The Crossover

Fiction | Novel/Book in Verse | Middle Grade | Published in 2014

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Quiz

Tools

Beta

Discussion Questions

Part 1Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1: “Warm Up”

Part 1, Poems 1-5 Summary

From the very first poem, “Dribbling,” readers see how playful Josh’s voice can be through the placement of words on the page. Reading the poem is like watching a basketball game—fluid movements, quick changes, and excitement.

In “Josh Bell,” Josh’s confidence as a basketball player is also evident: “Josh Bell / is my name. / But Filthy McNasty is my claim to fame. / Folks call me that / ‘cause my game’s acclaimed, / so downright dirty, it’ll put you to shame” (4).

In “How I Got My Nickname,” readers learn that Josh’s nickname is given to him by his father, Chuck, whose love of jazz music, particularly Horace Silver’s Paris Blues album on which there is a track entitled “Filthy McNasty.” Josh is quick to point out to his dad that his coolness comes across as dated while Chuck closely aligns his appreciation of jazz music to his appreciation of his sons’ movements on the court.

In “At First,” Josh does not appreciate the nickname because everyone makes fun of him, even his mom. But as his game improves, Josh’s affection for his nickname grows: “And even though I wasn’t into / all that jazz, / every time I’d score, / rebound, / or steal a ball, / Dad would jump up / smiling and screamin’, / That’s my boy out there. / Keep it funky, Filthy! // And that made me feel / real good / about my nickname” (8-9). In “Filthy McNasty,” Josh is in action again on the court, and the words scattered on the page signify his skill with the ball and his ability to trash talk in verse.

Part 1, Poems 6-11 Summary

In “Jordan Bell,” Josh introduces readers to his twin brother: “The only thing he loves / more than basketball / is betting. If it’s ninety degrees / outside and the sky is cloudless, / he will bet you / that it’s going to rain” (11). Jordan also prefers to be called “JB” much like his basketball idol, Michael Jordan, is called “MJ.” The brothers are close but do not always enjoy being in close quarters together.

In “On the way to the game,” JB annoys Josh by messing with his dreadlocks until Josh shuts JB down by slapping him with his jockstrap. “Five Reasons I Have Locks,” tells readers why Josh’s hair is so important to him. It helps people differentiate between him and JB, it makes him feel like an individual, and watching his dad fly through the air to dunk on ESPN’s Best Dunks Ever with his “long twisted hair like wings” (14) makes Josh want to have wings of his own.

In “Mom tells Dad,” the family of four talks on their way to a game. Josh’s mom warns his dad not to be “too confrontational,” and JB requests that their mom not hug them before the game since they are “almost in high school” (16).

In “Conversation,” Josh peppers his dad with questions before they leave for the game, wondering if his dad misses playing basketball, if he gets bored being a stay-at-home dad, and why he never wears his championship ring. Chuck says he misses basketball “Like jazz misses Dizzy […] / Like hip-hop misses Tupac” (18) and that although he’s fielding offers for coaching positions, he’s quite happy coaching this family. As for wearing his championship ring, “[…] Only Da Man wears Da / Ring” (18), so Josh’s desire to wear it himself will have to wait. Josh encourages his dad to think about writing a book full of the basketball rules he passes on to Josh and JB. “Basketball Rule #1” states that just like the ball and the court should never be separated, neither should your family and your heart.

Part 1 Analysis

The poems in Part 1 establish the tone of the book and highlight Josh’s experiences of Confidence and Vulnerability. Josh is a confident narrator, playful with his words, and proud of his family. His confidence stems from his skills as a basketball player, his status as a twin, his dreadlocks, and his connection to his family. Readers will see each of these pillars challenged throughout the book, so they must be established right away.

Each poem’s structure is different, creating various moods as they move down the page. This highlights the book’s theme of Music, Rhythm, and Identity. When others speak, the words are italicized to offer a visual back-and-forth when conversations occur. Sometimes the titles of the poems are standalone and other times they are the first words of the poem, leading quickly into the next line. Some poems have clearly delineated stanzas, slowing the pace so that readers can absorb new information. Other poems have words in different fonts and sizes and are placed haphazardly on the page, creating movement and excitement. These varied styles mimic the meter of jazz, the staccato rhythms of a basketball game, and they remind readers that their confident narrator is 12 years old: not quite a grown-up, but not quite a kid, either.