocket because some of the story events might raise questions or start conversations that you’ll want to approach with kindness and grace.

In Summary

It is no wonder at all why this book is so beloved – it’s completely deserving of the awards and honors it’s received. I’m so happy to say that this book is highly recommended. The links above take you to Bookshop for purchasing, and of course you can look to your local library as well. At the time of writing, Kwame Alexander is also planning to make an appearance at the National Book Festival 2022 to promote his new novel, so I hope you’re looking forward to that as much as I am. As always, gichi miigwetch for reading!