Notes
Reviews:
★ "Alexander's at the top of his poetic game in this taut, complex tale of the crossover from brash, vulnerable boy to young adult." - Washington Post
★ "This novel in verse is rich in character and relationships... Poet Alexander deftly reveals the power of the format to pack an emotional punch." - Kirkus
★ "Alexander fully captures Josh's athletic finesse and coming-of-age angst in a mix of free verse and hip-hop poetry that will have broad appeal... This will inspire budding players and poets alike." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
★ "The poems dodge and weave with the speed of a point guard driving for the basket, mixing basketball action with vocabulary-themed poems, newspaper clippings, and Josh's sincere first-person accounts that swing from moments of swagger-worth triumph to profound pain." - Publishers Weekly
★ "Alexander has crafted a story that vibrates with energy and heat and begs to be read aloud. A slam dunk." - School Library Journal
★ "Concrete poems that simulate on-court action, the novel's organization into "four quarters" (plus "warm-up" and "overtime") and a smattering of their father's 10 rules of basketball - as applicable to life as they are to the game - will draw in less avid readers, and the fully-fleshed characters and Josh's spellbinding wordplay will keep all readers riveted to find out if the brothers can mend the breach in their once iron-clad bond." - Shelf Awareness
★ "An accomplished author and poet, Alexander eloquently mashes up concrete poetry, hip-hop, a love of jazz, and a thriving family bond. The effect is poetry in motion." - Booklist
★ "The Crossover is destined to reach—and touch—readers who never gave basketball or poetry a second thought until now. It's tough, muscular writing about a tender, unguarded heart." - BookPage
★ "Since poet Alexander has the swagger and cool confidence of a star player and the finesse of a perfectly in-control ball-handler, wordplay and alliteration roll out like hip-hop lyrics, and the use of the concrete forms and playful font changes keep things dynamic." - Horn Book Magazine
