5. Sometimes / you have to / lean back / a little / and / fade away / to get / the best / shot (191). I danced around my room. Lets use rhyme, lets use free verse, lets use different types of poetry to sort of mimic and mirror that action on the court and do that on the page. Generally, this type of poem focuses on personal moments or feelings or image laden scenes (Tunnell et al. Dads kneeling weakly on the floor with a pool of vomit below him. However, I will tell you this. I can feel what some of the experiences in the book are like for Josh because I can draw on my own life experiences to empathize with him. They have the added bonus of helping people realize that he isn't, Mom always makes Dad sit at the very top of the bleachers during Josh and. Though Josh loves JB and being a twin, he also craves read analysis of Josh Dad Josh and JB's dad. Actively Learn provides free ELA, science, and social studies digital contentshort stories, primary sources, textbook sections, science articles, novels, videos, and moreand embeds them with assignments aligned to standards for all 50 states that you can assign immediately or customize for your students. As the boys walk home from practice, Josh peppers, After dinner. Tomorrow Is the Last Day of School Before Christmas Vacation. They are like two stars / stealing sun and like two brothers / burning up. Josh also has a strong relationship with his basketball coach and receives much guidance and support from him as well. Now that Josh's actions have hurt someone, his sense of loneliness gets even worse. Josh is concerned, asking about Moms advice to take it easy. Childrens Literature, Briefly(6th ed.). I think Josh was the first character I wrote. 0000003226 00000 n
. As Josh pulls out the book, he sees Miss Sweet Tea and, also afraid that Mom will reach her tipping point and ban basketball if he and, tomorrow, concerned about Dad, and hates how his hair feels, he can't sleep mostly because, Surprised. This book is also available as a graphic novel! 0000016558 00000 n
Josh says that earlier, he walked into the gym covered in mud. 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. At the End of Warm-Ups, My Brother Tries to Dunk. As an example, he says that if, them from the restaurant. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. 0000007152 00000 n
Why do you think Josh is seemingly more upset about missing the game than his dads health? What happened to allow JB to cut Joshs dreadlocks? However, some parts of the book are written as a lyric poem, which is melodic and soundlike. 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. After the game, in the locker room, unexpected bad event that often results in injuries. Showing this tiny bit of positive regard suggests that JB is now willing to listen to Josh and rebuild their relationship. We see how angst ridden sibling rivalries can be and how challenging those relationships can be for both parents and children. The two - column structure used in the Crossover's poem "Dear Jordan" stands for; Josh and JB's broken relationship The two-column structure used in Dear Jordan symbolizes the broken relationship between the two brothers Josh and JB. 0000012743 00000 n
like two stars stealing sun, like two brothers burning up. Struggling with distance learning? Given that Dad's dad died in the hospital of hypertension, it's understandable that Dad is unwilling to seek help out of fear. And so, I was like, 'I gotta use this word.' Da's pulse is gone. Climax: Dad dies during the championship game Antagonist: Hypertension and death; change Point of View: First-person Extra Credit for The Crossover Mom and Dad are silent and serious in the front. I think basketball and is father are reflections of each other. He cares for it meticulously every day, and this is why he declines, The game is tied. The The Crossover quotes below are all either spoken by JB or refer to JB. Zip. Kwame Alexander: Wow, never been asked the question before. Exploration of this text can be a gateway into students writing. 0000029230 00000 n
Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. JB is on fire; Coach, Alexis, and Josh are his choir. Basketball is extremely important to them, and they both want to play professionally someday. Use specific, quoted evidence from the poem to explore and illustrate your ideas. PDF downloads of all 1699 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. trailer
<<35AB4B5BD4F54B6294CFA91B5522B120>]/Prev 252765>>
startxref
0
%%EOF
61 0 obj
<>stream
He admits he is empty: he is the goal with no net. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one: ). they win the championship trophy. Joshs Dad gives him the nickname Filthy McNasty after the name of a famous jazz song (and also because he was generally dirty). . She lets the news drop: he is suspended from the team. This site is using cookies under cookie policy . He turns out the light to go to sleep and hears his brother say Thanks.. The score is tied and clock ticks as. Josh watches, Vondie brings the ball up the court, but the defense presses close.
