The Crossover Comprehension Questions & Reading Journal
4.5 out of 5, (18 ratings on Open Library)
The Crossover has 90 chapters · 240 pages
"A bolt of lightning on my kicks, the court is sizzling, my sweat is drizzling. Stop all that quivering, cuz tonight I'm delivering," raps basketball phenom Josh Bell.
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Inside the journal: 90 chapter pages, one question each · 3 example answers · a cover for your reader’s name
Chapter by chapter Each question is about its own chapter.
What do you learn about Josh Bell from the way he describes his basketball skills?See all 90 questions ↓
About the book
"A bolt of lightning on my kicks, the court is sizzling, my sweat is drizzling. Stop all that quivering, cuz tonight I'm delivering," raps basketball phenom Josh Bell. Thanks to his dad, he and his twin brother, Jordan, are kings on the court, with crossovers that make even the toughest ballers cry. But Josh has more than hoops in his blood. He's got a river of rhymes flowing through him -- a sick flow that helps him find his rhythm when everything's on the line.
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The Crossover questions by chapter
We know this book well. Every question asks about something that happens in its chapter, a moment, a choice or a character, without giving away what comes next. One question per chapter, across all 90 chapters, and every one is editable before you print. The example answers under 3 of the chapters are the ones printed at the front of the booklet.
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Chapter 1
What do you learn about Josh Bell from the way he describes his basketball skills?
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Chapter 2
How does the fast rhythm of the opening chapter make you feel as a reader?
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Chapter 3
Why do you think basketball is so important to Josh and his family?
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Chapter 4
What does Josh’s nickname, Filthy McNasty, show about how he sees himself on the court?
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Chapter 5
How are Josh and JB alike, and how are they different so far?
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Chapter 6
What does Josh’s hair seem to mean to him, beyond just being a hairstyle?
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Chapter 7
How does Josh’s dad help shape the boys’ love of basketball?
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Chapter 8
What details show that Chuck Bell was a great player in the past?
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Chapter 9
How does Mom’s role at school affect Josh and JB?
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Chapter 10
What do you notice about the way Josh uses basketball words to tell about his life?
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Chapter 11
When Josh talks about rules, what do the rules help you understand about him?
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Chapter 12
What prediction can you make about the basketball season based on the early chapters?
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Chapter 13
How does Josh feel when JB starts paying attention to a girl, and what clues show this?
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Chapter 14
Why might it be hard for Josh to share his twin brother’s attention with someone else?
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Chapter 15
What does the word crossover mean in basketball, and how might it also connect to life changes?
Example answer: I think a crossover is when a player quickly changes direction with the ball to get past someone. In the book, it also connects to the way Josh’s life keeps changing. He has to deal with JB liking someone new, problems with his dad’s health, and changes in his family. The word fits because Josh has to learn how to move through hard changes, not just around defenders.
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Chapter 16
How does Josh’s voice change when he is excited, upset, or bragging?
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Chapter 17
What does the family dinner scene show about the Bells as a family?
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Chapter 18
How does Dad’s joking or teasing show both love and pressure?
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Chapter 19
What early signs suggest that Dad may not be taking his health seriously?
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Chapter 20
Why do you think Josh notices small changes in his family so carefully?
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Chapter 21
What do JB’s choices show about what matters to him right now?
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Chapter 22
How does Josh react to feeling left out, and is his reaction fair?
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Chapter 23
What does the author show about jealousy in these chapters?
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Chapter 24
How does basketball give Josh a way to express feelings he may not say out loud?
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Chapter 25
What does the word pulchritudinous mean, and why is it a funny or surprising word for Josh to learn?
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Chapter 26
How does Miss Sweet Tea change the relationship between the twins?
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Chapter 27
What advice does Dad give, and how helpful do you think it is?
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Chapter 28
How does Josh compare himself to JB, and what does that reveal about him?
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Chapter 29
What moment in this chapter shows that being a twin can be both close and complicated?
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Chapter 30
What do you think Josh is most afraid of losing? Explain your thinking.
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Chapter 31
How does the author use short lines or spacing to make the scene feel more powerful?
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Chapter 32
Why does Josh’s hair become such a big deal in the story?
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Chapter 33
How does Josh feel after the bet or haircut, and what words help you know?
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Chapter 34
What do Josh’s locks represent to him before they are cut?
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Chapter 35
How does JB’s mistake affect Josh’s trust in him?
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Chapter 36
What should JB do to repair the hurt between him and Josh?
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Chapter 37
How does Josh handle his anger, and what could he have done differently?
Example answer: Josh handles his anger in a way that hurts JB and makes things worse. I understand that he feels jealous and embarrassed, but throwing the ball at JB is not okay. He could have talked to JB, walked away, or told his parents how upset he was. A stronger choice would have helped him fix the problem instead of creating a new one.
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Chapter 38
Why is the basketball Josh throws at JB more than just a bad play?
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Chapter 39
How does the injury to JB change the mood of the story?
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Chapter 40
What consequences does Josh face, and do you think they are fair?
