Home Sweet Home Say Hey Jordan Cross Morosco. Josh does CPR, but nothing changes. Again, Josh's desire to help and be a part of the game in some way speaks to his sense of loyalty to Dad and to the rest of the team, especially JB. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!”, “This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. The heart attack Chuck suffers during the one-on-one game at the end of this section is not the last warning we hope it is: rather, it’s a sign that there is no going back. In this novel, the family unit is a supportive, uplifting, inspiring, ordering, meaning-providing, and sustaining entity. "I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had with drawen himself" (Authorized Version, 1611). The fact that Josh is listening offers hope that, given what he's seen, he'll take Mom's side and take better care of himself in the future. Just because he is elated to be the Daily News Junior MVP, doesn’t mean it doesn’t sting when Alexis and JB don’t seem pleased at all. As Josh continues to cast himself as the helper in the family, he begins to see that doing so will actually allow him to be more successful. Dad's heart attack here makes it clear that Mom is right: Dad shouldn't play anymore if he wants to preserve his health. Josh realizes that “sometimes it’s the things that aren’t said / that kill you” (156). Instant downloads of all 1413 LitChart PDFs Mom sits Josh down. Thanks to their dad, he and his twin brother, Jordan, are kings on the court. / together” (159). As Josh begins to think of himself as a member of a choir and finds the ability to cheer for JB, he also begins to recognize that the rest of the team is made up of players who are also very good and deserving of recognition. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Dad is screaming, running down the stairs, and yelling at the ref. Being named the MVP even though he's currently suspended speaks to how good a player Josh is. Symptoms like this suggest that Dad is at high risk for a heart attack or a stroke. This spoken word poem beautifully addresses that question by explaining the painful and disheartening injustices that Black Americans experience as a result of historical and contemporary forms of anti-Black oppression. There is a big vocabulary test tomorrow and Josh is worried for his brother. JB and his attacker stare at each other. When Mom and Josh are washing dishes, he asks when Dad’s appointment is. Mom and Dad's choice to turn the conversation to JB and his relationship with Miss Sweet Tea shows again that they understand his new relationship is a normal part of his coming of age. Mom tries to reassure him that JB will always love him. Mahtem Shiferraw is the author of Fuchsia (University of Nebraska Press, … Josh is on the phone with Vondie when he hears panting coming from Mom and Dad’s room… but they don’t have a dog. Stop all that quivering. Teachers and parents! Showing this tiny bit of positive regard suggests that JB is now willing to listen to Josh and rebuild their relationship. JB sweats profusely when Miss Sweet Tea walks into the room. He unleashes a killer crossover and everyone is hollering as Dad dribbles to the hoop. Again, Dad's willingness to call Josh by his name shows that Dad respects that both of his sons are growing, changing, and taking control of their identities in perfectly normal ways. The Crossover, a Newbery Medal winner, is unusual; it’s children’s lit in the form of poetry, yet with a definite story line. The court is SIZZLING. It was eleven years ago that I wrote the lines: The forests of the world are burning nowAnd you make late repentance for the loss. There are sirens. GradeSaver, 9 September 2019 Web. Josh whispers to Dad that JB won’t talk to him, and Dad replies that he just has to let the smoke clear. Josh tries talking to JB, but JB does not reply; it’s been five days. Now that Josh's actions have hurt someone, his sense of loneliness gets even worse. Da's pulse is gone. Jan Heller Levi and Sara Miles (Port Townsend, WA: Copper Canyon Press, 2007), 297. Home Sweet Home . Josh tells her he’s busy, and she says she will see them at the rec center. “The Crossover” is a young adult novel by Kwame Alexander that follows the life experiences of 12-year-old basketball player Josh Bell across several months in the autumn and early winter of his seventh-grade year at Reggie Lewis Middle School. Josh gets a lot of accolades for being the Junior High MVP but Miss Sweet Tea tells him frankly that he is mean and did not deserve that award because of what he did to JB. He wants the boys to be their own people, and he