The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

The Newbery Medal (2015) on the front cover of this hardbound book caught my eye in the "Little Library" box down the street. When I first opened it, I was a little put off because it's written in verse. I wondered how a plot or characters could effectively unfold in free form poetry. I shouldn't have worried, though, because the characters really DO come alive, and the plot is excellent!

Twin boy basketball players tell their story and it's surprisingly moving to read. It's also a very quick page-turner because there's so much white space on each page. Despite that, though, the characters are real, and the writing is very clever and descriptive. I liked it enough that I'm giving it to Melissa and Gabe to share...they will love the basketball lingo and plays as well as the family drama that unfolds. I think the author did a particularly great job describing what happens to a young teen who discovers girls for the first time. Very enjoyable read!