Saying Yes to the Writerly Life…Join us as we celebrate National Poetry Month with our special guest, Kwame Alexander, a Newbery medal winner and New York Times bestselling author and poet as he shares a bit of conversation, a dash of storytelling, and a splash of performance from his recent children’s books, educational insights, and worldwide experiences.

This event is free and open to the public, however, attendees must register below for a ticket:

Click here to register and get tickets on our Eventbrite page.

Biography

Kwame Alexander believes that poetry can change the world, and he uses it to inspire and empower young people through his writing and publishing program. He is also the first recipient of the Pat Conroy Legacy Award, which recognizes writers whose books have had a lasting impact on their literary community.

Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, and the New York Times bestselling author of 25 books, Kwame Alexander is the author of 25 books, including Rebound, the follow-up to The Crossover, which received the 2015 John Newbery Medal for the Most Distinguished Contribution to American literature for Children. His newest release, Solo, a young-adult novel in verse co-authored with Mary Rand Hess is a New York Times bestseller. Some of his other works include The Playbook: 52 Rules to Help You Aim, Shoot, and Score in this Game of Life; the picture books Animal Ark, Out of Wonder, and Surf’s Up; and novels Booked, He Said She Said, and the forthcoming prequel to The Crossover, Rebound.

He also hosts a weekly TV show, Bookish Show. In this series, Kwame gives the scoop, the lowdown, the 411, the skinny, on his books, fave authors, and the literary happenings of his entourage. Kwame also travels the world planting seeds of literary love and co-founded LEAP for Ghana, an International literacy program. He lives in Virginia. Visit him at kwamealexander.com.

FAQs

Doors open at 5:00 p.m. The event begins at 5:30 p.m. followed by a book signing. Light refreshments will be served following the program.

Tickets 
This event is free and open to the public but space is limited. Please register for a ticket to reserve a space. Each person is limited to one ticket. Click here to register and get tickets on our Eventbrite page.

Book Signing
Books will be available for purchase at the event or you may bring your own book to be signed. Signing takes place after the program.

Parking 
Street parking is available around the State Library. Please note that metered parking is free after 6:00 pm on Saturdays. Parking is also available at the USC Pendleton Street garage, opposite corner of the State Library, at visitor meters on levels 1a, 1b and 2a.

What can I bring into the event?
Please do not bring any food or drink, or anything else prohibited by the South Carolina State Library as written in the code of conduct posted here. Light refreshments will be available following the program.

How can I contact the organizer with any questions?
For publicity and public relations, please contact Sean Gruber at sgruber@statelibrary.sc.gov or (803) 734-0462. For general questions, please contact Andersen Cook at acook@statelibrary.sc.gov or (803) 545-4432.

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
Please bring a paper copy or phone image of your ticket with you. Tickets are free.

Can I register my class or large group?
Classes and groups are welcome to attend, but individuals must register separately.