wants them to know that becoming someone different is okay and expected. This suggests that as Josh and JB grow up, part of their coming of age will be having to learn to accept each other as they grow rather than just deciding to grow apart. His eyes shut. JB's choice to side with Miss Sweet Tea is an overt way to show Josh that he's still angry and not willing to make up. When JB seems willing to laugh and agrees with Josh's request, it suggests that he sees this as the olive branch that it is and is now willing to start to move forward. Dad picks up the boys; he's cracking jokes, and they’re laughing. Jordan Trethewey is a writer and editor living in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. Call me what you may— Nosferatu, Dracule, A. Van—but the other Van, the good Dr. Helsing, ** . They were missing Josh “Filthy McNasty” Bell, though, who is this paper’s Most Valuable Player. Dad jokes about the name. forms and types of poems, even making up their own (like a text message poem). He tells Josh it was something he ate, and he changes the subject to how he just got a coaching job at a nearby college. The Crossover withholds judgment across the board. Yet my soul drew backLove bade me welcome. The Crossover is now a graphic novel! Filthy (narrator) and his twin brother Jordan (J.B.), junior high school students who both love basketball. Tomorrow Is the Last Day of School Before Christmas Vacation. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. JB is standing there and saying nothing; his eyes are looking past Josh. -Graham S. Though Josh offers no insight into JB's thought process, it's worth considering that Josh's violent pass likely came as a surprise and was therefore even more hurtful than it might have been. They’re having a fantastic time, and everyone there is watching. Basketball jargon throughout the narrative doubles as narrative detail; for example, the titular crossover is not only a basketball maneuver, but also significant phrasing within the story. How is this theme developed? Alexis went to Nike Hoops Camp for Girls; she knows how to do a crossover; her parents are divorced; she shoots hoops at the rec center to relax; she smells like sugarplums; her sister goes to Duke. Copyright © 1999 - 2021 GradeSaver LLC. The first edition of the novel was published in March 18th 2014, and was written by Kwame Alexander. In other words, this interest shows that Josh recognizes that the doctor isn't bad, and that unlike Dad he knows he should trust the doctor/. She lets the news drop: he is suspended from the team. "Bade" is past tense of "bid," … In other words, just as the boys have choices in regards to their basketball success, they also have the choice to make up or continue their feud. Josh hugs Mom and tells her how grateful he is for her loving him, Dad, and JB; he says that she is the best mother in the world. The boys know they’re getting books like they always do for Christmas, but Dad tells them he’s proud of how they’ve done in school so they can pick out a gift and he’ll get it for them. The Crossover is a novel-in-verse about Josh, a.k.a. However, this also means that Dad then isn't properly managing his condition, which puts him at risk of ending up in the hospital for an emergency. His family unit is strong, though it is not always perfect. His life is broken like puzzle pieces and he can no longer fit. She and Dad did not teach him to be churlish, and she does not know why he’s been like this. The main characters of this poetry, young adult story are Josh Bell, Jordan Bell. "FOURTH QUARTER" to "Free Throws" Summary and Analysis, "Bad News" to "Before" Summary and Analysis. Article #1 in the Daily News (December 14). When Dad holds his chest, it's a signal that he's not okay and he's likely lying to Josh. With Dad no longer in the bleachers, it suggests that he'll be the one in trouble this time, while JB was the one who suffered last time. When JB asks for seconds of salad, it shows that he recognizes that eating well is a good way to impress girls. “Sometimes / you have to / lean back / a little / and / fade away / to get / the best / shot” (191). Chuck doesn't like going to the doctor because his father went for a check up and died in the hospital . Dad is joking and telling stories about Italy. This offers some hope that his eventual return will be accepted by all. He did not mean to get upset, he offers. Church and ministry leadership resources to better equip, train and provide ideas for today's church and ministry leaders, like you. For Josh, having to sit out and watch his team struggle shows him first how hard they've