Shorter Bio

Kwame Alexander is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of 45 books, including Why Fathers Cry at Night, The Mighty Macy, Black Star, a Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book, J vs. K, an illustrated novel he penned with Jerry Craft, the motivational primer for graduates, creatives and professionals entitled Say Yes and The Crossover, his Newbery Medal-winning novel turned Emmy® Award-winning Disney+ TV series. He is also the co-creator and executive producer of the Emmy-nominated Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band and Acoustic Rooster: Jazzy Jams, a PBS KIDS special and series of shorts produced by GBH Kids based on his beloved children's book of the same name. He regularly shares his passion for literacy, books and the craft of writing around the world, including Ghana, West Africa, where he opened the Barbara E. Alexander Memorial Library and Health Clinic. A recipient of the 2025 NAACP Image Award, Kwame is a 2026 Sine 250+ Fellow at American University and the founder of the literacy non-profit One Word at a Time.