Audiobooks by Kwame Alexander

"Solo by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess is a New York Times bestseller! Kirkus Reviews said Solo is, “A contemporary hero’s journey, brilliantly told.” Through the story of a young Black man searching for answers about his life, Solo empowers, engages, and encourages teenagers to move from heartache to healing, burden to blessings, depression to deliverance, and trials to triumphs. Blade never asked for a life of the rich and famous. In fact, he’d give anything not to be the son of Rutherford Morrison, a washed-up rock star and drug addict with delusions of a comeback. Or to no longer be part of a family known most for lost potential, failure, and tragedy, including the loss of his mother. The one true light is his girlfriend, Chapel, but her parents have forbidden their relationship, assuming Blade will become just like his father. In reality, the only thing Blade and Rutherford have in common is the music that lives inside them. And songwriting is all Blade has left after Rutherford, while drunk, crashes his high school graduation speech and effectively rips Chapel away forever. But when a long-held family secret comes to light, the music disappears. In its place is a letter, one that could bring Blade the freedom and love he’s been searching for, or leave him feeling even more adrift. Solo: Is written by New York Times bestselling author and Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Book Award-winner Kwame Alexander Showcases Kwame’s signature intricacy, intimacy, and poetic style, by exploring what it means to finally go home An #OwnVoices novel that features a BIPOC protagonist on a search for his roots and identity Received great reviews from Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus. If you enjoy Solo, check out Swing by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess."

Kwame Alexander, Mary Rand Hess (Author), Kwame Alexander (Narrator)

Audiobook

Say Yes: Find Your Passion, Unlock Your Potential, and Transform Your Life!

"Kwame Alexander's Say Yes is a meaningful manifesto that challenges readers to embrace the transformative power of 'yes.' Adapted from Alexander's inspiring commencement speech at American University, this book weaves personal stories, profound insights, and actionable wisdom into a must-read guide for anyone ready to fuel their passion, turn rejection into resilience, and unlock their potential. Turning 'No' into New Horizons. Kwame Alexander shares how every 'no' shaped his path and fueled his determination. With insights into navigating the interplay of business and art, he reveals how to stay true to your passion while forging a fulfilling, successful life. This is a call to dreamers, creators, and change-makers: your dreams deserve your effort, even when the road gets tough. The Power of Saying Yes. Through vibrant storytelling and motivational wisdom, Say Yes explores how one word can alter perceptions, open doors, and lead to unimagined possibilities. Whether writing a groundbreaking novel or stepping into the unknown, Alexander's journey proves the power of persistence and the beauty of embracing the unexpected. Perfect for college graduates, creative thinkers, and anyone chasing their dreams, Say Yes is a transformative manifesto for those ready to turn challenges into opportunities and passion into purpose. Let this book inspire you to say 'yes' to your own bold vision. In this motivational audio, you'll hear: ● Stories of triumph over rejection and practical steps for overcoming challenges. ● Inspiration to balance passion with practicality in creative and professional pursuits. ● A guide to building resilience and redefining success. If you like 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think, Very Good Lives, or The 7 Habits for Graduates, you'll love Say Yes."

Kwame Alexander (Author), Kwame Alexander (Narrator)

Audiobook

How to Sing a Song

"This third book by the team that created the New York Times bestselling How to Read a Book and How to Write a Poem celebrates the magic of listening to the song that echoes inside you, and letting your music ring out. Hush. Now, turn up your ears and listen to the concert happening all around you. As this quiet overture builds to a full symphony, Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander and singer-songwriter Randy Preston conduct a melody of a poem. Surrounded by nature’s chorus and guided by words that vibrate like thunder, let the groove lead you on, until you can’t help but sing out from your soul! How to Read a Book was an American Library Association Notable Book and was named a best book of the year by School Library Journal, Kirkus, and The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. How to Write a Poem was a New York Times Best Illustrated Book and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year."

Kwame Alexander, Randy Preston (Author), Randy Preston (Narrator)

Audiobook

This Is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets

"A breathtaking poetry collection on hope, heart, and heritage from the most prominent and promising Black poets and writers of our time, edited by Why Fathers Cry at Night author and #1 New York Times bestselling author Kwame Alexander. In this comprehensive and vibrant poetry anthology, bestselling author and poet Kwame Alexander curates a collection of contemporary anthems at turns tender and piercing and deeply inspiring throughout. Featuring work from well-loved poets such as Rita Dove, Jericho Brown, Warsan Shire, Ross Gay, Tracy K. Smith, Terrance Hayes, Morgan Parker, and Nikki Giovanni, This Is the Honey is a rich and abundant offering of language from the poets giving voice to generations of resilient joy, "each incantation," as Mahogany L. Browne puts it in her titular poem, is "a jubilee of a people dreaming wildly." This essential collection, in the tradition of Dudley Randall's The Black Poets and E. Ethelbert Miller's In Search of Color Everywhere, contains poems exploring joy, love, origin, race, resistance, and praise. Jacqueline A.Trimble likens "Black woman joy" to indigo, tassels, foxes, and peacock plumes. Tyree Daye, Nate Marshall, and Elizabeth Acevedo reflect on the meaning of "home" through food, from Cuban rice and beans to fried chicken gizzards. Clint Smith and Cameron Awkward-Rich enfold us in their intimate musings on love and devotion. From a "jewel in the hand" (Patricia Spears Jones) to "butter melting in small pools" (Elizabeth Alexander), This Is the Honey drips with poignant and delightful imagery, music, and raised fists. Fresh, memorable, and deeply moving, this definitive collection a must-have for any lover of language and a gift for our time. "

