The Crossover, Kwame Alexander
Realistic fiction/Verse
Booktalk: This year’s Newbery Medal winner is The Crossover, a novel in verse by Kwame Alexander. Thirteen-year-old Josh Bell and his twin brother Jordan are basketball stars, just like their dad, whose professional career was cut short by a knee injury. The twins do everything together: walk to school together, listen to music together, and of course, play basketball together – at least, until Jordan gets a girlfriend and Josh doesn’t.
Suddenly, Josh is alone for the first time in his life, and he doesn’t know how to handle it – and he doesn’t handle it well. Add to all that drama that his mom’s the school principal and always in his business, his dad is sick and refuses to go to the doctor, and the country championship is coming up – Josh has a lot going on, and he gets it all out through his rhythmic free verse poetry.
Similar titles: Consider reading this year’s Newbery Honor books: El Deafo (Cece Bell) and Brown Girl Dreaming (Jacqueline Woodson) – they’re both great.