By Kwame Alexander (author) , Dawud Anyabwile (illustrator)
"This prize-winning novel here in lively graphic form"
Paperback In Stock £10.99 £9.89
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March 2020 Book of the Month
The novel of The Crossover is a Newberry Medal Winner, and a Coretta Scott King Award Winner in the US and was Shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal in the UK. This graphic novel version is the whole story complete with large and small two-coloured illustrations gracing every page. This is a deceptively simple read – a novel in verse about siblings getting through middle school, their lives, their crushes, their family interactions, and basketball.
The boys are twins Josh and Jordan Bell, sons of a famous basketball player, and aiming to make a mark in the world of basketball. There are rivalries between the boys, they revel in their differences, but family holds them together whatever the world throws at them.
The words and pictures work so well together, you will be on the edge of your seat, rooting for the team as they play and crying with the twins when thigs go awry. To tell such a complex story with so few words, with such emotional depth – Alexander is a master of devastating and uplifting storytelling. Anyabwile’s illustrations enhance a superb story – adding expressions and movement to an already great novel.
'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,' raps twelve-year-old Josh Bell.
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Thanks to their dad, he and his twin brother, Jordan, are kings on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood - he's got mad beats, too, which help him find his rhythm when it's all on the line.
See the Bell family in a whole new light through Dawud Anyabwile's dynamic illustrations as the brothers' winning season unfolds, and the world as they know it begins to change.
This graphic-novel adaptation . . . offers powerful visuals to an already-cherished narrative. A slam-dunk thrill - Kirkus
A fresh look at the Newbery Medal-winning book . . . stunningly illustrated by Anyabwile. With lively poems that use basketball as a metaphor for life, this mix of free verse, hip-hop, and powerful artwork will resonate with fans of the original book and inspire a new audience of nascent players, artists, and poets - School Library Journal
This adaptation evokes the imagery of the basketball, ensuring that readers feel Josh Bell's experiences come to life. An energetic and lively re-envisioning - Booklist
Alexander's complex, affectionate family portrait is augmented by Anyabwile's dynamic characterizations . . . the graphic version brings out the best in the original, as any good teammate should - Publishers Weekly
A beautifully measured novel of life and line - The New York Times Book Review
Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, and the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books, including Rebound , shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, The Crossover , winner of the Newbery Medal, and The Undefeated , winner of the Caldecott Medal. Kwame is also the recipient of several other awards, including the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award and the Coretta Scott King Author Honour.
He is the writer and executive producer of The Crossover TV series, which won a Daytime Emmy Award, and is co-founder of LEAP for Ghana, an international literacy programme.
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Josh and Jordan have spent their life together and basketball is their thing. When Jordan gets a girlfriend, Josh must learn how to deal with a change to his life.
Josh and Jordan are twins, they do everything together including play basketball. When Jordan gets a girlfriend, Josh struggles with his feelings and the fact his twin is now distracted and no longer spending as much time with him, he has to learn a new period in his life. This phase does not always go well for Josh and the story addresses his feelings in a mature way.
Family is important in the story and this is not a book that shies away from the difficulties of life and delivers a story-line you may not predict.
I had already read the original version of this book and loved it, but this graphic novel took it to another level. The visual aspect of the book may help younger readers to pick up on some of the subtleties of the text.... Read Full Review
This is a powerful and emotional novel and one that will engage with readers of all ages and all abilities. It will appeal to a variety of readers, not only fans of Kwame Alexander but readers who love graphic novels, those who love stories about sport, real-life and those who like a quick read – this book has it all.
Written entirely in verse The Crossover Graphic Novel is like no other. Alexander’s original modern classic verse novel is given a vibrant, energetic feel by Anyabwile’s illustrations. The story centres around twin brothers Josh and Jordan. It focuses on their relationships, their family, their school lives and their passion – basketball. This is a powerful and emotional novel and one that will engage with readers of all ages and all abilities.... Read Full Review
An interesting style of book.
An interesting style of book played out in the form of a poem comic book.
I found the change of style good and it made me pay attention to all the colours that the book displayed. It was an interesting storyline that told the story of a young basketball star who struggles with decisions because his dad suffers from heart disease.... Read Full Review
'With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . . The court is SIZZLING.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Crossover Graphic Novel and determined it is suitable for children aged 11-14 years old
The Crossover Graphic Novel features in the following genres: Graphic Novels & Comics, Stories about Family and Friends, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Recommendations, Personal Social Health Economic (PSHE), PSHE: Bereavement and Grief, PSHE: Siblings, PSHE: Family Issues, Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, School Stories, Sporting Stories, Featured Books for 13+ readers
Paperback. £9.89, down from the £10.99 cover price. In Stock.
The Crossover Graphic Novel was written by Kwame Alexander and published by Andersen Press Ltd
The Crossover Graphic Novel has 218 pages
£9.89, reduced from £10.99. In Stock.
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