Reviews with content warning for Death of parent - The Crossover

Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

22 reviews

weathermerem's review against another edition

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emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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dpearson5257's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Oh my heart😭
This story would’ve gotten finished much sooner but there’s a very difficult situation that happens and I was not prepared for it. ⚠️ there is death of a parent…and as someone who juuuust lost their dad at the beginning of this year, yep had to pause for a few days. But this story is a beautifully written story about family and values and the love of basketball. I applaud the delivery in this book!

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trippalli's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book is written like poetry with brief verse and action filled words. It builds out our characters and their priorities and is a story where each verse and page leads into the next.

From the perspective of a black teen who plays basketball with his twin brother on their competitive high school basketball game and they are both close with there retired dad, who was previously a pro ball player and had to retire young due to injury.

We soon are cheering for them, their fabulous and goals.

The format is engaging and emotionally connected me to this family, their hopes and challenges while being very appropriate for YA readers.

I highly recommend this epic poem to basketball, family and striving for success through challenges. It's a very inspiring and emotional story.

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kristensreading's review against another edition

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inspiring sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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frawst_disasta_reads's review against another edition

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challenging funny hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I wouldn’t generally pick up this book. But it was available on LIBBY and I figured why not for a two hour audiobook.
I got lost in this book. The way it felt like slam poetry at times? I can’t imagine reading it and having the same emotional reaction. For as short as it is, this book holds a lot of punch.

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srivalli's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced

4.25

4.2 Stars

Josh Bell, a twelve-year-old, and his twin brother Jordan are great basketball players. The book is about how they deal with the changes in their lives on and off the court. It’s about the game, family, relationships, friendships, etc. The story is written in verse and comes in Josh’s first-person POV.

This is a quick yet poignant read showcasing Josh’s confidence, his love for basketball and his family, and how he tries to navigate the changes in their lives. The voice goes from cocky to vulnerable as his twin brother gets a girlfriend and his father’s health issues crop up too often. Josh’s reactions are instinctive, impulsive, and exactly like that of a tween. The story gets heavier towards the end but still manages to close on a hopeful note.

The verses border on rap, especially when Josh talks about the game. His passion comes through, and even I was excited about it (basketball isn’t my thing, TBH). The writing flows well and has enough humor for kids to enjoy. However, it doesn’t shy away from discussing important topics in a way kids would understand.

In short, it’s a heartwarming book.

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