worked--Vondie and JB are still doing reasonably well--but it also shows Josh what an integral part of the team he was and with this, helps reaffirm his desire to get back on the court. Given that Dad's dad died in the hospital of hypertension, it's understandable that Dad is unwilling to seek help out of fear. By bringing up Dad's championship ring again, Josh reminds the reader that his goal in life is to one day be good enough to wear the ring. Criss Cross (2006) by Lynne Rae Perkins. Love bade me welcome. Dad’s blood pressure was so high during the game that his nose started bleeding profusely. In most cases, the reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. The fact that Dad does his best to correct himself and call Josh what he wants to be called shows that Dad is happy to show Josh the same kind of understanding that he showed JB when he asked him to invite Miss Sweet Tea for dinner. His parents continue to press upon him the value of working hard and the importance of education. Mom says it’s not about his grades: it’s about how he behaves going forward. Dad sighs that the boys are getting older and they will manage. On the way home from the hospital, there is no music and no talking. He also likely recognizes that by hearing what the doctor has to say, he'll be able to better help Mom in encouraging Dad to make healthy choices. He turns out the light to go to sleep and hears his brother say “Thanks.”. As with the last time this happened, sharing this look allows the boys to feel unified and as though they're a team in whatever's to come. Dad's decision to make the boys play together speaks to Dad's belief that the boys' shared love of basketball might be enough to help them turn their relationship around. Josh writes his letter. We'll make guides for February's winners by March 31st—guaranteed. Murnau film about Dracula, fragments of the film allow for the speaker—a stunt-double for Jordan himself—to enter the screen: Some pieces are not meant for the puzzle of my heart to solve. Mom asks how they met and JB is full of details, explaining how she came into the lunchroom, how he learned she played basketball, and how he told Vondie she was pulchritudinous. My sweat is DRIZZLING. The Crossover stars two passionate basketball players, and even off the court, the b-ball references are as plentiful and obvious as colorful drops of … Because he's relying on physical communication and violence to express himself, he's less successful and therefore, more upset. Originally published in Poem-a-Day on March 16, 2017, by the Academy of American Poets. He wants Dad to talk to Mom because he feels like he needs to be in the playoffs and is letting his teammates down. It’s about a junior high school kid, Josh (a/k/a Filthy) and his parents and twin brother, Jordan (J.B.). Suduiko, Aaron ed. This again shows how Dad prioritizes basketball over his health. When Josh tells the reader about Mom's dislike of standards and giving JB the vocabulary words, Josh demonstrates his growing maturity and that he cares for others. Their family bond is strong. ’Cuz tonight I’m delivering,” raps twelve-year-old Josh Bell. JB is on the other side of the backseat, but Josh feels miles away from all of them. His suggestion to write JB a letter again speaks to the power of words and communication. Josh decides to sit with the team today instead of up with Mom and Dad. Alexis calls and Josh answers; she says hello and asks for JB. Dad tells Mom that he looks online and that that’s better than a doctor, but Mom angrily insists that she will make an appointment for him. Switchback Books — Gatewood Prize / January 1 – March 31, 2021 / First and Second Books of Poetry by Women / Fee: $20 (or $28 with Book) Terrapin Books / January 24 – February 28, 2021 / Poetry / Fee: $12 Can JB run with him, help him heal, slash with him like they used to? Josh's letter offers the reader multiple ways to read it, though each way offers the same main point: Josh's loneliness is killing him, and he misses his brother. Can JB run with him, help him heal, slash with him like they used to? Vondie is suffocated by the defense and JB can’t make the shot; the Wildcats are down at the end of the first half. / But you can’t / drop the ball” (146). This illustrates how a person can use language to shape their identity. The fact that Miss Sweet Tea's sister attends Duke, the college that Josh wants to one day attend, suggests that Josh might actually like Miss Sweet Tea if he were willing to get to know her. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class.”