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Quick answer: If you loved The Crossover, read Kwame Alexander's Booked and Rebound, then Solo, Long Way Down, Brown Girl Dreaming and Out of the Dust. All are novels in verse that read fast and hit hard.
Kwame Alexander's 2014 Newbery Medal winner is a novel in verse about twelve-year-old twins Josh and Jordan Bell, basketball stars with a father who was a pro player, as their bond is tested by a girl and a family crisis. It is rhythmic, funny and emotional. The books below offer similar verse novels about sport, family and growing up.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booked | Kwame Alexander | Ages 10-14 | soccer in verse |
| Rebound | Kwame Alexander | Ages 10-14 | prequel |
| Solo | Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess | Teen | music and family |
| Long Way Down | Jason Reynolds | Teen | verse novel |
| Brown Girl Dreaming | Jacqueline Woodson | 9-13 | poetry fans |
| Out of the Dust | Karen Hesse | 10-14 | Dust Bowl poems |
| Inside Out & Back Again | Thanhha Lai | 8-12 | readers who like verse novels |
| Clap When You Land | Elizabeth Acevedo | 14+ | readers who like verse |
| The Poet X | Elizabeth Acevedo | 14+ | readers who like poetry |
| Punching the Air | Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam | 13+ | readers who like verse |
| Piecing Me Together | Renee Watson | Teen | opportunity and identity |
| Dear Martin | Nic Stone | 14+ | readers who want a hard-hitting story |
| Ghost | Jason Reynolds | 10-13 | sports and healing |
| Crank | Ellen Hopkins | Teen | addiction in verse |
| Other Words for Home | Jasmine Warga | 9-13 | immigrant stories |
1. Booked by Kwame Alexander
A boy who loves soccer deals with his parents' split and a bully. Rhythmic and warm.
Best for: soccer in verse.
2. Rebound by Kwame Alexander
The story of Charlie Bell's teenage years before The Crossover. Moving and funny.
Best for: prequel.
3. Solo by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess
A rock star's son uncovers family secrets. Poetic and fast.
Best for: music and family.
4. Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
A teenager takes an elevator ride that changes everything. Fast, poetic and powerful.
Best for: verse novel.
5. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Woodson tells her childhood in verse. A National Book Award winner, personal and lyrical.
Best for: poetry fans.
6. Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse
A girl in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl tells her story in verse. Spare and powerful.
Best for: Dust Bowl poems.
7. Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Ha, ten, leaves Saigon in 1975 and settles in Alabama. A verse novel based on Lai's own life, with humor and grace.
Best for: readers who like verse novels.
8. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Two sisters, one in New York and one in the Dominican Republic, learn about each other after their father dies in a plane crash. A verse novel.
Best for: readers who like verse.
9. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Xiomara finds her voice through slam poetry. A verse novel and National Book Award winner.
Best for: readers who like poetry.
10. Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam
Amal is wrongly convicted and uses art and poetry to survive. A verse novel co-written by a member of the Exonerated Five.
Best for: readers who like verse.
11. Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson
A talented teenager navigates a mentoring program. Smart and heartfelt.
Best for: opportunity and identity.
12. Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Justyce writes letters to Dr. King after a violent encounter with police. Short and gripping.
Best for: readers who want a hard-hitting story.
13. Ghost by Jason Reynolds
A boy who runs from trouble joins a track team. Fast and thoughtful, from the Track series.
Best for: sports and healing.
14. Crank by Ellen Hopkins
A girl falls into addiction. Raw and harrowing.
Best for: addiction in verse.
15. Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
A Syrian girl moves to the United States and adapts to a new school. A moving novel in verse.
Best for: immigrant stories.
How to Choose
For more Alexander begin with Booked and Rebound. For other verse novels choose Long Way Down, Inside Out & Back Again or Brown Girl Dreaming. For teen verse pick The Poet X, Clap When You Land or Punching the Air. For sports and heart read Ghost. The Crossover is quick and rhythmic, so these picks suit readers who like voice and pace. The Crossover was adapted into a Disney+ series in 2023, and Alexander also publishes a graphic novel version. The poems are meant to be read aloud, so audiobooks are especially effective.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Crossover about?
Twin basketball stars deal with rivalry, family and loss, told in verse.
Who wrote it?
Kwame Alexander.
When was it published?
2014.
Did it win an award?
Yes, the 2015 Newbery Medal.
What age is it for?
Roughly ages 10 to 14.
Is there a TV series?
Yes, on Disney+.
Is it a good book for reluctant readers?
Yes, it is quick and rhythmic.
What should I read next?
Try Booked or Long Way Down.
Which book here is best for verse novel?
Try Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, which suits readers looking for verse novel.
Which book here is best for readers who like verse novels?
Try Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai, which suits readers looking for readers who like verse novels.
Which book here is best for readers who like verse?
Try Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, which suits readers looking for readers who like verse.