Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

In this prequel to Newbery Award-winning The Crossover (2014), Alexander revisits previous themes and formats while exploring new ones.For Charlie Bell, the future father of The Crossover's Jordan and Josh, his father's death alters his relationship with his mother and causes him to avoid what reminds him of his dad. At first, he's just withdrawn, but after he steals from a neighbor, his mother packs a reluctant Charlie off to his grandparents near Washington, D.C., for the summer. His grandfather works part-time at a Boys and Girls Club where his cousin Roxie is a star basketball player. Despite his protests, she draws him into the game. His time with his grandparents deepens Charlie's understanding of his father, and he begins to heal. "I feel / a little more normal, / like maybe he's still here, / … in a / as long as I remember him / he's still right here / in my heart / kind of way." Once again, Alexander has given readers an African-American protagonist to cheer. He is surrounded by a strong supporting cast, especially two brilliant female characters, his friend CJ and his cousin Roxie, as well as his feisty and wise granddaddy. Music and cultural references from the late 1980s add authenticity. The novel in verse is enhanced by Anyabwile's art, which reinforces Charlie's love for comics.An eminently satisfying story of family, recovery, and growing into manhood. (Historical verse fiction. 10-12)

Horn Book (Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2018)

In this 1988-set prequel to The Crossover, twelve-year-old Charlie Bell is spending the summer with his grandparents following the sudden death of his father. He finds solace on the basketball court. This story of realistic family dynamics, a search for confidence, and first romance is propelled by energetic, staccato poetry and elevated by a visceral exploration of grief. Occasional comics visualizing the fast-paced basketball action explode off the page.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

In this prequel to Newbery Award-winning The Crossover (2014), Alexander revisits previous themes and formats while exploring new ones.For Charlie Bell, the future father of The Crossover's Jordan and Josh, his father's death alters his relationship with his mother and causes him to avoid what reminds him of his dad. At first, he's just withdrawn, but after he steals from a neighbor, his mother packs a reluctant Charlie off to his grandparents near Washington, D.C., for the summer. His grandfather works part-time at a Boys and Girls Club where his cousin Roxie is a star basketball player. Despite his protests, she draws him into the game. His time with his grandparents deepens Charlie's understanding of his father, and he begins to heal. "I feel / a little more normal, / like maybe he's still here, / … in a / as long as I remember him / he's still right here / in my heart / kind of way." Once again, Alexander has given readers an African-American protagonist to cheer. He is surrounded by a strong supporting cast, especially two brilliant female characters, his friend CJ and his cousin Roxie, as well as his feisty and wise granddaddy. Music and cultural references from the late 1980s add authenticity. The novel in verse is enhanced by Anyabwile's art, which reinforces Charlie's love for comics.An eminently satisfying story of family, recovery, and growing into manhood. (Historical verse fiction. 10-12)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

This prequel to Alexander's Newbery Medal winner, The Crossover (2014), provides the backstory of twins Josh and Jordan Bell's father, Chuck "Da Man" Bell, a basketball star who died young. Set in 1988, the novel-in-verse follows Chuck, who is acting out as he mourns the premature death of his own father. His mother's solution is to send him to spend the summer at his paternal grandparents' home, where he endures his grandfather's tough love and his cousin Roxie's superior skills as a baller. Alexander's non-rhyming poetry has propulsive, hard-hitting rhythm. A few poems are cast in graphic novel-style panels, which serve as nice breaks among the poems and illustrate how Chuck, a comic book lover, imagines himself. Adults may get more of a kick out of the references to 1980s pop culture (Members Only jackets, Now and Later candy) than the target audience, but the multilayered coming-of-age story should resonate with young readers. While this companion novel works as a standalone, those who have read the first book will have a richer experience. Ages 10-12. Agent: Arielle Eckstut, Levine, Greenberg, Rostan Literary Agency. (Apr.)