Being named the MVP even though he's currently suspended speaks to how good a player Josh is. We see the shock wave ripple through the family when all their attempts to help Dad take ownership for his health fails and he dies. From the doorway, a stricken Mom says he should go sit down for dinner. More books than SparkNotes. In particular, it begins to align him with Dad, who is still highly regarded even though he's also not playing. And it is about the father when he was 12-years-old. i can no longer fit. 0000031472 00000 n
And then, of course, I thought, 'What middle grade kid, or teacher for that matter, is gonna know what that word means?'". 0000009118 00000 n
Exposing students to verse novels such as this allows them to explore the artistic elements that combine to evoke personal and powerful emotions in the reader. As he meditates, Josh sees a picture of, Second-Person. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. i6rUU-jIT
"/}N3t,neS>3%#O;(a46"poKR}l'ySlaAOEtV6`=vL
nq. As Josh plays in the final game of the season, his Dad dies from a massive heart attack. 0000057497 00000 n
uses it in a sentence and says that in Mom and Dad's closet, he and, all the teasing dies down, the game begins. 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. Now can you go make my French toast please?. Vondie passes the ball to Josh and Josh passes to. They are like "two stars / stealing sun" and "like two brothers / burning up. It began with Josh. becauseI'm watching Jordan pass notesto Miss Sweet Tea. Get this assignment written for you by Expert Writers in this subject. n :BSlGrm
Josh grows resentful of JBs new relationship with his girlfriend as he feels left out and lonely. Both are skilled basketball players. In a letter to JB, written in two columns that can be read together or separately, Josh says that without his brother, he's empty. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. 0000014880 00000 n
Im still reacting to it. 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. These poems are also concrete poems, taking on the shape of the words to further represent how Josh feels when he plays basketball. Josh thought that forever was far away, but he knows now forever is close. That it was going to be a 12-year-old boy. How is this condition highlighted in the narrative? 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. With his eyes on a future at Duke, Josh seems to have it all. "I love that word! One of those actions leads Josh to write an apology letter to his brother. He asks Dad if they can stop at the sneaker store. Said he didn't want to miss Bible school. 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. 2016, pg 98). Change). His nosebleed and his vomiting are finally enough to get him to let Crystal make him a doctors appointment, but, as the reader will see, it is too little, too late. 1090 0 obj
<>stream
Matthew Goulette: Is this story based on your life or someone you know? The title of this book (The Crossover) is an important phrase and idea throughout the book. Dad is screaming, running down the stairs, and yelling at the ref. When he's able to steal the ball out of Josh's crossover, it speaks to the skills he still has on the court and the progress that Josh still has to make in order to become Da Man.. hb```b``Uf`c`] B@16%h0 > `]!hP;"eqb1ij5,`F0_.X63KhXdt@D&HBDPPI0 a`X," B 2&a As in: Dad's in a comabecause of a myocardial infarction,which is the same thingmy grandfather died of.So what does that mean for meand JB? Twelve year old Josh Bell is a basketball phenom just like his identical twin brother JB. . She also asks where, where it's stuck, wedged between the rim and the backboard. 0000010269 00000 n
The words and rhythmic flow of these words on the page depict Joshs inner thoughts; his flow on the court. I'm sorry Explore the poetry of Michael Rosen in our Joy of Poetry series. The Crossoverhas so much meaning for young adults. In other words, the loneliness is one thing, but feeling left behind in this regard is even more painful. She was a VPR contributor from 2006 to 2020. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Vondie giggles. Tunnell, M. Jacobs, Young, T., Bryan, G. (2016). The Crossover is a wonderful mentor text for adolescent writers. JB only went to one. 0000007875 00000 n
