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Make connections with the assigned chapters. Make three types of connections: Connection to Self, Connection to Society (current events, history, etc.) and Connection to Text. Use textual evidence to support your connections (quotes and page numbers).

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Draw, sketch, and/or use a visual representation that illustrates different themes, topics, events, etc. Use this option to be creative. Add a caption for your illustration and quote(s) and page number(s) to support your illustration.

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Identify the sections/passages/quotes within the text that are important, interesting, thought provoking, powerful, etc. Analyze any of the literary elements (character, setting, plot, theme, tone, mood, symbolism) that are present within the sections/passages and/or quotes you identified. Ensure that there are 2-3 per chapter.

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Identify vocabulary words that students in 6-12 may not be aware of.  Identify the page number the vocabulary word is located on. Use the Frayer Model to define each word.

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Summarize each chapter that your group read. Each summary should be 7-10 sentences.

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Early on in the section main character, Josh Bell (AKA Filthy Mcnasty), introduces himself as a middle school boy who adores basketball, his family, and his locks. Readers learn that Josh got his nickname Filthy Mcnasty from his father, former NBA player, who compared Josh’s advanced basketball skills to the musical skills of the renowned jazz musician who wrote the song “Filthy Mcnasty”. After relaying the story of his nickname, Josh introduces his twin brother Jordan Bell, or JB, who loves Michael Jordan and betting. The two brothers, despite their differences, love each other and play together on the same basketball team at Junior High. At this point in the story, Josh takes the reader into real time to his 3rd basketball game of the season. Josh is dominating the game as usual, but at halftime his team is down by 7 points so JB proposes a bet: if the game gets tied and JB makes the winning shot he gets to cut a precious lock of Josh’s hair. Confident in the improbability of it, Josh takes the bet; however, to his surprise, JB defeats all odds and wins the bet scoring the tie-breaking point of the game. After the game, in the locker room, Josh faces the consequences of his bet, and as JB goes to cut one lock he mistakenly chops off 5 leaving Josh with a bald spot. When the boys return to their parents, their mother is dismayed by Josh’s hair and decides he will have to get the rest cut off over the weekend.

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Connection to self: I was able to connect with the part of the text when Josh was telling the story of his nickname, Filthy McNasty. When I first started playing soccer as a young girl my grandpa used to call me “cockroach” because I was tiny and fast like a cockroach.

Quote: “everytime I’d score, rebound, or steal a ball, Dad would jump up smiling and screamin’, That’s my boy out there. Keep it funky filthy” (Alexander 8-9).

Connection to society: Oftentimes celebrities influence society whether it be fashion trends, products, or opinions/values. In the text, Josh demonstrates this when he explains the reasons he has locks. For instance, Josh says that one of the reasons he has locks is because his “favorite rappers have them: Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, and Wale” (Alexander 14). From the influence the rappers had on Josh’s style, readers see how pop culture can impact society.

Connection to text: I would connect this text to many works of poetry as it is full of onomatopoeias, rhyme schemes, and words on the page that are set up to visually resemble their meaning. To specify, Alexander writes, “I’m MOVING & GROOVING, POPing and ROCKING–” (Alexander 3), demonstrating all these different styles of writing that are so often seen in poetry. Similarly, in the poem “Grasshopper” E.E. Cummings scatters his words and letters across the page to resemble the movement of a grasshopper.

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I had Canva AI generate me a photo based on the quote "your family is the court and the ball is your heart" pg20

This quote stood out to me because it shows how much botht he narrators family means to him, as well as the game of basketball. Basketball seems to be something his family bonds over and he even associates his family and love with the game.

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Choose a section of the book that you want your peers to read aloud. (Open the session with that reading.)

Develop 5-6 questions that your group will discuss for the assigned chapters for your Young Adult Novel. Consider the topics and skills we cover in class. Avoid questions that your community members can answer by looking them up in the chapters.

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Sections: "The Bet, Part 2" (page 32) through "Calamity" (39-40)

1. Josh takes a lot of pride in his hair, and losing a chunk of it embarrasses him. How can something as small as a haircut impact someone’s confidence or sense of identity?

2. JB and Josh have a competitive but loving relationship. How does this moment shift their dynamic? Do you think JB feels guilty for what happened, or is he just focused on winning the bet?

3. Josh is upset after the accident. How does Kwame Alexander use poetry and rhythm to show Josh’s emotions? How do the short lines and spacing affect the intensity of the moment?

