This is a great format of an already incredible story. Perfect for readers who may be a little intimidated by the prose format of the original, The Crossover graphic novel will appeal to sports lovers and readers alike. Thank you, NetGalley, for t the ARC!

3.5/5 Stars

Josh and Jordan Bell are twelve-year-old twin brothers. Their father was a semi-pro basketball player nicknamed "Da Man". He passed down his basketball knowledge to his boys, also talented up and coming players. As the boys grow up, Jordan's eyes stray away from basketball and move towards a girl leaving Josh feeling left out and abandoned. Their father starts to have some health problems and Josh's world is flipped upside down.

This is the graphic novel version of The Crossover, a novel written in verse. I like how the text in this was also in verse. I really loved the colour choices of black, white and orange in this. I've been playing basketball since I was 4, and connected with my Dad through it, just like the twins so I related so much to this book. I love the relationship dynamic between this family. The parents have some great banter between them, while still discussing important topics, such as the father's health issues. I liked how the parents were present in their children's lives, and were raising them to be good men. I also really liked the sibling dynamic. The twins acted like actual siblings, arguing at times over stupid things, but always coming back together in the end. I also really liked the portrayal of Josh feeling hurt and abandoned by his brother when JB started dating Alexis. His reaction was what a lot of brothers would have felt, and I'm glad his parents reacted the way they did.

Definitely recommend checking this out!

This graphic adaptation of the award winning novel in verse “The Crossover” is just as good, if not better than the original! The illustrations add another layer to this powerful story. I have two copies of this in my middle school library, and it has already proven very popular.

The Crossover is a popular book in my school's library so I was curious about the graphic novel. The illustrations are incredible. The story of Josh and Jordan touched my heart. It covers so my issues and teachable moments. I will highly recommend it to my students. I already purchased the finished copy for my office. Thanks Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Group and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this title.

The original version of this story was artful and poetic. It had flow and beauty. The illustrated version simply adds new elements. It's essentially the complete original text, just adds in the concrete elements. The original novel was about the emotional. This adds in the facial expressions, the sense of movement.

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I do appreciate that authors are writing more graphic novels to reach larger audiences, however I missed the poetry format of Crossover. It had great illustrations and it included pretty much the entire story word for word, but it is a book written in verse and we have lost the verse.

I'll read anything Kwame Alexander writes! This is a graphic novel version of his bestselling book "The Crossover". Sure to attract even more reluctant readers! I was given a free copy of this book by #netgalley in exchange for an honest review of this book. Five stars!

Thank you to the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Group and NetGalley for sharing an advance copy of The Crossover (Graphic Novel) by Kwame Alexander.

The Newbery winning book comes to visual life in this amazing graphic novel. Nothing is left out. If you liked the original telling of the Bell family, you’re going to love this!

I had no idea a graphic novel adaptation of Kwame Alexander’s 2015 Newbery Medal winner was in the works, but I was delighted to revisit the story of the Bell family and their personal connection to basketball in a new format. The graphic novel is more like a hybrid of graphic illustrations and text rather than the traditional format of graphic novels that utilizes image panels, text bubbles, and gutters as part of the storytelling.

The story revolves around the Bell family as the father Chuck “Da Man” Bell teaches his twin sons, Josh and Jordan, how to follow in his star-studded footsteps. Josh “Filthy McNasty” Bell is our main narrator as we get an in-depth look at his slice of life both on and off the court as he navigates adolescence, balancing brotherhood and becoming his own person.

The graphic novel keeps Alexander's wide variety of poetic forms. The rhythmic verses is a nice throwback to the hip-hop’s origins. The illustrations done by Anyabwile are stunning and provide a wide range of emotional expressiveness to the characters and defy the one-story notions of black boys. There is a nice balance of humor and pop-cultural references to make the story feel up to date without trying too hard. I loved the grey, black, and orange color palette used throughout the graphic novel, which reinforced the basketball metaphor running throughout the graphic novel.

While the story and the illustrations shine, I do not think this graphic novel is needed unless the print novel is not available in your classroom or libraries. I would suggest getting this source as a supplemental and for those who are die hard Crossover fans.

This book will be a highly anticipated & welcomes book in our classroom library! This adaptation will make “Crossover” more accessible for students & help readers enter the world of Josh Bell. Highly recommend for fans of graphic novels, basketball, and fast-paced hard to put down books.

While I've read other books by Kwame Alexander, I have not read The Crossover in its original form, so I got to come at this title as a new reader and be pleasantly surprised.

The art was phenomenal. The color choices, the detail - I was taken in right away and I can see this imagery appealing to many middle school and YA readers. Unlike a traditional comic book or graphic novel, you don't get speech bubbles and full scenes. The emphasis instead is placed on individual characters and their movement on the page, as well as the text of the poetry itself.

Really enjoyed this sampler, and can't wait to read the rest!