Kwame Alexander (Author), Joel Damany Steingold, Mahogany L. Brown (Narrator)

Audiobook

Why Fathers Cry at Night: A Memoir in Love Poems, Recipes, Letters, and Remembrances

"This powerful memoir from a #1 New York Times bestselling author and Newbery Medalist features poetry, letters, recipes, and other personal artifacts that provide an intimate look into his life and the loved ones he shares it with. In a powerfully intimate and non-traditional (or "new-fashioned") memoir, Kwame Alexander shares snapshots of a man learning how to love. He takes us through stories of his parents: from being awkward newlyweds in the sticky Chicago summer of 1967, to the sometimes-confusing ways they showed their love to each other, and for him. He explores his own relationships-his difficulties as a newly wedded, 22-year-old father, and the precariousness of his early marriage working in a jazz club with his second wife. Alexander attempts to deal with the unravelling of his marriage and the grief of his mother's recent passing while sharing the solace he found in learning how to perfect her famous fried chicken dish. With an open heart, Alexander weaves together memories of his past to try and understand his greatest love: his daughters. Full of heartfelt reminisces, family recipes, love poems, and personal letters, Why Fathers Cry at Night inspires bravery and vulnerability in every reader who has experienced the reckless passion, heartbreak, failure, and joy that define the whirlwind woes and wonders of love."

Kwame Alexander (Author), Kwame Alexander (Narrator)

Audiobook

Becoming Muhammad Ali

"Two heavy-hitters in children's literature deliver a critically acclaimed, bestselling biographical novel of cultural icon Muhammad Ali. "This utterly delightful story about Ali's childhood is a smash hit."-School Library Journal (starred review) Before he was a household name, Cassius Clay was a kid with struggles like any other. Kwame Alexander and James Patterson join forces to vividly depict his life up to age seventeen in both prose and verse, including his childhood friends, struggles in school, the racism he faced, and his discovery of boxing. Readers will learn about Cassius' family and neighbors in Louisville, Kentucky, and how, after a thief stole his bike, Cassius began training as an amateur boxer at age twelve. Before long, he won his first Golden Gloves bout and began his transformation into the unrivaled Muhammad Ali. Fully authorized by and written in cooperation with the Muhammad Ali estate, and vividly brought to life by Dawud Anyabwile's dynamic artwork, Becoming Muhammad Ali captures the budding charisma and youthful personality of one of the greatest sports heroes of all time. Longlisted for the 2022-2023 Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award, and nominated for the 2021-2022 Black Eyed Susan Book Award!"

James Patterson, Kwame Alexander (Author), Kwame Alexander (Narrator)

Audiobook

How to Read a Book

"2020 Audie Awards® Finalist - Young Reader Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander narrates the audiobook version of his How to Read a Book, a poetic journey about the experience of reading. Find a tree—a black tupelo or dawn redwood will do—and plant yourself. (It’s okay if you prefer a stoop, like Langston Hughes.) With these words, an adventure begins. Kwame Alexander’s evocative poetry takes listeners on a sensory journey between the pages of a book."

Kwame Alexander (Author), Kwame Alexander (Narrator)

Audiobook

He Said, She Said

"Sparks will fly in this hip-hop-hot teen novel that mixes social protest and star-crossed romance, from Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author Kwame Alexander! He Said, She Said is perfect for fans of Walter Dean Myers and Rachel Vail alike. This paperback edition includes a Q&A with author Kwame Alexander. He says: Omar 'T-Diddy' Smalls has got it made-a full football ride to UMiami, hero-worship status at school, and pick of any girl at West Charleston High. She says: Football, shmootball. Here's what Claudia Clarke cares about: Harvard, the poor, the disenfranchised, the hungry, the staggering teen pregnancy rate, investigative journalism . . . the list goes on. She does not have a minute to waste on Mr. T-Diddy Smalls and his harem of bimbos. He Said, She Said is a fun and fresh novel from Kwame Alexander that throws these two high school seniors together when they unexpectedly end up leading the biggest social protest this side of the Mississippi-with a lot of help from Facebook and Twitter. The stakes are high, the romance is hot, and when these worlds collide, watch out!"