4. Josh is very proud of his hair, and losing part of it feels like a loss of control. What do you think his hair represents to him? Are there things in your own life that you see as an important part of your identity?

5. Josh and JB are twins, but they have very different personalities. Based on this section, how do their reactions to the bet and the haircut incident show their differences? How do their personalities shape the way they handle competition and conflict?

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Connection to self: This part of the book connected to my life because I, like Chuck "Da Man" Bell, was an athlete who wound up with patellar tendinitis. Although my athletic career was not as vast as Mr. Bell’s basketball career, I faced the same injury as him. Both he and I had to stop our athletic pursuits due to injuries. With the loss of his career, “Da Man” shows immense care about both of his sons progression in the sport by making them do things like making extra free throws after games. My injuries taking away the sport I was passionate about has created the same emotions Mr. Bell has toward his sons, leading me towards helping the athletes I coach be the best they can by passing down my knowledge.

Quote: “...but thanks to patellar tendinitis, he went from a superstar with a million-dollar fadeaway jumper to a star whose career faded away.” (Alexander 48 - 49)

Connection to Society: According to the CDC, in the US, almost one-half of adults experience hypertension, with 48.1% of US adults experiencing hypertension from 2017-2020. High blood pressure is also an important risk factor in cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States. In Crossover, we read about the story's main character, Josh, finding out that his father has hypertension, which is why his mother is so observant and overprotective of what Mr. Bell eats. With high blood pressure being so prevalent in the US, many families and individuals go through the same situation as the Bell family in our reading.

Quote: “ As in: Mom doesn't want Dad eating salt, because too much of it increases the volume of blood, which can cause hypertension.” (Alexander 76)

Connection to Text: Within these pages of the text, Josh and JB are handling many coming-of-age issues like family dynamics, finding self-identification outside of basketball or for Josh also his hair, mental struggles like Josh staying up at night looming on the past, and experiencing a love life like JB and Miss Sweet Tea. Like Crossover by Kwame Alexander, Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky follows a coming-of-age protagonist, Charlie, who faces family dynamics in and outside school, finding his identity, facing mental battles that hold him back, and experiencing their first romantic relationships.

Quote:  “ I count and recount the thirty-seven strands of my past in the box beneath my bed.” (Alexander 77)

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After reading pages 40-80, we learn new things about Josh's family. JB and Josh's dad won a basketball championship (they found the ring in the closet) and he was invited to try out for the Los Angeles Lakers. Still, because he decided not to have surgery for his patella tendonitis, he never played again (they found this information in a secret envelope labeled "private"). Furthermore, Chuck, the dad has a high risk of Hypertension because his dad had it and died from it. The mom wants Chuck to get a check-up because he got dizzy and almost fainted, but Chuck is stubborn and brushes it off, stating that he is fine. In addition, there is a new girl at school who wears pink reeboks and is pulchritudinous, according to Josh. JB has a crush on her and it seems that Josh might be jealous. Josh scores the winning dunk in the 7th-grade basketball game.

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On page 42 Josh and JB's dad is dissecting how they played in their basketball game and goes onto say "when I was playing we never..." What do you think this says about the boys' relationship with their father and their father's relationship with their sport?

On page 63 it starts out with JB asking their dad "Didn't mom say no more doughnuts?" Also noting that the boys' mom is the principal of their school, what do you think this says about her role in the family? Do you think she needs to be in control? (also look at pages 72 and 73)

On pages 51 and 66 we are given basketball rules #2 & 3. How do you find these rules to be applicable to Josh's life? Would you say that basketball consumes Josh's whole life?

On pages 74 and 75 the twins' parents are arguing because Chuck doesn't want to see a doctor after he passed out. On the following pages we learn about how his dad died and how hypertension is genetic. Knowing that hypertension is genetic and Chuck's dad passed from it why do you believe he is unwilling to see a doctor?

On pages 80 and 81 Josh is helping JB pass a note to his crush when he his caught by his teacher. This section ends with Josh saying he knows what he has to do - hinting that he will take the blame. What does this say about the twins' relationship with each other?

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I used the ChatGPT image generator to create this photo. I wanted a photo that resembled the different roles that the twins' parents play in their lives. This section illuminates how JB and Filthy's mother and father push the kids to be the best versions of themselves. While their mom emphasizes education and encourages the boys to do well in school, their father values dedication and athletics using basketball to teach life lessons. Overall, pages 40-80 highlight the strong bond, and endless love the Bell family has for one another.

