The Crossover:The Graphic Novel written by Kwame Alexander and illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile is a brilliant adaptation of Alexander’s powerful verse novel and 2015 Newberry Medal winner. Middle grade readers will be captivated by the visual excitement of this new presentation.
The brilliance radiates from the artist’s bold use of lines, shapes, colors and changing font styles. All of these tools move the story of the champion basketball-playing twins, their father, a former professional basketball player, their mother, a school assistant principal and the challenges of rivalry on and off the basketball court. This book looks at life, love and family from the inside.
The inner fire of Filthy Mc Nasty, Josh Bell’s nickname, and his twin Jordan Bell can be clearly seen on their faces. The illustrator uses strong black lines with which to draw the dynamic facial expressions of the characters throughout the novel. Certain details such as Filthy’s dread locks and JB’s shaved head also pop forth.
The energy of the movement on the court is felt through the electrifying orange color which the artist uses to push the ball toward the hoop and over the top. The color orange honors the basketball itself.
The changing size of the font underscores the emotions throughout. Font style also keeps the organization of the book with its Warm-Up, First, Second, Third and Fourth Quarters and Overtime together.
The Crossover: The Graphic Novel written by Kwame Alexander and illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile is one of the very finest graphic novels available for readers 10-12 years of age (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019).
Activity questions for The Crossover (the graphic novel)
Study the ten rules of basketball placed throughout the book. How do they each speak to more than the basketball court? Which rule is your favorite? How does it relate to your life?
The black lines and orange splashes of color found on each page provide movement and emotional emphasis to the action of this story. Look through the book and locate examples of how the graphic artist’s work caught your attention and made the words come alive. Draw your own picture of one of these examples. Then, go ahead and use your own lines and colors to enhance the scene.
In this novel how are the twins alike? How are they different? Don’t forget to think about basketball playing skills, social skills, favorite subject matter in school, ability to handle defeat or controversy and temper.
Josh is very proud of his dread locks. He writes an ode in praise of his hair. What do you think is your best feature? Write a six-line poem in celebration of your feature. For an extra challenge try to rhyme the last word in every two lines. Have fun!
