Alexander,
K. (2014). The crossover. New York:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Book Cover from Amazon
Fiction-Poetry
2015 Newbery
Medal Winner
2015 Coretta Scott King Honor Award Winner
Grades 4-10
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander is a YA novel written in verse. Josh, aka Filthy McNasty, and his twin brother Jordan are best friends and basketball stars at their junior high, They have learned a lot from their dad, a former professional ball player, who had to quit for health issues. Josh tells the story through a collection of poems that vary from the excitement of a basketball game to the struggles of a twelve year old boy. Josh and Jordan's relationship is put to the test when Jordan gets a girlfriend. Due to Josh's jealousy, he makes a poor choice and is suspended from the basketball team by his mom which is also the school administrator. He is also upset over his dad's refusal to go to the doctor for high blood pressure. There are themes of relationships, consequences of actions, and dealing with illness/death. School Library Journal (SLJ) says despite his immaturity, Josh is a likable, funny, and authentic character. Underscoring the sports and the fraternal tension is a portrait of a family that truly loves and supports one another. Alexander has crafted a story that vibrates with energy and heart and begs to be read aloud. A slam dunk!
Partner Titles:
Woodson, J. (2014). Brown girl dreaming. New York: Nancy Paulsen Books.
Book Cover from Amazon
Memoir in Verse
2015 Newbery Medal Honor
2015 Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner
Grades 5 and up
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson would be a great partner title for The Crossover by Kwame Alexander because it is also written in verse. Woodson tells of her childhood from living with her grandparents in South Carolina to moving to New York with her mother through poems. She is able to find her voice through writing. This book received outstanding reviews from SLJ, Library Media Connection, Kirkus, and Horn Book.
Feinstein, J. (2005). Last shot: A Final Four mystery. New York: Knopf :.
Book Cover from Amazon
Fiction- Mystery
Grades 6-10
Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery by John Feinstein could partner well with The Crossover by Kwame Alexander because of the basketball theme. Students who love sports could be drawn into this mystery. Stevie and Susan Carol have won a writing contest for aspiring sports journalists and won a press pass to the Final Four in New Orleans. They overhear of a plan to throw the game and they have to figure out what the scandal is and who is blackmailing. They are determined to help.
Myers, C. (2014). H.O.R.S.E.: A game of basketball and imagination. Live Oak Media.
Book Cover from Amazon
Fiction
2013 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award
Grades 3-6
H.O.R.S.E.: A Game of Basketball and Imagination by Christopher Myers would be a great partner title for The Crossover by Kwame Alexander because basketball and trash talk. Two friends get creative while playing the old favorite HORSE.
Creech, S. (2001). Love that dog. New York: HarperCollins.
Book Cover from Amazon
Fiction-Poetry
Grades 3-7
Love That Dog by Sharon Creech would pair well with The Crossover by Kwame Alexander because of the theme of death and loss. Written in verse, we follow Jack as he discovers that boys can like poetry. His teacher helps him discover this and he is able to write about his dog, Sky, that was hit and killed.
Hesse, K. (1997). Out of the dust. New York: Scholastic Press.
Book Cover from Amazon
Fiction- Historical
1998 Newbery Medal Winner
Grades 3-7
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse can pair well with The Crossover by Kwame Alexander because it is written in verse and has death/loss. Billie Jo is growing up in the panhandle of Oklahoma during the Depression and she tells her story through a series of diary entries in verse. Life is hard, but becomes even harder after the accident. Will Billie Jo and her father ever be able to heal and repair their nonexistent relationship?
Teaching Ideas:
1. Poetry- English 6 SOL 6.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts, narrative nonfiction, and poetry. j) Identify and analyze the author’s use of figurative language. Read The Crossover when studying poetry and discuss figurative language. Discuss the definition of free verse and share entries- On the way to the game pg.13, At the end of the warm-ups, my brother tries to dunk pgs. 24-25, The game is tied pg. 36, and Missing pg 43. Ask students to complete a free verse poem for their poetry project. Students can represent their project in a variety of ways- Write it, type it, Powerpoint, Prezi, Animoto, Emaze, or any other presentation tool of their choosing.
2. Theme- English 6 SOL 6.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts, narrative nonfiction, and poetry. a) Identify the elements of narrative structure, including setting, character, plot, conflict, and theme. Two major themes are prominent in this book – family relationships and loss. I would begin by asking students an open-ended question such as “How do relationships affect me?” Have students respond personally. As students read this book, the same question can be answered with the characters in the book. How are the relationships affecting the character? What evidence do you have to support that? (Literary Fusions, 2014)
3. Vocabulary- English 6 SOL 6.4 The student will read and learn the meanings of unfamiliar words and phrases within authentic texts. In The Crossover the author presents important vocabulary using the usual dictionary format in presenting the vocabulary term: the word is shown in syllables, with a pronunciation guide, the part of speech is indicated, and the poem provides a kind of definition along with examples of the meaning of the word (using the phrase “as in:”). Working together, look up some of these words in a dictionary (or online) and compare your findings with the vocabulary poem. Challenge students to write their own “vocabulary” poems for a new word they encounter in the book using Alexander’s formula. (Fairfax County Public Schools, n.d.)
