The Crossover
by Kwame Alexander
- Lexile
- 750L
- Grade range
- Grades 5–8
- Age range
- Ages 10–14
- Pages
- 240
- First published
- 2014
- Genre
- Verse Novel
- ISBN-13
- 9780544107717
About this book
Twelve-year-old basketball prodigy Josh Bell and his twin brother JB share everything — until a girl comes between them and their father's health declines. Told in rhythmic free verse. Winner of the 2015 Newbery Medal, Coretta Scott King Honor, and widely assigned in 5th-8th grade units on poetry and novel-in-verse.
Themes
- family
- brotherhood
- basketball
- grief
- identity
Content notes
- death of a parent
Common Sense Media recommends age 10+.
Where this book is assigned
No curriculum assignments on file yet.
Similar grade-level books
Common questions
- What grade level is The Crossover?
- The Crossover is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 5–8, with a Lexile measure of 750L. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What is the Lexile level of The Crossover?
- The Crossover has a Lexile measure of 750L according to MetaMetrics. Lexile measures text complexity, not content maturity — check the grade range and content notes separately for age-appropriateness.
- Is The Crossover banned in schools?
- The Crossover does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
- What themes does The Crossover explore?
- Central themes in The Crossover include family, brotherhood, basketball, grief, identity. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.