Crossover

I just finished the Crossover. When I ordered the book, I had no idea of the structure or that it was a book about basketball. I was not looking forward to reading it because it was about basketball; however, now that I have finished it I am glad that I kept an open mind. It was a challenging quick read that had a very interesting plot. As far as plot, most books I read that are designed for younger ages have a very predictable plot. This book; however had the exact opposite plot than I predicted. I really liked that it was unpredictable because it made me want to continue reading. I tried to put it down to read another book that I wanted to read but I couldn’t get myself to stop reading. I feel that I was so interested in continuing to read because of its structure too. I liked how it was in verse form. I was unsure what that meant before I started reading and was quickly aware of the style. It was written like a poem with some lines large, some lines were slanted, and some lines were even only two words long. This style of writing made me read much faster while still comprehending the words and also made me feel more connected to the main character. The book was told like he was saying what we were reading so I felt all the pain that he was going through. This book will be good in a classroom that is fifth through seventh grade depending on the reading and maturity level. It is not a difficult read, but the concepts are for a more mature child. I would also recommend this book for boys that are struggling finding a book they are interested in. I would also use this book in my classroom for learning words. There are a few words that are more difficult but they are defined in the reading. A teacher could easily integrate these words into their everyday classroom as they read the book as a read aloud.

I would definitely recommend this book for anyone that is looking for a book that is different and heart wrenching!

 

Here is the Cento that I wrote from the lines in this book that will give you a gist of what this book is about.

 

I talk too but mostly to myself (26)

I count and recount the thirty seven strands of my past without you I am empty… the goal with no net

JB is listening to the sound of his heart bouncing on the court of love (90)

As long as you can remember there has always been a second person (114)

And for the first time in my life, I don’t want to be (236)

Don’t play me, this isn’t a basketball game (74)

When the game is on the line, don’t fear (214)

Sometimes you have to lean back a little and fade away to get the best shot (191)