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Connection to self: I was able to connect to Josh's feeling of losing his best friend. He describes his walk home from school and how not having JB there feels really strange. He feels like JB's second option and feels out. I can relate to this because there have been times when I have felt like someone's second option. That feeling of losing a friend is like no other. Josh states, "But he's with her. Not here with you. Which is unfair. Because he doesn't argue with you about who's the greatest, Michael Jordan or Bill Russell, like he used to. Because JB will not eat lunch with you tomorrow or the next day, or the next week. Because you are walking home by yourself and your brother owns the world" (114-115).

Connection to Society: Josh's family has a history of heart disease and his dad has had many symptoms that entail he has a heart condition. This shows the real-life impact of heart disease, which is one of the leading causes of death. Unfortunately, Josh's dad is not a fan of doctors and refuses to get a check-up despite his worsening health. Josh explains" He probably got something stuck in his throat, JB says when I ask him if he thought Dad was sick and shouldn't we tell Mom" (103). This is a very common issue in the world. Many parents will refuse to get the help they need, which puts their child in a very concerned and torn position. They don't want to defy their parents' wishes, however, they want them to get the help they need because they don't anything bad to happen to them.

Connection to text: Alexander's poetic verse writing style, particularly the way he defines words at the start of the chapters is unique and engaging. In "The Crossover", Alexander often defines words that connect to Josh's experiences, such as "i-ron-ic. Having a curious or humorous unexpected sequence of events marked by coincidence" (104)". This stylistic choice helps emphasize themes and emotion. This style of writing is very similar to the writing used by Katherina Applegate in "The One and Only Ivan". She also uses poetic language, specifically one-word chapter titles, and then explains what the words mean in the chapter. Then connect it to what the character is experiencing.

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I used AI to generate this image of twin brothers who play basketball, but one is experiencing adolescent distraction, in this case, from a girl. At the same time, the other is annoyed and irritated by the change in sibling dynamics. I generated this image to represent Miss Sweet Tea's strain on Josh and JB’s relationship. Throughout these pages, Josh is in a consistent battle with his brother's new relationship and how it changes things he commonly does, like eating lunch at school. JB’s new relationship bothers Josh more than basketball stress, their Dad's health, and his cut-off hair.

Quote: “HELLO - Earth to JB? Even though I know he hears me, the only thing JB is listening to is the sound of his heart bouncing on the court of love.” (Alexander 90)

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DALL·E 2025-02-25 22.09.11 - A dramatic scene of African American twin brothers at basketball practice. One twin, confident and smiling, is distracted by his phone, texting a girl

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At first (pages 8-9) Josh talks about the how he first hated his nickname Filthy McNasty but how he grew to love it giving a candid and intimate tone while also showing us the power behind his name.

Basketball Rule #1 (page 20) Josh's discussion of the first basketball rule and how your family is the court and the ball is your heart allowed to audience to understand just how important basketball is to him. Using the basketball to symbolize your heart, something that keeps you alive as well as is used to describe great feelings shows how Josh cannot live without the game.

Ca-lam-i-ty (pages 39 & 40) the repetition of the word calamity as well as Josh defining the word prior to its use shows how undesirable the cutting of his locks was. This adds to the reader's understanding of how important his locks were to his identity as well as shows a potential turning pointing point in Josh's relationship with JB

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Character: Filthy

Section 1: “What do I do? Hand over the note, embarrass JB; or hide the note, take the heat. I look at my brother… I know what I have to do” (Alexander 81).

Section 2: “Dad asks if we should stop at Pollard’s. I tell him I’m not hungry, plus I have a lot of homework, even though I skipped lunch today and finished my homework during halftime” (Alexander 99).

These two quotes highlight who Filthy is as an individual, and allow the reader to better understand his character. For instance, in the first section, Filthy takes the blame for the note passing during the exam to protect his brother, which gets him in trouble with his mom. This quote highlights Filthy’s selflessness as he cares more about his brother’s well-being than he does about his own reputation. Similarly, in the second quote, Filthy tells a white lie to his father so that they don’t get unhealthy food from Pollard’s. Even though she isn’t there to witness this–because Filthy trusts his mom and cares about his father’s health– he follows his mother’s advice. This section allows the reader to reflect on Filthy’s integrity and selflessness as a character.

Tone:

“I am a little worried, though, because, as Coach likes to say, you can get used to things going well, but you’re never prepared for something going wrong” (Alexander 100).

This quote sets an ominous and suspenseful atmosphere as Filthy’s underlying anxiety rises. The suspenseful tone is a tool that the author uses to contrast the current tranquility of Filthy’s life and to foreshadow Filthy’s father's mini heart attack.

Mood:

Through the entire section “Showoff”– like many of the other sections illustrating Filthy’s basketball games– Kwame Alexander sets a very playful mood to highlight Filthy’s love for the game. To specify, Kwame writes “Spins, and

S

I

N

K

S

a sick SLICK SLIDING” (Alexander 94). This style of writing and the prevalence of onomatopoeias create an exciting and playful atmosphere, reflecting Filthy’s feelings while he plays basketball.

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In this section, Chuck's health issues continue as he continues to brush them off. We learn that Chuck's dad died in the hospital and Chuck doesn't like doctors, possibly contributing to his resistance of accepting he is ill. Both Josh's and JB's heads are not in the game as Josh is worried about his father's health and change and his brother's behavior and JB is focused on his new girl. Towards the end of the section, their basketball tells the team they need to work on their mental game and the section concludes with Josh not being able to sleep due to JB and his girl and the stress he has over his dad's health.

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Character:

Filthy’s dad: Pg. 66

“Never let anyone lower your goals. Others' expectations of you are determined by their limitations of life. The sky is your limit, son. Always shoot for the sun and you will shine.”

Mom&Dad: Pg. 74

Your father didn't “need” a doctor either.

He was alive when he went into the hospital.

So now you're afraid of hospitals?

Nobody is afraid. I'm fine. It's not that serious.

These two quotes highlight filthy’s dad in a way that shows the reader who he is as a character in the story. We get a side of his dad that sees his sons having no limitations in life as “Basketball rule #3” while on the other end, we see his stubbornness and self preservation when it comes to his health and acknowledging his weakness. Something I wanted to talk about is the idea that black men always need to be strong, and that they shouldn't be seen as sensitive or weak. In society black men specifically need to be aware of themselves in the world and because of this it is important that they are tough while also being “non threatening”

This is something that is referenced in a satirical way in the media quite often and this is the first thing I thought of when reading these two sections of the novel. Filthy’s dad wants to be strong for them and wants them to be self confident in their goals and abilities despite what others may think of them.

Tone:

Filthy: Pg 43

“And so each time I count the locks of hair beneath my pillow. I end up with thirty-seven plus one tear, which never adds up”

This quote is one of the first times we see filthy upset, but it is important to note that only one tear is mentioned. Filthys hair is something he takes pride in and seems to be one of the physical differentiating factors between him and his twin brother. This is possible foreshadowing for later when Jordan meets his girlfriend “sweet tea” and Filthy becomes jealous of the time they spend together or possibly the fact that she's not his girlfriend.

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“After practice, you walk home alone. This feels so strange to you, because as long as you can remember there has always been a second person…but he's with her. Not here with you. Which is unfair…” Pg. 114

This is the first time in the novel we see Filthy and his brother not attached to each other’s side, do you think that filthy’s is jealous that jordan is spending more time with his girlfriend than him, or do you think that he's jealous he doesn't have a girlfriend like his brother.

It seems that as the novel progresses we start to see differences in the twins, which is something that is made very clear from the beginning is not normally the case. They look the same, play the same sport, etc but do you think this chapter is alluding to the fact that they will have further differences and disagreements as the story goes on?

Filthy even goes as far as to ask his dad to intervene with Jordan and his girlfriend, his dad brushes him off and tells filthy there isn't much sense in talking to his brother. Is this something you found interesting when reading? Their dads main priority for the boys has always seemed to be basketball and basketball related things, why is he not attempting to focus on Jordan?

On the phone call with sweet tea, filthy pretends to be Jordan and talks to her for his brother. At the end of the call sweet tea says she likes Jordan but Filthy hangs up and says “She said she liked me a lot.” Do you think this interaction may play a part later in the novel? If so, what do you think this phone call's impact will be?

Filthy suddenly gets a vision of his brother JB in the hospital while at basketball practice? Do you think this is foreshadowing a later part of the novel? Or do you think it's just his anxiety and his new found separation between him and his brother?

