The Crossover

 Alexander, K. (2014). The Crossover. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 

 This story is about twin brothers Josh and Jordan who are both great basketball players and enjoy playing the game. The story is told from Josh's perspective and he uses a free verse form of poetry to illustrate his story. Josh begins to tell how their dad is their inspiration in basketball, because their father was a great international basketball player who was all-star in the states. During the story Josh and his brother begin to notice their father seems to be sick and not himself, but their dad refuses to see the doctor. Not only is Josh worried about his dad but at the same time his brother is dating a girl that Josh happens to like too. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place, but Josh tries to focus all his energy into basketball and not his brother's girlfriend. Josh and his family unfortunately end up in some sad and hard times when their father ends up having a massive heart attack. Even though, Josh is upset by what's happening to his dad he still goes to the basketball final without his brother who rather stay with there dad, and while Josh is playing his heart out their father ends up having major complications and dies before Josh can get back to see him again. Do you think Josh blames himself for leaving his dad to play a basketball game, or do you think Josh is selfish? Read and find out the outcome of the story.

This was tear and heart jerking kind of book which you feel for each character. The free verse form of writing was well done, and even though I had to reread a few passages to understand the textual meaning it was worth it. I feel like older readers in the middle to high school range will enjoy this story.