We see how extended family fits into the puzzle and what feelings the main characters has at this time. Joshs Dad gives him the nickname Filthy McNasty. 0000010816 00000 n
This indicates that coming of age can happen suddenly and horrifically at times. Dear Jordan from THE CROSSOVER by Kwame Alexander. This book presents a realistic view of family life; the constant cycle of joys and hurdles. The score of the Wildcats' first game is 35-18. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. endstream
endobj
1080 0 obj
<>>>/Filter/Standard/Length 128/O(+vtyd#\nOxe\))/P -1052/R 4/StmF/StdCF/StrF/StdCF/U(DJyd )/V 4>>
endobj
1081 0 obj
<>
endobj
1082 0 obj
<>>>/Rotate 0/Type/Page>>
endobj
1083 0 obj
<>stream
Dylan DiPietro: How did you react when you learned that The Crossover won the 2015 Newbury Award? For some adolescents, this is a situation that crops up often. The Crossoveris a wonderful mentor text for adolescent writers. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. He suggests writing him a letter, and Josh thinks that could work. 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. Assign this text to deeply engage your students! Josh isnt a clich; he truly seems to be a living, breathing boy who experiences real feelings of despair, triumph, pride, jealousy, and confusion. Kwame regularly speaks at conferences and universities all over the world. It doesnt help that his Dad keeps having health issues, but wont go to the doctor because he thinks this is a stupid waste of time. Josh does not know if JB read his letter, but on the bus, he made a joke about Vondies forehead being a five-head and he could feel JB laughing a little. June 22, 2022; Posted by . Though we see female characters present in the story, they are only secondary characters that further define the role of the male in the story. If you could take one poem out of The Crossover to represent one of the themes in the book, which one would it be and why?Choose only one theme and only one poem.Use specific, quoted evidence from the poem to explore and illustrate your ideas. atonement in the Crossover using the poem "Dear Jordan" . There is a hint of a smile for Josh with that. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. 0000001668 00000 n
Josh wants a world outside of basketball, and he wants his relationship with JB to remain unchanged. Alexander says he came across the name while working on the story. I don't know Its completely fiction. What was the main purpose of the Declaration of Independence? And so that was the first character that I created. 0000011426 00000 n
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. Vermont Public's News CoverageGovernment & Politics | The Vermont Economy | Criminal Justice & Public Safety | Arts & Culture | Education | Health | Energy & Environment | Food & Agriculture | Series & Specials, Investigations | Brave Little State | Vermont Edition | New England News Collaborative (NENC) | VPR Archive. He also co-founded LEAP for Ghana, an International Literacy Program. 10. Before. 0000001216 00000 n
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. he asks. Kwame Alexander: Wouldnt it be cool to write a sequel where theyre playing high school basketball, and they go to college and get drafted into the NBA? Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. There are sirens. As his relationship unravels with his brother, he finds himself at odds more and more with his parents. Come spring, these Rutland Town readers may be inspired to head out to the soccer pitch as well. Dad tries to break the tension by talking about Christmas and the turkey. Dad passes to Josh, Josh passes to, use it in another sentence, he wonders why pulchritudinous Miss Sweet Tea is talking to, Walking Home. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. I think it was very insightful inThe Crossoverto include the relationship Josh had with his coach. The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in. Josh and, in a hospital and now, Dad hates doctors. He was only 39 and might have had a chance if he had seen a doctor sooner. His voice is as loud as thunder. From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. LitCharts Teacher Editions. 