The Crossover

The Crossover is the first of three books in the YA series that includes Rebound (2018) and Booked (2019). Each book follows a different protagonist, all young men, who learn valuable life lessons through sports. Each novel is a standalone story, though Rebound and The Crossover follow the same family over two generations. All three books are novels in verse that feature different styles of poetry throughout and are narrated from the protagonists’ first-person point of view.

Rebound is set in the 1980s and tells the story of Chuck “Charlie” Bell, Josh and Jordan Bell’s father, when he is growing up and learning to play basketball. Rebound explores the cultural influences that Chuck later shares with his sons, such as jazz, basketball, and leadership. Chuck’s coming-of-age story takes place during a summer when he stays with his grandparents. Like The Crossover, Rebound focuses on how a child deals with his parent’s death and learns about his family and himself in the process.

Booked is set in the 1990s and features 12-year-old Nick Hall, who loves soccer as much as the Bells love basketball. He navigates the world of growing up, including standing up to bullies and asking his crush on a date, as his parents are splitting up.