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I used AI to create this imagine that highlights Josh's feelings towards his dad being in the hospital. At the point, Chuck is in the hospital in a coma and Josh is angry that his dad ever got to this point and that he is supposed to talk to his dad who he doesn't believe can hear him. Jordan (who is not pictured in this as AI was not on my side for this assignment) has a much more calm composure and is even holding their dad's hand which increases Josh's anger more.

Pg. 200 "watching Jordan hold Dad's hand, wondering why I have to push water uphill with a rake to talk to someone who isn't even listening."

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Conversation

“In the car I ask Dad if going to the doctor will kill him. He tells me he doesn’t trust doctors that my grandfather did and look where it got him…” (Alexander 123).

What does Chuck’s distrust of doctors and the healthcare system affect his relationships with his family? Are Chuck’s feelings valid, or is he using confirmation bias to justify them?

Game Time 6:00 PM
“At 5:47…I pray Dad won’t get arrested. At 5:48 the cop smiles after verifying Dad’s identity on Google, and says, You “Da Man” (Alexander 126)!

How might this interaction have been different if the police officer didn’t recognize Chuck? What does Filthy's fear of his dad being arrested for a broken taillight say about his understanding of race and the legal system?

Before

“I dribble over to my brother and fire a pass so hard, it levels him, the blood from his nose still shooting long after the shot-clock buzzer goes off” (Alexander 134).

This is the first time we see Filthy let his feelings toward his brother get the best of him. How does this instance affect JB and Filthy’s relationship? Do you think Filthy hurt JB on purpose?

Suspension

Quotes from the conversation between Filthy and his mother, after Filthy injures JB during their game: “Boys with no self-control become men behind bars…When did you become a thug…Boys with no discipline end up in prison” (Alexander 138-140).

How does the language Filthy’s mom uses reflect racial stereotypes about black men? What is his mother’s purpose of repeating that undisciplined boys end up in prison?

This Week, I

In this section Filthy narrates in very short and incomplete sentences like, “Volunteer at the library. Eat lunch alone five times” (Alexander 144). Further, the sentences each take up two lines before moving onto the next paragraph/stanza. How does the style of writing in this section reflect Filthy’s emotions about his current situation?

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Reading Plan with Roles

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I had AI generate a picture of Josh and JB playing in the second half of the basketball game. Josh is really annoyed with JB at this point and he throws the basketball at JB's face. It hits him in the nose and he bleeds. On page 134, Josh states, "Today, I plan on passing the ball to JB, but when I hear him say "FILTHY, give me the ball," I dribble over to my brother and fire a pass so hard, it levels him, from his nose still shooting long after the the shotclock buzzer goes off." This explosion of rage from Josh is the start of him opening up about his frustration and annoyance toward JB and his girlfriend.

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DALL·E 2025-03-05 18.24.37 - A dynamic basketball game scene featuring Josh, a tall, athletic African American teenager with long dreadlocks, in the middle of throwing a basketbal

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In this section of the novel (pg120-160) we get new insight into the tension building between Josh and JB and how this is startign impact family relationships and their love for basketball. In previous sections we see that there is starting to become a divide between Josh and his brother, stemming from Jordans new facisnation with "Miss Sweet tea". This specific section starts off with JB getting gn into Miss sweet Tea's dad's car and driving off as Josh had planned to bring up his feelings about the situation. It is hard to decide whether Josh is envious of JB's relationship itself or simply upset that he isnt spending as much time with his twin brother as hes used to. Possibly both. As the story progresses in this chapter we see another conversation between Josh and his dad about JB's new girlfriend, but Josh is somewhat brushed off by his dad again. On the way to a basketabll game Josh and his dad are pulled over by a police officer and end up showing up to the game late resulting in Josh being benched for the first part of the game. After he is finally put into the game, he does not pass the ball to JB as instructed but ends up throwing the ball at his nose resulting in a trip to the hospital. Because of Josh's behavior he is suspended from the basketball team and creates an even bigger divide between him and his brother. JB ultimtely ignores Josh for a few days following the incident and in return Miss sweet tea is also mad at Josh. Josh watches the team play at one of their games and after the ref calls a foul on his brother, his dad gets upset and gets a nose bleed which later prompts his mm to bring up him goign back to the doctor. This section ends with Josh writing JB a letter apologizing for what he did.

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Connection to Society "At 5:34 Dad explains to the officer that his license is in his wallet, which is in his jacket at home ... I pray Dad won't get arrested," pg. 125-126. I connected this to society as police brutality in America has been an on going problem as long as America has existed with the issue being highlighted in recent years. Josh feeling the need to pray while his dad gets pulled over shows the problem of police brutality in America and the fear it causes for black Americans.