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. Dad falls, his eyes roll, and Josh screams. dear jordan poem the crossover. In "Dear Jordan," the poem describes Josh's apology to his brother and his emptiness without him. Josh chooses to give her the note for his brother and takes the rap for cheating. is wrong. In this way, she tries to distract Josh by talking about anything else to keep him from worrying about Dad. Mom and Dad are serious, while, few weeks. Just because he is elated to be the Daily News Junior MVP, doesnt mean it doesnt sting when Alexis and JB dont seem pleased at all. 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. Mom sits Josh down. The students at Rutland Town School had some questions for the author. He almost dunks, but an elbow comes up and fouls him to the floor. Kwame Alexander "Dear Jordan" from THE CROSSOVER by Kwame Alexander. Article #1 in the Daily News (December 14). How are family relationships depicted? I'm not paying attentionto anything he's sayingor to the dummy. What thoughts and emotions does Josh express in "Dear Jordan"? Dad's message does much the same thing, though it seems much more in character for Dad. / together (159). Sure. His suggestion to write JB a letter again speaks to the power of words and communication. Keen editors and support staff will supervise the task for you to guarantee Quality and ORIGINAL paper that scores high. 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. 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. He even uses the word churlish to describe himself. Josh goes about his routine, trying hard to repair what had been broken between JB and him. What news is related in the poem "Article #1 in the Daily News (December 14)"? 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. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1699 titles we cover. We raised nearly 7000 in our online auction! on tell the reader about what she values and what her priorities are? "The Crossover THIRD QUARTER to At Noon, in the Gym, with Dad Summary and Analysis". What health problem does Chuck suffer from? The students at St. Etheldreda's School for Young Ladies are there to learn to behave as proper maidens should. This offers some hope that his eventual return will be accepted by all. We only learn more about her personality towards the end of the book when she comes to dinner with JBs family. Josh does not know how he went from annoyed to grumpy to churlish. He wants Dad to talk to Mom because he feels like he needs to be in the playoffs and is letting his teammates down. 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. He and JB lock eyes; theres that seeing-a-ghost sensation again. Full Title: The Crossover When Written: 2009-2014 Where Written: Unknown When Published: 2014 Literary Period: Contemporary Genre: Young Adult Novel; Verse Novel Setting: An unnamed town in the U.S. %PDF-1.6
%
There is a big vocabulary test tomorrow and Josh is worried for his brother. In this poem, Josh makes efforts to repair the cracked friendship between him and his brother. endstream
endobj
startxref
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. Essay Topics. The characters listen to the same music as they do, covet the same shoes, use the same slang. He and his twin brother Jordanor JBare basketball stars and are best friends on and off the court. Their mom is assistant principal at their school. Josh has a plan: he's going to talk to. He wants the boys to be their own people, and he wants them to know that becoming someone different is okay and expected. worked--the Wildcats won and dedicated the game ball to Dad. ", not being at the funeral, which makes Josh confirm that she knows it's him, not, kisses him and gives him a piece of sweet potato pie. Advertisement bfordjohnson 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. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. The realization that JB is masturbating in the shower again shows Josh that JB is developing much faster than he is, though the lack of judgment in Josh's tone suggests he's becoming more used to the idea of JB changing. drives home from the hospital, the car is silent. Josh tries talking to JB, but JB does not reply; its been five days. Or what is his goal? If you have read this book, can you tell me what poetic type the poem "Dear Jordan" is. homes for sale in fishersville, va; 22 . v4Hc\ vNWzH`V8tWmQo1tpx5$k;#N#iZ4u&p4$l-&cH hmPw&][H6+^a4e 4)%iixYhRqvQ(9hSha?(_?
