Father of 2 Headstrong Girls.
#1
NY Times Bestselling Author. Emmy Award-Winning Producer. The Crossover, Why Fathers Cry at Night, An American Story, et al.
A teacher emailed me. Asked me to come to her class this month. I didn’t respond. Cause I’m busy. Gots a lot going on. And I get a lot of emails…I woke up this morning & bought an airline ticket. Going to show up to her class. Masked. She doesn’t know. SURPRISE!
#KwameShowedUp
TEACHERS and PARENTS, I know y’all want to read aloud & record & stream & make copies of my books, and I’m grateful, so I called my pub to see how best to accommodate. In the meantime, in between time, I wrote a novel with
@JP_Books
that I’ll post a video excerpt of soon. Cool?
This afternoon I asked Ashley Bryan if he’d accomplished most of what he wanted to do in art and children’s literature. He smiled and said, “I’m actually just getting started, Kwame. You know with art you’re always beginning.” He turns 95 in two weeks.
K-12 Teachers & Parents, until 7/1/20, you have my permission to stream privately or record privately, Read-Alouds of ANY of my books. No public sharing or photo-copying, but I will post some fun(ctional) stuff from me and my friends at Stay strong, y’all!
So, I wrote a book. For teachers. About making writing fun & functional for students. Pubs July 2, 2018. It’s a memoir of a poet teaching writing in 76 schools, over 9 years, and creating 5000 student authors.
@KyleneBeers
wrote foreword. Enjoy summer. Do THE WRITE THING!
@tcmpub
I’m a librarian today. Literally. All day. I’m scanning books. Doing story time. Attending meetings (hopefully not more than one. Oh my), and generally working amidst the sacred stacks of
@liveoakpublibray
All because I love books. And librarians. And shrimp and grits.
#Savannah
This is for the Unforgettable.
This is for the Undeniable.
This is for the Unflappable.
This is for the Unafraid.
This is for the Unspeakable.
This is for the Unstoppable.
This is for The Undefeated.
Kimberly Rein, a high school librarian, saw a post that I was on the beach in Key West, and she commented that I should stop by her school. So I did! Monday, I’m in Orlando.
ANYBODY WANT ME TO STOP BY?
#KwameShowedUp
My father used to make me clean up the garage weekly. Our garage had 7,000 books in it. Literally. I spent 30 minutes cleaning. And 5 hours sitting on a crate reading. I think he knew that would happen. It was my choice what 2 read. And he encouraged that. This is what I believe:
Five years ago, I wrote both of these books at
@panerabread
so I think it's only fitting that when the paperbacks come out (FINALLY!) on 3/5/19, I should grab a spinach and artichoke souffle for breakfast.
#TheCrossover
#Booked
@HMHKids
We should not cut public
#library
budgets. They're havens of knowledge, sanctuaries of hope. Since March, they've been serving millions of readers virtually, plus many staff have moonlighted in homeless shelters, assisted elders, and much more.
#NoMCLibraryLayoffs
#nolibrarycuts
I been planning a writing break. Looking forward to months off. And then, this. Now I just wanna write and write and write my heart out. Thx
@romenendez14
for sharing!
"The illiteracy rate in Ghana is 60 percent. That’s unacceptable. I want to do my part to get kids learning and loving to read." ---
After a seven year journey, the library will soon be open!📚 Stay tuned.
#LeapForGhana
#books
#Africa
#TuesdayThoughts
After watching the “The Pieces I Am,” the Toni Morrison documentary, today, it’s quite clear to me that I haven’t even really begun writing y’all. It’s so on now, though. I am SO ready.
This is for the audacious ones who carried the red, white, and weary blues on the battlefield to save an imperfect Union...This is for my great-great grandfather, Sergeant March Corprew, USCT.
#VeteransDay2020
Art by
@KadirNelson
#TheUndefeated
THE CROSSOVER was a novel (I heard it was good). Now it’s a TV Series (I heard Disney+ is casting). Maybe some kid will get discovered or be an extra (check the link in my profile). Game on, people!
When the world was open, I used to fly to a city, randomly show up at a school, and surprise a kid who’d written me about one of my books. I feel like I need to crash this Bar mitzvah, pops...or at least walk to your flat and leave a signed book outside. I’m just sayin!
