Crossovers

by LeAnne Hardy

Thirteen-year-old hockey player Ben Bradley wants to learn to jump and spin while his sister Denise is hoping to go to hockey camp and become the first girl on the Rum River High School varsity team. If the guys find out, Ben will be dead meat. And he doesn’t even want to think about what his former-hockey-star father will say.

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 19, 2009

About the author

Although I grew up in the Midwest of the United States, I have lived in six countries on four continents. I have sipped cream tea in Oxfordshire, eaten stewed goat at a Mozambican wedding, slid down rocks in a Mato Grosso river and shopped at Mall of America. My books for children and young people come out of my cross-cultural experiences and my passion to use story to convey spiritual truths in a form that will permeate the lives of children and young people. I recently returned to the Northwoods of Wisconsin after three years in Johannesburg, South Africa, where I focused on writing for children affected by HIV/AIDS, teaching writing workshops and reading stories in after-school programs in Tembisa Township.

Reviews

[Wynee Igel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you follow the crowd or do you follow your heart in spite of what others think? Main character Ben Bradley is worried about what everybody will say and make fun of him for figure skating, what he thinks his friends and family consider a feminine activity, not really a sport for guys. As he battles those ideas, he realizes that he's guilty of exactly this same kind of thinking when his sister wants to go to hockey camp and be on the varsity hockety team. Standing up to stereotypes is difficult for anyone, but especially difficult for teenagers as they find their way in the world. Through dialogue and the main character's thoughts, Hardy brings you into the mind and conflict of a teenage boy, but not so deep and dark that it's emotionally draining. Great for a bedtime read and short enough to fit into a busy teenager's life. Although written for teenagers, the ideas resonate for any age, even adults. Crossovers grabs your attention and keeps it. You'll keep reading to find out how it ends.

[heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this little book quite a bit.

Hardy uses the gender roles we associate with figure skating and hockey to explore what it is to be brave when you are learning to be an adult. Who are your friends, and what does fitting it cost you? What is it like to fall in love with something you feel ashamed of?

One of the strongest parts of the writing in this book is the love of skating that comes through. Ben is an awesome kid. He works hard for the things he wants to do, and he doesn't whine about the fact that it's work. So all the time he spends on the ice comes through clearly, and he seems like a great role model for other kids.

I really appreciated the family dynamics that the story presents. The parents are supportive, but they also want respect and effort from the kids. For instance, the kids have to mow lawns or babysit to earn half the money for their camps and equipment. That's a nice balance of supportive with wanting the kid to have some skin in the game. And I'm glad his sister wanted to play hockey. That was a nice contrast.

I chuckled pretty hard when Ben found out how much a pair of figure-skating boots costs. I have figure skaters of my own, and it's no joke. Also, in my head, Grandma teaches Ben to sew his own foofy costumes, and it's a nice bonding activity. But that may be my prejudice since I sewed all my kids' costumes.

However, I think this book is pretty firmly in the mid-grade camp. Although Ben learns to explore his own prejudices about masculinity, gayness, and figure skating, it seemed like he had very little understanding of why the three of those are not necessarily in conflict. I thought the addition of questioning his sexuality actually distracted from the contemplation of masculinity, like it was too many axes to handle in the story. I wanted Ben to think about what it was that caused his peers and himself to recoil from things that challenged their assumptions. I thought that his definition of masculinity (and femininity didn't really move, just got a bit bigger to account for himself and his sister as exceptional.

Still, I would recommend it as a nice starting place to talk about gender roles and also the value of hard work in sports.

Read if: You love ice skating in any form. You were a student athlete. You wish you had gotten to play the "wrong" sport for your gender.

Skip if: You are looking for a more advanced treatment of gender politics.

Also read:
Dairy Queen, a more nuanced and mature look at gender roles and sexuality and hard work. However, Dairy Queen is certainly for older readers than Crossovers.

[Kevin Sorensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun little book! By "little" I simply mean short, weighing in at 134 pages. By "fun" I mean exactly that. Hardy has written this book for early to mid-teens and even though I've forgotten a great deal about being a teenager (I'm now 54), I felt she had captured their world quite well. Her description of emotions, mood swings, thoughts focus on peer pressure, joys & frustrations with parents: they're all here.

I had to 'fight' my wife, Ann, over reading this book. I was in the middle of two other book review reads and she was out of something to read, so I handed her LeAnne's book and away she went. I think Ann was drawn more to Denise's character and I was obviously drawn to Ben.

Hardy does a good job at incorporating faith into her storyline. I found it very believable, for with the exception of the most devout teens, Ben's faith was young, yet growing. Having grown up in rural Iowa and being very familiar with small town life, the author does a fabulous job of working that flavor into the fabric of the plot also.

This is a book I can highly recommend. If parents of teens are wondering what to get their kids for Christmas, this would be a good starter. There are also a few discussion questions in the back which can be used to draw out a young reader’s thoughts on the book.

[Deborah Heal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't expect to like this book but I did. I think you will too.

Honestly, I wondered if a book about 13-year-olds skating and playing hockey would hold my interest. After all, I’m a grown woman—and definitely not a sports fan. But Crossovers was a great story that went way beyond sports. And the themes and issues were a lot more important than the typical washed up coach helps the underdog team overcome all odds and go on to win the championship heartwarming story that I’m a little tired of. Oh, it was about sports, but done in a fresh way. Ms. Hardy adds just the right amount of skating terminology and facts to be interesting and believable. But beyond that, her character faces issues that are much more important, in my estimation, than worrying about winning the next competition. Ben struggles to understand gender expectations, to appreciate those who are different, to be a loyal friend even if he risks being stuck with the “loser” label. I really appreciated the deft way Ms. Hardy weaves in Christian values is such a natural way—something I strive to do myself. So even though the characters were thirteen-year-olds, I was drawn into their world and enjoyed getting to meet them. So I would recommend this book to anyone twelve and up.

[The Loopy Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Crossovers by LeAnne Hardy explores gender bias in the characters of Ben Bradley and his sister Denise. Denise wants to go to hockey camp and Ben, a hockey player, really enjoys figure skating. The author also takes a sensitive look at the characteristics that define a young man while challenging stereotypical societal views. Self-acceptance as well as the acceptance of others is really the theme in this novel, and the characters eventually mature enough not to be afraid of what others think of them. Instead, through various experiences in the novel, they come to accept who they are and embrace their identities in Christ. I recommend this book for middle school teens, especially teen boys. They will relate to the struggles of the characters and recognize some of the prejudices that they face. The book is well-written, rings true to life, and opens the door for family discussion. The author includes a reading guide with thoughtful follow-up questions.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, please note that I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Wendy Hines · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crossovers is a fun, young adult read that delves into the world of sports - something I don't usually read. However, I found it compelling and finished it before I knew it! Ben is a hockey player like his dad but what he really wants to do is spin and jump like his sister does. But knowing that is what his heart desires, and knowing how his dad and friends feel (only girls figure-skate) he begins to feel like something might be wrong with him.

Then there is his sister who wants to try out for the hockey team - an all boy sport in this northern town. Blend it all together and you have a well-written novel about teens being teens and trying to find their own path and wanting justification for it. However, it could also resonate with adults who want to do something but society or their peers doesn't conform to it. A great book that I'd recommend to all ages!

[LeAnne]

This is the story that started me writing and skating. Ben will always be a favorite with me.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

My momma wrote this, and I got to be the lovely editor. :-) Particularly for figure skaters, I highly recommend this book.