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Chapter 41
How does Mom respond to Josh’s choices, and what does this show about her?
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Chapter 42
What lesson can readers learn from Josh’s mistake during the game?
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Chapter 43
How does Josh’s loneliness grow after JB stops talking to him?
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Chapter 44
Why can silence between family members hurt so much?
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Chapter 45
How does the team feel different when the twins are not working together?
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Chapter 46
What does Josh begin to understand about saying sorry?
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Chapter 47
How does Dad’s health problem add worry to the story?
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Chapter 48
Why might Dad avoid doctors even when his family is worried?
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Chapter 49
What does Mom want for Dad, and how does that show her love?
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Chapter 50
How does Josh react when he sees his dad as less than invincible?
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Chapter 51
What theme about family appears in this part of the book?
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Chapter 52
How does the author connect basketball pressure with pressure at home?
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Chapter 53
What prediction do you have about Dad’s health, and what clues support it?
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Chapter 54
How does Josh’s anger begin to change into sadness or regret?
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Chapter 55
What does JB’s relationship with Miss Sweet Tea teach Josh about growing up?
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Chapter 56
How does Josh try to get back into the rhythm of basketball and family?
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Chapter 57
Why is forgiveness hard for both Josh and JB?
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Chapter 58
What do Dad’s stories about his basketball career teach the boys?
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Chapter 59
How does the idea of winning change as the story goes on?
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Chapter 60
What does Josh learn about the difference between being tough and being honest?
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Chapter 61
How does the hospital or health scare change the family’s normal routine?
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Chapter 62
What does Josh notice about his mother during stressful moments?
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Chapter 63
How does JB show that he still cares about Josh, even when things are tense?
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Chapter 64
Why do you think the author includes both funny moments and serious moments?
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Chapter 65
What does the vocabulary word calamity mean, and how does it fit events in the story?
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Chapter 66
How do basketball games help show the twins’ relationship without directly explaining it?
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Chapter 67
What does Josh need from his brother most at this point in the story?
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Chapter 68
How does Dad’s condition change the way Josh thinks about time?
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Chapter 69
What choice does Josh face between focusing on the game and focusing on family?
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Chapter 70
How does the author build suspense before the championship?
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Chapter 71
What does Josh’s relationship with his dad mean to him?
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Chapter 72
Why is it important that Josh begins to see JB as more than just a teammate?
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Chapter 73
How does grief begin to appear in the story, even before the biggest loss?
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Chapter 74
What questions would you want to ask Josh if you could talk to him here?
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Chapter 75
How does the family’s love show up during the hardest moments?
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Chapter 76
What does the word legacy mean, and what is Chuck Bell’s legacy to his sons?
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Chapter 77
How does Josh respond to Dad’s serious heart problem?
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Chapter 78
Why is it difficult for Josh to play basketball when his heart is somewhere else?
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Chapter 79
How does the final game feel different from earlier games in the book?
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Chapter 80
What does teamwork mean for Josh and JB near the end of the story?
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Chapter 81
How does JB help Josh when Josh is hurting?
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Chapter 82
What emotions do you feel during the chapters about Dad’s death, and why?
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Chapter 83
How does Josh describe grief, and what images or actions make it clear?
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Chapter 84
Why might basketball still matter after such a sad loss?
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Chapter 85
How do Josh and JB honor their father in their own ways?
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Chapter 86
What lesson about brothers stands out to you by the end of the book?
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Chapter 87
How has Josh changed from the beginning of the story to now?
Example answer: At the beginning, Josh seems mostly focused on basketball, his hair, and being a great player. By the end, he understands more about family, forgiveness, and loss. He still loves basketball, but it means something deeper because it connects him to his dad and brother. I think Josh becomes more caring and more grown-up.
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Chapter 88
What is the most important theme of the book, and what events support it?
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Chapter 89
If you could give Josh advice after the ending, what would you tell him?
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Chapter 90
How does the ending show that love, family, and basketball are all connected?
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How to use this The Crossover reading journal
At home, as a discussion guide
After each chapter your reader writes a few lines on that chapter’s question. Read the answer together at bedtime: it shows what they understood and gives you something real to talk about, without a quiz.
In class, as a novel study
Print a class set (booklets fold from plain letter paper) and use one question per chapter as the reading-response or literature-circle prompt. The example answers at the front show what a full answer looks like.
Homeschool
One booklet covers the whole book, 90 chapters, so it doubles as the reading log for The Crossover. Reword any question before printing to match your reader.
Printing
The booklet PDF prints on ordinary 8.5 × 11 paper: print double-sided (flip on the short edge) at 100%, fold the stack in half and staple on the fold. There is also a one-page-per-sheet PDF and A5 binder pages.
Where the questions come from
Each question is about its own chapter. We know this book well. Every question asks about something that happens in its chapter, a moment, a choice or a character, without giving away what comes next. The questions were drafted with AI from what is known about the book and checked before publishing; every one is editable before you print.
Browse: All books by Kwame Alexander