Connection to self: "Then I got benched for the entire first half. For being late," pg. 133. I connected this to myself as when I played softball in high school there were times I was benched for reasons out of my control such as a teacher having yet to grade an assignment I missed when sick or an injury. I remember the feeling of having to sit out while I watched my team play, sometimes during larger and more important games and feeling defeated that I couldn't be a part of my teams win.

Connection to text: "This week, I get my report card. Make honor roll. Watch the team win game nine. Volunteer at the library. Each lunch alone five times," (pg. 144). I connected this part of the text of Josh doing seemingly everything right and remaining in trouble (grounded) to New Kid when Jordan gets in trouble at school even though he typically does everything right and plays by the rules.

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1. Chuck told Josh to play in his basketball game even though he knew he was not okay. Why do you think he told Josh to play in the game even though he knew he was not okay? Did he think he would be fine like he has been up until now, or did he push aside his struggles so his son could shine in the game after being benched?

2. How will Chuck's death affect the boys' strained relationship? Although it is a difficult situation, could it make them repair their relationship and become best friends again? On the other hand, will it pull JB closer to sweet tea for comfort and further push Josh away?

3. As we have read throughout this book, Josh has already been having a hard time mentally, first with his hair, finding out his dad is sick, feeling alone, losing basketball, and being isolated by his brother. If Josh was already not in a good place, how will the loss of his father affect him mentally? How will he overcome this?

4. Why did Chuck give Josh his championship ring? Why did he give it to Josh and not JB? Was it so Josh would not feel alone even though his dad was no longer with them? Chuck was the main person Josh talked to, especially about his personal problems after JB started ignoring him, so Filthy lost his dad and his closest friend. Could this ring be Chuck’s way of telling Josh he will be okay and be great even if he is not physically with him anymore?

I also want to touch on how the book title is heavily covered in this chapter. Josh’s crossover in the game, Chuck’s crossover at the hospital, and the use of the word "crossover" at the funeral connect main concepts like basketball and Chuck’s health to the title of our book.

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In this section (pg 160-200) readers gain more insight into Chuck’s health, JB and Filthy’s relationship, and JB and Alexis’s relationship. To specify, early in the section Filthy finds his Dad cleaning up his throw-up and clutching his chest, stirring Filthy and his mother’s fear. Mom is frustrated with Chuck, as he contemplates taking a coaching position, but refuses to go to the doctor. In fear that stress, poor eating, and genetics will get the best of him, Mom makes a doctor's appointment for Chuck, which Filthy is grateful for. Further in this section, Filthy asks to go by Josh, and we see him navigating his relationship with JB, his hiatus from basketball, and his fear for his father’s health. During one of the Wildcat’s games, from the bench Josh sees his parents leave early because his dad isn’t feeling well. Despite being down at halftime, the Wildcats secure the win and step closer to the championship game. After this, though not on the best terms, Josh and JB are mending their relationship little by little and all seems to be going well. That’s until one day at the Rec Center while Josh and Chuck are playing basketball, Chuck overexerts himself and suffers from myocardial infarction leaving him in a coma and the Bell family disheveled.

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Theme: "But instead, I'm sitting in a smelly room in St. Luke's Hospital, listening to Mom sing "kumbaya," watching Jordan hold Dad's hand, wondering why I have to push water uphill with a rake to talk to someone who isn't even listening. To miss the biggest game of my life" (pg. 200). Josh is torn between his father’s critical condition and his own desires (playing in the "biggest game of his life"). This reflects the theme of balancing personal goals with family responsibilities. Furthermore, “Pushing water uphill with a rake” symbolizes an impossible task, illustrating Josh’s struggle to connect with his father and cope with the changes in his life. Accepting change is a common theme in the book and I think this quote really captures how difficult it is for Josh to accept change in life.

Character Development: "Boys, your talent will help you win games, Dad says, but your intelligence, that will help you win at life" (pg. 180). This quote highlights the wisdom and influence of Josh and JB’s father. He values both basketball and education but emphasizes that intelligence is more important in the long run. It reinforces his role as a mentor (connection to archetypes), shaping his sons’ perspectives on success beyond sports. For Josh, who deeply identifies with basketball, this statement challenges him to think about his future beyond the game.

