The Crossover

It has been such a long time since my last entry!  However, I have used that time to redesign the blog, and you will likely notice some changes.  Over the March break I had a chance to read The Crossover, the 2015 Newbery Medal winning book.  It is unlike any of the choices for the last few years for the medal honor, but one that is a lot of fun to read.  Written in a series of concrete poems, this book explores teen relationships, sport, jealousy, and the importance of family in all of our lives.  Take a few minutes in the next couple of weeks to read this great book.  Next month I will be publishing my summer reading lists, and offering two more book reviews.  Enjoy them warmer weather, and happy reading!

School Library Journal March 1, 2014

Gr 6-10-Twins Josh and Jordan are junior high basketball stars, thanks in large part to the coaching of their dad, a former professional baller who was forced to quit playing for health reasons, and the firm, but loving support of their assistant-principal mom. Josh, better known as Filthy McNasty, earned his nickname for his enviable skills on the court: ".when Filthy gets hot/He has a SLAMMERIFIC SHOT." In this novel in verse, the brothers begin moving apart from each other for the first time. Jordan starts dating the "pulchritudinous" Miss Sweet Tea, and Josh has a tough time keeping his jealousy and feelings of abandonment in control. Alexander's poems vary from the pulsing, aggressive beats of a basketball game ("My shot is F L O W I N G, Flying, fluttering.. ringaling and SWINGALING/Swish. Game/over") to the more introspective musings of a child struggling into adolescence ("Sit beside JB at dinner. He moves./Tell him a joke. He doesn't even smile..Say I'm sorry/but he won't listen"). 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.-Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal. (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.