BRYAN, Texas — Abby Scoresby and her students loved "The Crossover" written by Kwame Alexander so much that she decided to send the award-winning author an email about how much his book had done for her students.
"Something about Abby's letter that really stood out for me was that she didn't ask me to come," Alexander said. "She didn't ask me to come, she just shared with me what was happening in her school, and the impact the books are having, and that just sort of moved me."
"The Crossover" is a Newberry-winning book told entirely through verse, about 12-year-old twins, Josh and Jordan. The boys must come to grips with life on and off the basketball court.
Scoresby said it's how Alexander writes that strikes a chord with her students.
"He uses rap, and he uses language that they're comfortable with. He's talking about the artistry of basketball and I cannot get my kids to stop talking about basketball," Scoresby said. "I could see in their eyes that they can see this is a world where they are welcomed in and that what they believe and how they talk and what they care about is valued in this world and in his literature."
Alexander played poetry games with both students and teachers, as well as shared his story and words of encouragement.
"I am the greatest, not because I am better than anyone, but because no one is better than me. So we can all be great, but we got to be great for ourselves," Alexander said.
Scoresby thinks that today could be the start of something great for all of her students.
"I hope that they realize by seeing somebody and listening to someone and listening to him talk to them and be real with them and be honest with them," Scoresby said. "I hope they realize that that's a space where they're welcome."
Alexander's book is set to become a new Disney+ series, executive directed by non-other than NBA superstar LeBron James.