Kwame Alexander wins Newbery medal with basketball tale The Crossover

Story-in-verse of hoop-loving twins wins top US children’s literature award, while Dan Santat takes home Randolph Caldecott medal for picture books

A novel-in-verse about twin brothers who are basketball stars has won the Newbery medal, the highest honour for children’s literature in the US.

Kwame Alexander’s The Crossover is the story of Josh and Jordan, “kings on the court, with crossovers that make even the toughest ballers cry”. Josh is the book’s narrator, and uses poetry to reveal his family’s story. “With a bolt of lightning on my kicks … the court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I’m delivering,” says the 12-year-old.

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