Dear
@kwamealexander
- my son is a white British Jewish 12yr old Londoner. I wanted to tell you how much your books (we bought them for Chanukah) have touched + moved him. He's read each one in 1-2 days, totally engrossed. [1/3]
Signs you’ve spoiled yr kid. She’s breakfasted w/Jackie Woodson, dinnered w/Nikki Giovanni, laughed w/Mo Willems, & talked w/Jeff Kinney. So, this morning on my desk is a note from her: Dad, for our spring break trip to Paris and London, can you set up tea with JK Rowling? Oh my!
@kwamealexander
My 5th grader chose to be you in our Blacks in Wax Museum at school today. I have to say, between writing his bio/speech, memorizing it, creating the poster, bringing the book props, & coming in w/ the fit, he KILLED it!!🔥
#5thgrade
#BlacksInWax
#kwamealexander
"Boys don’t read."
"Print is dead."
"Reading isn’t cool."
These myths permeate our literary culture, especially around our kids. And, they’re wrong. Dead wrong.
New York Times bestselling author and
@npr
…
My kid decided she wanted to take a leap and go to sleep away camp BY HERSELF for 2 wks after reading CAMP by
@Kayke
which just really speaks to the power of books to transform the lives of young people.
#kidlit
authors, the work you/we do can be life-changing. Remember that!
A student told me on Friday he didn’t really like reading. I gave him a copy of The Crossover on Monday. He had to spend the day in ISS today, but he asked to call and let me know he finished the book😊 Can you bring me the next one tomorrow?
@kwamealexander
#ProjectLIT
Hey there. Maybe just approach it as a teacher reading an authors words about a young narrator. Let the kids do the rest. That’s my two cents. Also, I heard this is a really good book.
Hi literacy friends. I’m considering teaching The Crossover by
@kwamealexander
as a read aloud this year. Would love feedback on how to approach/frame this as a white teacher reading a black author’s words and from the perspective of a young black narrator.
I’m giving away 5
#ReboundBook
swag bags to random winners! RT this tweet to enter to win signed copies of all my books plus other exclusive prizes.
#sponsored
(US Only, ends 2/19)
She was on screens all day yesterday. Today, I was like, girl, your head better be in a book all day today.
@camphalfblood
look what she’s decided. Go
@Roshani_Chokshi
Book number 32 pubs TOMORROW. The words are great (yeah, I’m big upping myself), but the illustrations are GENIUS. Melissa Sweet’s innovation with this text is astoundingly SWEET. Long time coming too. Wrote this in 2010.
#indiebound
#bookstagram
@HarperChildrens
#HowToReadABook
This the
#Versify
team. This is our tour bus. This is us hitting the road in April, coming to a school/bookstore near you. Holla if ya hear me.
@HMHKids
I’m giving away 5
#ReboundBook
swag bags to random winners! RT this tweet to enter to win signed copies of all my books plus other exclusive prizes.
#sponsored
(US Only, ends 3/2)
Man, I read
#Rebound
& I wish I could tell u what u did wrong but I couldn’t find anything wrong with it. It’s just good. I’m glad Margaret [editor] kept sending it back to u. I hate to even tell u I cried. Your mother would have cried too. And she’d be proud.
#ThingsMyFatherSays
Nikki Giovanni gave me C’s in advanced poetry (Yeah, I deserved it!). Now, I’m her publisher. How about, I better get this right. Oh my. A LIBRARY (illustrated by Erin Robinson), celebrating the magnificence of
#Libraries
and coming from
#Versify
@HMHKids
in 2021. Y’all ready?
“I’ve always loved the quote by poet Audre Lorde: ‘I have come to believe...that what is most important to me must be spoken...& shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood.’ Raise yr voice...”
@AcevedoWrites
, poet, on her novel, THE POET X
#NationalPoetryMonth
Ever had a book rock you? WHITE ROSE by debut author
@kiperoo
ROCKED me. It’s the true story of KIDS leading the resistance against Nazis in WWII. RT + Follow us to enter to win an ARC of this ABA
#IndiesIntroduce
pick! (USA only, ends 9/19,
#sponsored
)
#VERSIFY
I’m giving away 5
#ReboundBook
swag bags to random winners! RT this tweet to enter to win signed copies of all my books plus other exclusive prizes.
