- Graphic Novels
- Ages 10–14
- Contemporary
The Crossover: The Graphic Novel
The graphic-novel adaptation of Kwame Alexander's Newbery-winning verse novel: twin basketball prodigies, a rapping, rhyming voice, and a gut-punch of a family story. Dawud Anyabwile's kinetic art makes the poetry move like the game.
- Best for10–14
- FormatGraphic
- Length224 pp
- Read aloud~1 hr45 min
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The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Lyrical
- Conversational
- Comedic
Tone
- Exciting
- Heartwarming
- Bittersweet
- Inspirational
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Twelve-year-old Josh Bell and his twin brother Jordan are basketball's next big thing, sons of a former pro who taught them the game is about more than points. On the court Josh, who calls himself Filthy McNasty, is unstoppable; off it, the brothers' bond starts to fray as Jordan falls for a girl and their father's health quietly declines. Kwame Alexander's story, first told in his acclaimed verse novel, is reimagined here as a graphic novel, with Dawud Anyabwile's bold, energetic artwork giving the rhythms of the rap-and-rhyme narration a visual pulse to match. It is a story about brotherhood, rivalry, first heartbreak and a family facing loss, told with humour, swagger and real tenderness. Fast, funny and finally devastating, it is a superb gateway for readers who love sport, hip-hop cadence and a story that hits hard.
“With a bolt of lightning on my kicks ... The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. 'Cuz tonight I'm delivering.”
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
Best for roughly 10-14s, with strong crossover appeal to older reluctant readers and adults. The visual, verse-driven format makes it far more accessible than the age might suggest, though the father's illness and death give it real emotional weight.
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- Best fit · 10–14
- Read aloud · 9–13
- Independent · 10–14
Prose load
Light
Visual support
Very high
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Preview before sharing if a child is sensitive to: death of parent, grief, illness or disability.
Bedtime suitability
2 / 5 · Better outside bedtime
Sensitive-child
3 / 5 · Mostly fine
Graphic intensity
2 / 5 · Mild
Best for
- Sport fans
- Reluctant readers
- Verse curious
- Brothers
Avoid if
- Avoiding bereavement themes
- Wants light read
Particularly good for children who are…
- Illness in family
- Bereavement
- Reluctant reader
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
Josh's voice raps and rhymes off the page, and the on-court action is electric thanks to Anyabwile's art. Under the swagger is a story about a brother pulling away and a dad you love, which lands with real weight.
- Proving yourself
- The underdog winning
- Family belonging
Why parents love it
The graphic-novel treatment of Kwame Alexander's acclaimed verse novel is a brilliant on-ramp for readers who find prose daunting, keeping the poetry's rhythm while adding visual momentum. It handles a father's illness and a family's grief with honesty and grace.
- Great writing
- Conversation starter
- Cultural representation
About the creators
About the creators.
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