Pulchritudinous! Copyright 2014 by Kwame Alexander. denly giving just brief visual descriptions and using lots of ellipses? Oh my goodness! There is so much to unpack in this wonderfully written book that it would be easy to stop and analyze every single page; the figurative language, the formatting, the authors message. 0000007127 00000 n
Dad picks up the boys; he's cracking jokes, and theyre laughing. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." Seeing the proverbial ghost again suggests that things are about to change. What seemed to be a great disappointment for Myrtle concerning her marriage to George? The paired text students will look at is Michael Jordan's 2003 Retirement Letter, also titled "Dear Basketball."In 2015, Bryant announced his retirement . Can JB run with him, help him heal, slash with him like they used to? Then, by using Josh's word and sharing a smile with his brother, JB is able to say that he's willing to reopen lines of communication and reconnect with his brother. 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. On the way home from the hospital, there is no music and no talking. 5m%4|#w gJVxx3@#vwd)}Dt9h'3S? Josh wants in, but Mom warns him not to interfere. This illustrates how a person can use language to shape their identity. During November we'll be sharing our love of poetry, by focussing on an excellent children's poet each week. One day in school, JB passes a note to Josh to give to a girl he really likes, who Josh nicknames Miss Sweet Tea. Josh states that somewhere betweencamaraderieandimbecile I tap her beige bare shoulder with the note (pg. The students at Rutland Town School had some questions for the author. Josh struggles to answer and says he's sorry and didn't mean to hurt, Mom insists that's not acceptable and reminds Josh that he'll need to apologize to, doesn't understand how his behavior became so churlish. 0000003945 00000 n
2 See answers Advertisement loveleefelix2014 Answer: Sad (it's a su!cide note,so it's pretty obvious,but meh)hope this helps. Complete your free account to request a guide. He knows that this means, to Dad. Plus he has MJ sheets . He also thinks that it's ironic that, drills, Coach leads the team in meditation. JB asks.And even though I never opened my mouth,I say, Thanks,becauseit is. When Mom and Josh are washing dishes, he asks when Dads appointment is. comes for dinner, she asks for seconds of Mom's veggie lasagna. To get ready for the season, I wentto three summer camps. Shay was envious of Mahira because Edward was giving her way more attention than he had ever given to Shay. And so the next poem starts with a definition: Seventh grader Matthew Goulette wonders where Alexanders ideas for The Crossover came from. Mom and Dad argue. Fights between friends usually end in a cutting off of the relationship as opposed to engaging in healthy conflict to find a resolution. The tension between Josh and Jordan escalates, and they both do regrettable things. ", How did I react? Coach doesnt allow Josh to start the game since he was late, and later, something in Josh snaps. 0000009461 00000 n
question about the great Gatsby chapter 2: What does the postscript say in "Dear Jordan"? And Im so thankful. At the stoplight, JB and Josh look out the window at the same time, and Josh knows what his brother is thinking. Mom tells JB that Josh has apologized for his mistake, but JB states that he saw the look in Joshs eye and it was not a mistake. "FOURTH QUARTER" to "Free Throws" Summary and Analysis, "Bad News" to "Before" Summary and Analysis. For example, when Joshs dad is pulled over by the police officer for a broken taillight, Josh is worried he is going to go to jail. include his brilliant coming of age novel Rebound (published by Andersen Press). The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. (including. thinking less and less aboutbasketball, and more and more aboutGIRLS. 0000011723 00000 n
(LogOut/ Josh was estranged from himself when he threw the ball at JB. Its wonderful. Detailed quotes explanations with page numbers for every important quote on the site. He asks if Josh and, On Christmas Eve. endstream
endobj
1085 0 obj
<>stream
And Iwonder what's in the notes. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. In this poem, the author uses short, choppy lines to convey a sense of urgency; this narrates the story of Joshs dads heart attack. Keen editors and support staff will supervise the task for you to guarantee Quality and ORIGINAL . and Tells Us His Favorite Story (Again). Thus, readers come to know how the power of words and vibrant language evoke deep emotional responses as we read about Joshs life. are gone. Their dad is a former professional baller. 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. This further allows students to practice at life as they experience Joshs reactions to conflict relevant to their own lives in the story. Then, everything in his world comes crashing down. Write an essay for ONE of the following topics: Essay Topic 1. But then, things start to unravel as JB starts to get more interested in girls. 0000002088 00000 n
0000016479 00000 n
You can specify conditions of storing and accessing cookies in your browser. One night while on the way to a game, Joshs Dad gets pulled over for a broken taillight. 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. Charles's financial troubles were causing Dee Dee a lot of crises.