#sponsored
(US Only, ends 3/14)
It’s my b-day month, y’all. Tues, 8/21. In honor of, uh, me, I’m doing a major (Like, really MAJOR) giveaway each Tues, beginning 2morrow. Stay ready, ‘cause it’s about to go down! Use hashtag
#KABday
Hey look I don’t spend a whole lot of time worrying about whether adults respect verse novels. I know that poetry resonates with the kids and that’s what i care about. Heck, my first verse novel, The Crossover, got rejected by 22 publishers.
#CKG19
ME: My barber’s coming to the hotel to cut my hair and trim my beard for the gala tomorrow. MY DAD: Man, you just throwing money away. You ain’t got enough hair to cut. I coulda cut that and trimmed you. Sell a few books, and now you got money to waste.
My father says I never disliked books and he doesn’t know why I keep telling that lie in speeches. Plus, he says, “You never told me.” I say to him, “What would you have done if I told you I didn’t like books?” He says, “MAN, I WOULDA WHUPP-“ Exactly.
Mrs. Marcus
Says
Line breaks help
Us figure out
What matters
To the poet.
Don’t jumble your ideas
Mrs. Marcus says
Every line
Should count. (Wrote Jacqueline Woodson, Poet, in “Locomotion”).
#NationalPoetryMonth
On way to Seattle to celebrate
#versifybooks
authors at
#alamw19
& I heard it’s cold!! (but not as cold as it is in VA) so I got the scarf to keep me cool.
#LIBRARIANS
: Tell me what makes THIS SCARF so FLY & I’ll randomly choose 1 of you to get signed adv copies of these books.
SWING is an engrossing read, man. It’s just a good book. Maybe I’ll read it again so I can find something wrong with it. But the kids and the reviewers are gonna really like it I think.
#ThingsMyFatherSays
It’s my b-day month, y’all. Tues, 8/21. In honor of, uh, me, I’m doing a major (Like really MAJOR) giveaway on Tuesdays. Next one commences 2morrow and the winner gets to read SWING. Now! It’s on and popping! Use hashtag
#KABday
📘
It’s going down this morning.
@ProjectLITComm
folks, get your questions ready, cause my keynote is titled: “Everything you (or your students) wanted to ask Kwame Alexander but you never got the chance.” Also, I’ll read from Swing and talk about
#TheWriteThing
.
#ProjectLITSummit18
THE UNDEFEATED started as a poem and is now a picture book! Award-winning illustrator
@kadirnelson
is the G.O.A.T. Y’all like? RT+ Follow us for a chance to win a copy in 2019! (USA Only, ends 9/18,
#sponsored
)
#VERSIFY
How do you tell the story of slavery…to the children? It’s tough. I’m hoping this book will help teachers and parents. Day one of AN AMERICAN STORY book tour kicking off in Key West. We got this, people.
#KwameAlexander
#AnAmericanStory
#BookTour
I don’t know ‘bout you but I’m not sleeping tonight. The new book comes out tomorrow and Mary & I hope y’all like it. (But, don’t share the ending...) -
In honor of my birthday TOMORROW, I’m doing major giveaways on Tuesdays. Next one is gonna be a WHOPPER. Tune in 2morrow. Winner gets to hear some poetry at a FREE SCHOOL VISIT! Oh my! Use hashtag
#KABday
please. In the meantime, check this out.
Good people, listen up. When
#Swing
comes out on Tuesday and you get your copy and you’re reading it and you can’t put it down and you get to the end and you want to say something, don’t. Just don’t. Call me, if you wanna talk. I feel you! Love, Kwame.
Tomorrow,
#TheCrossover
paperback hits stores. But today, this kind note from a middle school student: “Overall I think that your book was good. I would give it 5 out of 5 stars. You deserve a big award. I hope that in the future there will be more books as good as this one.” Ha!
I told my Dad how excited I was to hit
#1
on the NY Times Bestseller list bcuz it will bring more visibility to this story that I truly believe children & families should— and he straight interrupted my passionate testimony with “Dang man, what took you so long!”
#thingsmydadsays