More great reads: the best books for 11 year olds
Longlisted for the UKLA 2017 Book Award
‘The Crossover’ is original and absolutely stunning, both visually and emotionally, it’s also an award winner, and deserves to be. First published in the United States in 2014 and described perfectly as a novel-in-verse, this is a story about basketball playing twins, Josh and Jordan.
I initially wondered, as I looked at the visual impact of the first page, how easy it would be to read, as the words themselves slant and grow and fill the page with attitude. The answer is that this is a remarkably beautiful and accessible read, at times I even read out loud, the sounds resonating and rolling from the page.
This style really encourages feeling and understanding to grow, and before I knew it I was fully immersed in the story and letting the words ebb and flow through my mind. Fresh, funny and heart achingly sad, ‘The Crossover’ is a dynamic, vital and gripping story, that I highly and truly recommend.
In this Newbery Medal-winning middle grade novel in verse, twelve-year-old twins and basketball stars Josh and Jordan Bell must learn to deal with problems on and off the court as they navigate homework, first crushes, family and, of course, basketball. "With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I'm delivering," announces dread-locked, 12-year old Josh Bell. He and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood, he's got mad beats, too, that tell his family's story in verse, in this fast and furious middle grade novel of family and brotherhood from Kwame Alexander. Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story's heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family.
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In this Newbery Medal-winning middle grade novel in verse, twelve-year-old twins and basketball stars Josh and Jordan Bell must learn to deal with problems on and off the court as they navigate homework, first crushes, family and, of course, basketball. "With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .The court is SIZZLING.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Crossover and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-14 years old
The Crossover features in the following genres: Featured Books for 11+ readers, Featured Books for 13+ readers, Recommendations, Recommended Children's eBooks, Stories about Family and Friends, School Stories, Sporting Stories, Stories in Verse, PSHE: Family Issues, PSHE: Siblings, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Gritty Reads
Paperback, Hardback. Not Available.
The Crossover was written by Kwame Alexander and published by Clarion Books an imprint of HMH Books
The Crossover has 237 pages
Yes it is part of The Crossover Series series