4. Jazz/Music- Music SOL 6.7 The student will explore historical and cultural aspects of music by 1. identifying and describing the cultures, musical styles, composers, and historical periods associated with the music literature being studied; USII.9 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the key domestic and international issues during the second half of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries by b) describing the development of new technologies in communication, entertainment, and business and their impact on American life. Josh's nickname is "Filthy McNasty" given to him by his dad. It is in reference to a song by Horace Silver. Research Horace Silver, listen to his songs, and discuss as a class.
1. Poetry- English 6 SOL 6.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts, narrative nonfiction, and poetry. j) Identify and analyze the author’s use of figurative language. Read The Crossover when studying poetry and discuss figurative language. Discuss the definition of free verse and share entries- On the way to the game pg.13, At the end of the warm-ups, my brother tries to dunk pgs. 24-25, The game is tied pg. 36, and Missing pg 43. Ask students to complete a free verse poem for their poetry project. Students can represent their project in a variety of ways- Write it, type it, Powerpoint, Prezi, Animoto, Emaze, or any other presentation tool of their choosing.
2. Theme- English 6 SOL 6.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts, narrative nonfiction, and poetry. a) Identify the elements of narrative structure, including setting, character, plot, conflict, and theme. Two major themes are prominent in this book – family relationships and loss. I would begin by asking students an open-ended question such as “How do relationships affect me?” Have students respond personally. As students read this book, the same question can be answered with the characters in the book. How are the relationships affecting the character? What evidence do you have to support that? (Literary Fusions, 2014)
3. Vocabulary- English 6 SOL 6.4 The student will read and learn the meanings of unfamiliar words and phrases within authentic texts. In The Crossover the author presents important vocabulary using the usual dictionary format in presenting the vocabulary term: the word is shown in syllables, with a pronunciation guide, the part of speech is indicated, and the poem provides a kind of definition along with examples of the meaning of the word (using the phrase “as in:”). Working together, look up some of these words in a dictionary (or online) and compare your findings with the vocabulary poem. Challenge students to write their own “vocabulary” poems for a new word they encounter in the book using Alexander’s formula. (Fairfax County Public Schools, n.d.)
4. Jazz/Music- Music SOL 6.7 The student will explore historical and cultural aspects of music by 1. identifying and describing the cultures, musical styles, composers, and historical periods associated with the music literature being studied; USII.9 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the key domestic and international issues during the second half of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries by b) describing the development of new technologies in communication, entertainment, and business and their impact on American life. Josh's nickname is "Filthy McNasty" given to him by his dad. It is in reference to a song by Horace Silver. Research Horace Silver, listen to his songs, and discuss as a class.
Further Exploration:
Follow Kwame Alexander here on Twitter.
PBS News Hour- Poet turns young sports lovers into book lovers
Kwame Alexander's Book Trailer for The Crossover
School Library Journal Book Review of The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
Bibliography:
Alexander,
K. (2014). The crossover. New York:
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Alexander, K. (n.d.) Twitter. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/kwamealexander
Book Review: The Crossover, by Kwame Alexander. (2014, April 22). Literary fusions blog. Retrieved fromhttp://www.literaryfusions.com/2014/04/22/book-review-the-crossover-by-kwame-alexander/
Creech, S. (2001). Love that dog. New York: HarperCollins.
Educator's Guide: The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. (n.d.) Fairfax county public schools. Retrieved from http://www.fcps.edu/fairfaxnetwork/mta/kalexander/TheCrossover_BG.pdf
Educator's Guide: The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. (n.d.) Fairfax county public schools. Retrieved from http://www.fcps.edu/fairfaxnetwork/mta/kalexander/TheCrossover_BG.pdf
Extended Book Trailer for The Crossover by Kwame Alexander. (2015, January 2). Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BONWz5Ao82E
Feinstein, J. (2005). Last shot: A Final Four mystery. New York: Knopf :.
Horace Silver - Filthy McNasty. (n.d.). Youtube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTYtZa2XrDQ
Hesse, K. (1997). Out of the dust. New York: Scholastic Press.
Lyness, A. (2012, October 1). How Can I Cope With My Dad's Death? Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/teen/expert/emotions/expert_coping.html
Myers, C. (2014). H.O.R.S.E.: A game of basketball and imagination. Live Oak Media.
Parrott, K. (2015). SLJ Reviews of 2015 Youth Media Award–Winning and Honor Books. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/2015/02/industry-news/slj-reviews-of-2015-youth-media-award-winning-and-honor-books/
Poet's novel turns young sports lovers into book lovers. (2015, March 26). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/poets-novel-turns-young-sports-lovers-book-lovers/
Virginia Department of Education. (2012). Grade 6 English. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/english/2010/stds_english6.pdf
Virginia Department of Education. (2012). Grade 6 English. Retrieved from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/english/2010/stds_english6.pdf
Woodson, J. (2014). Brown girl dreaming. New York: Nancy Paulsen Books.
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