Symbolism: "Sometimes you have to lean back a little and fade away to get the best shot" (pg. 191). This phrase is both a basketball technique and a metaphor for life. The fadeaway shot symbolizes the need to step back, adjust, and find a new perspective when facing challenges. It reflects Josh’s personal journey, which he is learning that sometimes, instead of forcing things (like his relationship with JB or his place in basketball), he needs to give space and adapt. This rule suggests that success sometimes requires stepping back and reevaluating situations, a lesson Josh is struggling to accept as his life changes.

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1. In what ways has Josh changed by the end of the book? How do his relationships with Jordan (JB) and basketball evolve after his father’s passing?

2. How does Kwame Alexander use poetic structure and word choice to convey Josh’s emotions in the final pages? How does the formatting of the text contribute to the intensity of his grief?

3. How does the novel suggest that basketball is both an escape and a way to process grief for Josh?

4. How does the championship game reflect Josh’s internal struggle after his father’s death? Why do you think he chooses to play despite everything that has happened?

5. After Chuck’s passing, how do Josh and JB support each other? How does their bond change from the beginning of the novel to the final pages?

6. The last poem, “Free Throw,” ends the novel on a powerful note. How does Josh’s final free throw symbolize both loss and moving forward? Why do you think the book ends this way instead of with a traditional resolution?

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Connection to self: I was able to connect with this part of the text where Josh is describing how all of his friends, including Vondie and his brother have girlfriends. Josh is describing Vondies girlfriend and explains how she's not the best option for a girlfriend, but still better than nothing, which is what Josh has. I feel like at a young age there is a lot of pressure to have things that others around you have whether this is a girlfriend/boyfriend, new clothes, new game, etc. It's a time in our lives where I'm sure we can all relate to being envious of other people at least once. At that age I was always envious of my friends who were not only dating but just consistently had things that I did not. I can remember a specific instance where in middle school, my best friend got a boyfriend and I wasn't allowed to date at the time, let alone had really even thought about dating. I was extremely envious of her and resented the fact that at that time it seemed that everyone was dating but me (which was not the truth in reality)

“Even Vondie has a girlfriend now… This is still better than having no girlfriend at all. Which is what I have now” pg. 162-163

Because of my experiences in school with my envy of others, I really related to this part of the novel and felt that this connected heavily to my younger self.

Connection to Society: during my group’s literature circle discussion we often talk about the health disparities among races. One of our most recent conversations included the topic of distrust of doctors within the black community due to a history of discrimination. In the novel, crossover, Josh’s dad is experiencing what the reader understands as heart problems. Throughout the novel, Josh's dad refuses to go to the doctor, despite his son and his wife encouraging him to do so. He often mentions how his father trusted doctors and looked where it got him. In real life, a history of discrimination leads to a lingering fear of doctors in the black community. A 2018 article published by PBS and NPR discusses how black Americans are more likely to develop health conditions at an early age and about 22% of black Americans say they’ve personally faced discrimination at a hospital and/or avoided seeking medical care for fear of being discriminated against. Within our society, there are numerous disparities between communities and this is one of the ones that I found and a connection to society within the novel.

“What doctor? When did you go to the doctor?”

“I go a couple times a week. Dr. Webb MD.”

“Are you serious! This is not some joke, Charles.” Pg 168

Connection to text: in this novel, the author uses poetry as the main stylistic choice in his writing. Almost the entirety of the novel is written in poems, and in some of these poems, the main character Josh is describing vocabulary words. The use of poetry in defining these words throughout the novel is something I have yet to see in many pieces of literature, although this semester in our class while reading Starfish, I was also exposed to authors, conveying ideas through poetry in a novel. Similar to the crossover, in the starfish novel, the author often describes her “fat girl rules” through poems in the novel. Often rhyming and using repetitive language.

“myocardial infraction… occurs when blood flow to an area of the heart is blocked for a long enough time that the heart muscle is damaged or dies. As in: JB says that he hates basketball because it was the only thing that dad loved the most besides us…” pg 201

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Connection to Self:

In the section “The Last Shot”, Filthy returns to his playful narration that he uses when he’s playing basketball. This playful and spirited tone strongly contrasts the previous sections where we see him feeling uncertain and fearful about his father’s health and the future of his family. This stark contrast between Filthy’s fear in the hospital and his feelings of freedom on the court demonstrates how basketball is an escape for him. I was able to relate to this notion of sports as an escape as I did sports for the larger part of my life and it was always an outlet for me to relieve stress or escape the troubles of ordinary life.

