Rebound

April 16, 2018
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.

Young Charlie has just lost his father, and narrator Ron Butler clearly conveys his anger and vulnerability. Fans of Kwame Alexander's THE CROSSOVER will quickly recognize Charlie as a teen version of Chuck "Da Man" Bell of the earlier book. It's fun to note signs of the teasing, loving father Charlie becomes, but Butler mainly focuses on depicting Charlie's emotional growth in this story. His resentment at having to spend time with his father's family, for example, eventually changes to appreciation. Butler also gives meaningful portrayals of the minor characters who influence Charlie. His paternal grandfather, for example, offers many words of wisdom. While they may come across as heavy-handed in the text, Butler lightens them. Overall, Butler's effective pauses respect the author's poetic form. The last bit of the book shifts into a surprise ending that will delight fans of the earlier novel. S.W. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine