Alexander, K. (2014). The Crossover. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Summary
Twin brothers Jordan and Josh compete on and off the basketball court even though they are on the same team on and off the court. They are growing apart socially partly due to a girl Alexis. The growing agonizing erupts in a fight between the two brothers. This puts a strain on the family as well. Suddenly their father passes shocking the boys who partly viewed him as invincible due to his former pro basketball career. After his death, the boys realize the fragility of life and the importance of family being there for each other.
Commentary
This novel is written in prose. It helps make the reading quick. It is rare to read a book with African-American male protagonist that aren't fighting the police, drugs, or gangs. Both the boys are good students with professional parents. The issues are not typical teen issues but for readers of a particular demographic their are familiar themes. Dealing with the police as black males, healthy diet and seeing doctors are common themes for black families. Alexander presented these in his novel without beating readers over the head with it.
Connections to text
The realistic fiction genre features characters in real settings going through real life issues. In YA books the characters are teens in middle or high school dealing with friendship, love, changing family dynamics. These are all in the novel The Crossover. The fact that the main characters are male and not a teenage girl which is a change of typical YA.
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