Josh Bell is almost 13 years old and basketball is his life. His identical twin brother, Jordan, whose nickname is JB, is his best friend and co-star on the court. Life as an almost teenager isn’t easy, especially when your brother gets a girlfriend and your father is having health problems. Basketball, however, solves everything and makes everything better. Until it doesn’t. The Crossover is a heartwarming story written entirely in poems that will capture the hearts of both children and adults.
Have students answer a prompt about The Crossover using evidence from the text
Storyboard Text
Boys with no discipline end up in prison.
Josh idolizes his father. One example is when his dad dies, Josh says, "my father was the light of my world, and now that he is gone, each night is starless."
Josh's mother is very strict, but very caring, and Josh respects her a great deal. One example of this is when Josh hits JB in the face with a ball, his mother is very stern and real with her son. However, she does it out of love and wanting to protect her children.
What is Josh's relationship with his parents like?
Josh and his family all share the same strong value of family. One example of this is his father's basketball rule #1: "In this game of life, your family is the court and the ball is your heart. Now matter how good you are, no matter how down you get, always leave your heart on the court."