. This suggests that the loneliness was easier to deal with when Josh wasn't the one enforcing it. Be Still My Soul. JB is on fire and blazes from baseline to baseline. Josh does well and is up by five points, but Dad steals the ball. Before the three-on-three, Josh challenges Dad to a quick one-on-one. Jordan Cross Morosco. The University of Southern Maine has announced its 2020 fall semester dean’s list. Josh was estranged from himself when he threw the ball at JB. She is at the house for dinner and Josh is surprised to hear JB asking for seconds of the healthy food. If you are the publisher or author and feel that the reviews shown do not … . He calms down, but suddenly his nose gushes blood. Josh’s spinach and tofu lunch is cruel, but not as cruel as the look Miss Sweet Tea gives him. The title of this collection of stories, Dear Science, is borrowed from tv on the Radio, Dear Science, Interscope, 2008. In the list of “Things I Learn at Dinner,” Alexander gives her even more nuance in terms of divorced parents, a coping mechanism (“She shoots hoops at the Rec to relax" [172]), and troubles of her own (“Her mom doesn’t want her playing basketball" [172]). 1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28201 Local: 704-401-2432 Toll Free: 1-877-247-2426 BGEA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All of this is better than no girlfriend at all, which is what Josh has. In this poem language and action are immediate and urgent as the times we are confronting. Our. Tomorrow is the Last Day of School Before Christmas Vacation, Usually, Josh helps JB study, but JB’s been studying alone lately. Coach gives the team a pep talk. The team thanks JB profusely for getting them to the championship. As the #BlackLivesMatter movement surges forward, many people ask why the focus is so intensely on race. Josh ruefully says he will talk to Mom since he can see how much it means to Dad, but he adds that she is worried about him. ___. photo by Imogen Christine. Struggling with distance learning? Mom insists that Dad call Dr. Youngblood. Like Dad, Mom is able to take the long view and believe that this is a temporary phase in her sons' lives. And Then You Know: New and Selected Poems (2008) An American Poem (2008) Family Pictures: Poems and Photographs Celebrating Our Loved Ones, ed. Josh's assessment that Vondie's girlfriend (who he appears to think little of) is better than being single speaks to Josh's intense desire to join his friends in reaching this milestone. Hot damn, you’re in luck! Because of this, his request to stop at the sneaker store becomes something he does purely to show JB he sees him and cares about him and the things he's interested in. This also offers hope that, if Josh can catch the ball next time, he might be able to make things better. He asks Dad if they can stop at the sneaker store. However, by asking Dad to call him by his real name instead of "Filthy," Josh begins to take control of the kind of person he wants to be going forward by dictating how people talk about him. Discuss these various types and how each one is composed and arranged. JB and Josh are estranged, but Dad’s making them play a three-on-three tomorrow at the rec center. Do you like sports? Josh's concern and desire to go to Dad's doctor's appointment show that he's continuing to grow up and become more interested in other people aside from himself. The Reggie Lewis Wildcats have reached the playoffs thanks to the work of Jordan Bell. Dad says he needs to get back on the court—he misses it too much. I am reposting this Ash Wednesday Sonnet from Sounding the Seasons, with a new sense of urgency. JB is running and gunning; he is a shooting star. Racism is a sad, murderous reality. https://www.gradesaver.com/the-crossover/study-guide/character-list Notice that Josh hasn't said anything about being particularly interested in sneakers himself; that's JB's thing. This is the new name Josh has for Alexis. Josh's choice to apply this word to three very different areas of his life brings all of what he's currently worried about--JB, basketball, and Dad--together, illustrating again how language allows Josh to effectively construct his identity and his life. ... 12-year old Josh Bell and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the court. . 