Kwame Alexander

#1 NYT bestseller Kwame Alexander’s powerful new memoir ‘Why Fathers Cry at Night’ began as a book of love poems, and became so much more

In a stunning new memoir, #1 New York Times bestselling author and Newbery Medalist KWAME ALEXANDER shares poetry, letters, recipes, and more in an intimate look into his life – and the loved ones he shares it with. His new memoir, Why Fathers Cry at Night, began as a book of love poems and evolved into so much more. Kirkus Reviews offered a glowing review, writing: “Alexander connects disparate forms through his disarmingly forthright, humble voice, familiar vernacular, and optimism… This magnanimous hybrid-form memoir is rich with solace and wisdom.”

An intimate and non-tradition, “new-fashioned” memoir, Alexander’s book explores how to weave together memories of the past to understand our most important relationships today. In uplifting and insightful moderated conversations, and in keynote events full of wisdom, humor, and poetry, Kwame taps into the shared experiences that create understanding and foster empathy, connection, and hope.

Watch Kwame Alexander at the Library of Congress >>

With his new TV shows and brand-new upcoming trilogy, Kwame Alexander inspires audiences across mediums

Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author KWAME ALEXANDER inspires audiences across mediums with his dynamic storytelling and sought-after speaking. Kwame, who is a regular contributor to NPR’s Morning Edition and NPR’s Poet in Residence, is in high demand for his creative leadership and insights, from the star-studded new Disney+ series based on his bestselling novel of the same name, The Crossover, to a brand new reality series America’s Next Great Author, with Kwame hosting and executive producing through his company Big Sea Entertainment. As the Newbery Medalist shared in a riveting conversation with Publisher’s Weekly, the first book of his new trilogy, The Door of No Return, explores “wonder and woe, triumph and tragedy,” and presented an unprecedented challenge for him as a writer. Already the #1 New Release in its category on Amazon, the book explores the life and family of Kofi, an 11-year-old boy living in 19^th century Ghana, tackling the history of the transatlantic slave trade from the perspective of a child. Kwame shares his creative journey and sense of responsibility in the compelling interview, in addition to giving the keynote address at the U.S. Book Show.

An internationally renowned poet, Kwame’s engaging talks and writing are an exploration of rhythm. For the Founding Editor of VERSIFY, poetry “allows me to talk about really heavy, expansive things in a few words.” Having delivered hundreds of riveting keynote speeches for corporations, educational institutions, commencements, and annual organization conferences such as Hallmark, Qualtrics, Kidscreen, Teachers College Columbia University, OpenText, and The International Literacy Association, Kwame offers spell binding and illuminating remarks on creativity, resilience, and unstoppable hope.

Watch Kwame Alexander’s Publisher’s Weekly interview >>

Watch Kwame Alexander’s conversation with the Kenney Center >>

Kwame Alexander entrances audiences with spoken word poetry and the power of YES!

New York Times Bestselling author, poet, and educator KWAME ALEXANDER elevates his inspiring stories and experiences into a spoken word performance. In his riveting speech The Power of Yes, Kwame shares stories from overcoming the NOs - such as receiving five years of rejections from publishers - by saying YES to himself. He teaches audiences how they can say YES to their own lives even when everyone else is telling them no, all the while using spoken word poetry to give his presentation a unique and beautiful flow. Audiences are captivated and inspired as Alexander winds his words around them for a remarkable and memorable experience. 

Watch his TEDx Talk The Power of Yes > >

Poet and novelist Kwame Alexander offers a thousand words on race and hope in his latest lyric work

Award-winning novelist and poet KWAME ALEXANDER writes to inspire his readers, often young adults and children, to face the world boldly and strive to create the type of world in which they wish to live. Often using sports and music as entry points for his stories, and often writing in a lyrical, poetic style, Alexander is a favorite speaker among school groups, colleges, and youth development programs. Light for the World to See is a powerful and provocative collection of poems that cut to the heart of the entrenched racism and oppression in America and eloquently explores ongoing events. A book in the tradition of James Baldwin’s A Report from Occupied Territory, Light for the World to See is a rap session on race. A lyrical response to the struggles of Black lives in our world... to America’s crisis of conscience... to the centuries of loss, endless resilience, and unstoppable hope.