Quote: “Stop all that quivering because tonight I'm delivering” (Alexander 221)

Connection to Society (current events, history, etc.):

In the final sections of the novel Chuck’s unwillingness to have seen a doctor in the past is brought up several times. Specifically, in the section “Article #2 in the Daily News (January 14)” Chuck’s friends reveal that “‘he wasn’t a big fan of doctors and hospitals, that’s for sure’” (Alexander 226). While Chuck’s fear of the healthcare system is something my literature circle group discussed before, we see now in the final sections the consequences of such reluctance. The repetition of Chuck’s lack of trust in doctors and hospitals raises awareness to the injustices present in the healthcare system. In particular, an article published by the National Library of Medicine points out that “70% of physicians showed some level of implicit bias against Black people and Hispanics/Latinos.” These racial biases are real and affect minorities across the nation. Through Chuck’s character, Kwame Alexander highlights the reluctance that minorities might have to trust a corrupt healthcare system and the real consequences it can bring.

source: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4638275/

Connection to Text. Use textual evidence to support your connections (quotes and page numbers).

These final sections reminded me of the novel Everything Sad is Untrue, specifically in its exploration of family dynamics, grief, and coping with loss. After losing his father Josh underscores feeling lost and hopeless, saying, “My father was the light of my world, and now that he’s gone, each night is starless” (Alexander 229). While Josh’s father died, and Khosru’s father remained in Iran, both young boys struggled to cope with the loss of their father and felt lost without them. Though wildly different, these books convey similar messages about family and loss.

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Implicit Racial/Ethnic Bias Among Health Care Professionals and Its Influence on Health Care Outcomes: A Systematic Review

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Background. In the United States, people of color face disparities in access to health care, the quality of care received, and health outcomes. The attitudes and behaviors of health care providers have been identified as one of many factors that ...

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I used AI to create this image of the family spending Christmas in the hospital. At this point in the novel, Chuck is in the hospital and cannot come home for Christmas. After family and friends stopped by to visit, Josh and JB's dad called them over to the bed and had a conversation with them both. He tells the boys he always wants them to be there for each other, as they are still currently not on great terms after their previous fight on the basketball court. This is a very emotional time for the family, and Jordan seems to be taking his Dad's illness very harshly, while Josh is somewhat angry at his Dad for not getting medical help sooner.

Pg. 207

"We're celebrating Christmas in Dad's hospital room... I hug fourteen people, which is like drowning. When they leave Dad calls me and Jordan over to the bed... I want you both to always be there for each other."

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DALL·E 2025-03-30 17.58.19 - A deeply emotional scene of a Black family in a hospital room on Christmas. The mother and two young boys, around ages 6 and 10, stand beside a hospit

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"Questions" pgs. 210 & 211. Josh and his father communicate only through the use of questions. Though no answers are given, these questions are able to communicate to the reader Josh's internal struggles he is having due to his father's health.

"As we're about to leave for the final game" pgs. 215 & 216. In this section Josh learns his dad had another heart attack via a text message from his mom. The way the text is written in this passage there is a period after every word in the message. The periods show how Josh read the text. It wasn't an easy text to read and he had to process it one word at a time. This once again shows the struggle Josh faces when it comes to his dad's health.

"Free Throws" pgs. 234-237. Throughout this passage Josh is shooting free throws and is about to beat his dad's record. When Jordan comes out he gives their dad's championship ring to Josh demeaning his "Da man." In this moment Josh realizes he no longer wants to be the man and then refers to himself and Jordan by saying "we da man." The use of the word we in this case highlights Josh's feelings towards his dad's legacy and how it is not just his own to carry on.

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(201-237) After finding out Chuck is in a coma, Josh channels all his fears about his dad and his struggles with school, basketball, and his brother into anger. On Christmas Eve, Chuck finally wakes up from his heart attack-induced coma. When Josh goes to see him in the hospital, Chuck tells him to play in his school basketball game. Shortly after, while Jordan is playing in his basketball game, he crossover and dies. Josh is overwhelmed with emotions and feels unprepared for his father's passing, comparing it to a game you can not win without referees. The loss of their father, Chuck “DaMan” Bell, is hard for both Josh and JB. On page 237, Josh and JB’s relationship seems to start repairing, and JB gives Josh Chucks the championship ring he left for him. For the first time in so long, JB and Josh are together at their house, shooting a basketball.

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Your group completed 6 weeks of entries for the entire book.