3. When JB echoes, “Yeah, Dad, can we?” (189), the word “we” has never sounded so sweet to Josh. His voice is as loud as thunder. Josh's exasperation with JB then suggests that he hasn't made this leap yet, even as he recognizes that diet is a good way to control Dad's high blood pressure. He and his own brother are estranged, and he does not want JB and Josh to be like that. Mom texts a few times that she and Dad needed to leave because Dad did not feel well—he’s fine, just tired. This implies that Josh dropped the proverbial ball when he passed to JB. Think of her faring on, as dear In the love of there, as the love of here Think of her still the same way, I say; She is not dead, she is just away. James Whitcomb Riley 1849-1916 . This begins to show Josh that if he starts to make amends with her, he might also get JB back. The Crossover By Kwame Alexander Annotation Using riffs from concrete poetry, hip­hop and jazz, this is the verse story of twins Josh and Jordan Bell. Mom's reminder that behavior like this could land Josh in jail one day again points to the state of race relations in the US--as a black man, Josh is more likely than a white peer to end up in jail for a crime. The Crossover study guide contains a biography of Kwame Alexander, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. 1. One creation a day: essays, poems, letters, notes to The Dear One, paintings, illustrations, whatever. His nosebleed and his vomiting are finally enough to get him to let Crystal make him a doctor’s appointment, but, as the reader will see, it is too little, too late. While it's unclear if Coach is also a twin, his advice still shows that he understands the power of the sibling relationship to either move mountains or destroy everything. The “crossover” is Josh’s signature move, something his Dad taught him. Describe a central theme in this novel. “Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. As Dad heads for the hoop, he stumbles. Though Josh is once again able to use his vocabulary words to make his life make more sense, he also indicates that his ability to effectively communicate is waning. Since then the destruction has increased, and more recently I wrote Our… 2. Dad doesn't stir. Just because he wants to repair his relationship with JB, does not mean he still doesn’t have trouble with Alexis. Though Miss Sweet Tea didn't intend to pull the boys apart, she now feels compelled to do so since her loyalty lies with JB and not at all with Josh. Josh isn’t a cliché; he truly seems to be a living, breathing boy who experiences real feelings of despair, triumph, pride, jealousy, and confusion. The Crossover is about so much more than basketball. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." She’s justifiably annoyed with Josh for the way he treated his brother, but she is capable of moving past that and forgiving Josh, even reaching out to him and inviting him to the Duke game at the very end of the novel. June Jordan, “Inaugural Rose,” in Directed by Desire: The Collected Poems of June Jor­ dan, ed. Free download or read online The Crossover pdf (ePUB) book. The Question and Answer section for The Crossover is a great Yet my soul drew back compare Song of Solomon 5:6. She asks him sternly if he’s lost his mind, and she says boys who don’t have self-control end up behind bars. There is a hint of a smile for Josh with that. Miss Sweet Tea calls 911 while JB brings water and splashes it on Dad's face. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Mom tells JB that Josh has apologized for his mistake, but JB states that he saw the look in Josh’s eye and it was not a mistake. From the doorway, a stricken Mom says he should go sit down for dinner. Josh is extremely regretful for what he has done, never trying to defend himself, but JB naturally decides to keep his distance all the same. At the stoplight, JB and Josh look out the window at the same time, and Josh knows what his brother is thinking. Mom and Dad argue. The Wildcats are up by two now. Dear Jordan. JB is on fire; Coach, Alexis, and Josh are his choir. Dad tries to break the tension by talking about Christmas and the turkey. Speaking of Alexis, even though the main characters of this book are obviously boys, Alexander does not make Alexis merely an object of desire or a dull cipher. Mom gently chides him for eavesdropping but laughs when he says he learned that strategy from her. With this reading, it's easier to see that both boys are currently nursing hurt feelings and likely don't want to be fighting, but don't know how to bridge the gap. His life is broken like puzzle pieces and he can no longer fit. Rich in relationship dynamics, this is a multi-layered story about family, friendship, adolescence... and, true to the game which is its lifeline, it's also poetry in motion. He’s out cold. "—Publishers Weekly, starred review This information about The Crossover shown above was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. This indicates that coming of age can happen suddenly and horrifically at times. “With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . Dad's message does much the same thing, though it seems much more in character for Dad. ", "THIRD QUARTER" to "At Noon, in the Gym, with Dad". The book was published in multiple languages including English, consists of 240 pages and is available in ebook format. Dad winks and as he starts his crossover, Josh falls. Josh’s earlier sense that everything was going well in his life and something bad was certain to happen soon has now revealed itself to have been very prescient. Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Josh does not know if JB read his letter, but on the bus, he made a joke about Vondie’s forehead being a “five-head” and he could feel JB laughing a little. He and JB lock eyes; there’s that seeing-a-ghost sensation again. Again, Dad's desire to yell at the ref speaks to a desire to feel relevant and useful on the court, even though his playing days are over. Alexis calls 911 and JB rushes to get water to splash Dad’s face. First, his “churlish” and aggressive behavior toward his twin has almost severed their relationship. Excitement--like what Dad might have felt upon receiving this letter--likely raised his blood pressure and made him vomit, which indicates that Dad is even sicker than he's letting on. Josh’s interior state as he contemplates these changes in his life is a testament to Alexander’s ability to capture the complexity of a teenager. Josh wants in, but Mom warns him not to interfere. It's such a fresh story with twin 12 year old boy protagonists who love playing basketball and are growing up-- and maybe apart-- as they cope … For Josh, however, his world is being turned upside down with Dad's poor health and JB's interest in Miss Sweet Tea, both of which leave Josh feeling alone, so this feels especially fraught for him. This week, Josh makes the honor roll, watches the team win Game Nine, eats lunch alone, walks home alone, tries to atone day and night, sits next to JB at dinner (JB moves), does JB’s chores (JB says nothing), and says he’s sorry (JB doesn’t listen). He is also a husband, father (to two kids, a black cat, and a Sheltie) and beer-league softball player. Home Sweet Home . Dad is yelling from the stands and Mom is trying to calm him down. This sets an example that his health isn't important, which puts Josh and JB at risk. Osborne-Bartucca, Kristen. Josh does not know how he went from annoyed to grumpy to churlish. This is also an attempt to make Josh understand this, since Josh's narration implies that he doesn't see JB's relationship as something normal or expected. As we "crossover" from summer to back-to-school, I want to encourage you to put Crossover, a novel in verse by Kwame Alexander on your must-share list for the new school year-- particularly if you work with kids in 4th - 8th grade. He almost dunks, but an elbow comes up and fouls him to the floor. Jordan Cross Morosco. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. When JB is brushing his teeth, Josh steals into their room and lays his outlines down on JB’s pillow. Josh’s mom is the assistant principal at his school, a fact he doesn’t love. Josh's concern that Dad won't be around to parent him shows again that he's still very much a kid and isn't ready to grow up yet. He adds that Mom said Josh could play if they make it to the championship game. One creation a day: essays, poems, letters, notes to The Dear One, paintings, illustrations, whatever. Spuyten Duyvil / Year-Round / Poetry, Prose, Cross-Genre. JB is playing like Superman, and he gets the team to the championship with his lightning plays. They are like “two stars / stealing sun” and “like two brothers / burning up. Dad falls, his eyes roll, and Josh screams. Seeing the proverbial ghost again suggests that things are about to change. He suggests writing him a letter, and Josh thinks that could work. Yes, what attracts the junior high boys to her immediately is her “pulchritude,” but she quickly reveals herself to be smart, opinionated, talented at basketball, and a caring friend. Josh does not have much to say but apologizes. He’s getting flyer, climbing the sky, exploding across the lane, crissing and crossing the ball, and taking the break. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Mom tells Jordan she wants to meet his new friend; Dad chimes in that they want to meet the girl who took JB away.
Twilight Fanfiction Bella Helps Jasper, Podiatrist House Calls Near Me, Temptations Floral Lace Eggplant, Gaiking The Great, Phi Delta Theta Pledge Process, Flippin' Rvs 2019, Eureka Math Grade 4 Lesson 9 Answer Key,