The graphic novel version of The Crossover by Kwame Alexander is a title that I have been excited about since I first heard about it! I can say that the graphic novel does not disappoint. The illustrations help the reader gain additional insight into the character of Josh Bell. The contrast between orange, black, and white really makes the images stand out. Some of the pages contain more text than others, but overall there is a great balance between text and illustrations.

The text of the graphic novel remains true to the original novel in verse. I appreciate the way that higher level vocabulary is included in the text. The words are often defined and then used again in multiple sentences so that readers can gain a better understanding of the term. Conversely, there is also a good amount of "trash talking" between the narrator and his brother as they play basketball, make bets, and simply live life. I think that the balance will keep readers entertained while still providing opportunities to learn new words.

I believe that fans of the novel will also enjoy the graphic novel. At the same time, the graphic novel may encourage new readers to pick up the novel. I work as a middle school librarian and acquired a copy of The Crossover novel at the end of last school year, but have not been able to successfully encourage kids to pick it up yet. I will definitely be acquiring this graphic novel because I KNOW that it will circulate well (all my graphic novels do) and I hope that it will encourage students to pick up some of Kwame Alexander's novels.

I received a sample copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#TheCrossoverGraphicNovel #NetGalley

I am a big fan of Kwame Alexander and fell in love with The Crossover when I read it earlier this year. So when I found out there was to be a graphic novel adaptation, I knew I had to check it out. I believe that this graphic novel will be one that both teens and adults both will enjoy, as Kwame Alexander's story shares valuable life lessons while the beautiful illustrations from Dawud Anyabwile complement the story so well. I can see Josh (aka Filthy McNasty) being a hit in the classroom and in the homes of many. I will be purchasing copies for my son, my nephews, and other children in my life once The Crossover is published! I can't wait to read the finished copy.

Major thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Group and Netgalley for an advanced copy sampler in exchange for an honest review.

I have long been a fan of Kwame Alexander's books and was concerned that turning one of them into a graphic novel might take away from his poetic prose. I was incorrect! The artwork in this graphic novel perfectly complements the text and gives it a new look. This new graphic novel complements the original work rather than replacing it. Absolutely love how the orange really pops against the black and white drawings. Can not wait to read the rest of the book.

I never read the description enough to see that it is a sampler so I'm always extremely disappointed!!!

The graphic novel version of Kwame Alexander's book brings a different dimension to readers as you get to know Filthy and his twin JB. I loved the illustrations and can't wait to hold the hard copy in my hand when it comes out. A favorite of middle grade readers will not be left on the shelves for too long!

*This was a sample, I cannot wait to read this graphic novel in entirety. I will be pre-ordering several copies!

Thank you to the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Group and NetGalley for sharing an advance copy of The Crossover (Graphic Novel) by Kwame Alexander, to be released 9/24/19. All opinions are my own.

Josh and Jordan are twelve-year-old twins who excel at basketball. Their father is Chuck Bell who played basketball professionally in Italy, and their mother not only runs the house but is also their school vice principal. This book revolves around the Bell family and their connections to each other. Josh’s mom is worried about his father’s health, and Josh is worried about his brother’s new relationship. Will Josh’s dad visit a doctor? Will a girl come between Josh and Jordan? Will the boys be able to achieve their basketball dreams? Ultimately, what will become of the Bell family? Read The Crossover to find out.
The graphic novel version of The Crossover is told in the same lyrical style as Alexander’s original book. The short lyrical style reads like a rap song and draws the reader in. The illustrations have a consistent color palette: black, white, gray, and orange. The color palette enhances the overall aesthetic of the novel and one of the primary topics of the book: basketball. As a teacher, I like that Alexander uses vocabulary words throughout the book. He provides the pronunciation and the part of speech and then a definition that connects the word back to the story. For example, hypertension which is what Josh’s grandfather died from and what his mother is afraid his father will also die of. I really appreciated the section titled “Second Person.” This passage is about Filthy missing having his brother by his side, but it is also written in second person adding to the overall effect of the piece. I enjoyed the wit and humor of the book as well as the overall messages about hard work and family. My students love graphic novels and many also enjoy basketball. I’m sure this will be a hit in my classroom.

Love this version of the well known book of the same name. The graphic novel will appeal to many teens who struggle to see reading as enjoyable. The art is great and I can't wait to introduce a copy to my young patrons

I was unable to open the proprietary file on my Android phone, iPad, or Windows laptop; therefore, I did not read it. Sorry, I would have liked to do so! (I gave it 5 stars only to not ruin the reviews so far.)

This book is written like a rap song, it has rhythm and flow. Nasty and JB are twins and play on a basketball team. Their dad used to be a basketball player but is not any longer. This was only a sampler, so I don’t know about the rest of it. But, I’m sure that any kid probably 5th grade or higher would enjoy this book.