Kwame Alexander (Author), Carra Patterson, Ruffin Prentiss (Narrator)

Audiobook

Swing

"In this YA novel in verse from bestselling authors Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess (Solo), which Kirkus called “lively, moving, and heartfelt” in a starred review, Noah and Walt just want to leave their geek days behind and find “cool,” but in the process discover a lot about first loves, friendship, and embracing life . . . as well as why Black Lives Matter is so important for all. Best friends Noah and Walt are far from popular, but Walt is convinced junior year is their year, and he has a plan that includes wooing the girls of their dreams and becoming amazing athletes. Never mind he and Noah failed to make their baseball team yet again, and Noah’s crush since third grade, Sam, has him firmly in the friend zone. While Walt focuses on his program of jazz, podcasts, batting cages, and a “Hug Life” mentality, Noah feels stuck in status quo … until he stumbles on a stash of old love letters. Each one contains words Noah’s always wanted to say to Sam, and he begins secretly creating artwork using the lines that speak his heart. But when his art becomes public, Noah has a decision to make: continue his life in the dugout and possibly lose the girl forever, or take a swing and finally speak out. At the same time, American flags are being left around town. While some think it’s a harmless prank and others see it as a form of protest, Noah can’t shake the feeling something bigger is happening to his community. Especially after he witnesses events that hint divides and prejudices run deeper than he realized. As the personal and social tensions increase around them, Noah and Walt must decide what is really important when it comes to love, friendship, sacrifice, and fate. Swing: is written by New York Times bestselling author and Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award-winner Kwame Alexander Features a diverse array of characters and perspectives tackles the biggest social issues of today, including racial prejudice and Black Lives Matter is perfect reading for the classroom or community-wide discussions is a 2020 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers contains original artwork tied to the story If you enjoy Swing, check out Solo by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess."

Kwame Alexander, Mary Rand Hess (Author), Kwame Alexander (Narrator)

Audiobook

Rebound

"Hoop kings soar in kicks with wings. Game so sweet it's like bee stings. (Ouch!) He swished you in your face. Stung you like a can of mace. These boys so fly they're outta space! Before he’s Chuck “Da Man” Bell, proud father of Jordan and Josh Bell, Charlie is a kid who dreams of basketball glory. In his mind, he can steal, jump, dunk, and make the crowd go wild just like a pro baller. But when tragedy strikes, Charlie can’t help but make all the wrong moves. Will a series of missteps keep him benched, or can he learn how to rebound? Find out in the follow-up to Kwame Alexander’s slam-dunk novel The Crossover."

Kwame Alexander (Author), Ron Butler (Narrator)

Audiobook

Solo

"Solo by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess is a New York Times bestseller! Kirkus Reviews said Solo is, "A contemporary hero's journey, brilliantly told." Through the story of a young Black man searching for answers about his life, Solo empowers, engages, and encourages teenagers to move from heartache to healing, burden to blessings, depression to deliverance, and trials to triumphs. And the audio is narrated by Kwame Alexander himself, featuring original music that ties to the book. Blade never asked for a life of the rich and famous. In fact, he'd give anything not to be the son of Rutherford Morrison, a washed-up rock star and drug addict with delusions of a comeback. Or to no longer be part of a family known most for lost potential, failure, and tragedy, including the loss of his mother. The one true light is his girlfriend, Chapel, but her parents have forbidden their relationship, assuming Blade will become just like his father. In reality, the only thing Blade and Rutherford have in common is the music that lives inside them. And songwriting is all Blade has left after Rutherford, while drunk, crashes his high school graduation speech and effectively rips Chapel away forever. But when a long-held family secret comes to light, the music disappears. In its place is a letter, one that could bring Blade the freedom and love he's been searching for, or leave him feeling even more adrift. Solo: - Is written by New York Times bestselling author and Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Book Award-winner Kwame Alexander - Showcases Kwame's signature intricacy, intimacy, and poetic style, by exploring what it means to finally go home - An #OwnVoices novel that features a BIPOC protagonist on a search for his roots and identity - Received great reviews from Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Booklist, and Kirkus If you enjoy Solo, check out Swing by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess. "

Kwame Alexander, Mary Rand Hess (Author), Kwane Alexander, Randy Preston (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Playbook: 52 Rules to Aim, Shoot, and Score in This Game Called Life

"A companion book to his bestselling and Newbery winning book The Crossover, The Playbook is Kwame Alexander's dynamic, sports-infused guide to life! You gotta know the rules to play the game. Ball is life. Take it to the hoop. Soar. What can we imagine for ourselves? What if we were the star players, moving and grooving through the game of life? What if we had our own rules of the game to help us get what we want, what we aspire to, what will enrich our lives? The Playbook is intended to provide inspiration for kids ages ten and up to help them succeed on and off the court. Each rule contains wisdom from inspiring athletes and role models such as Nelson Mandela, Serena Williams, LeBron James, Carli Lloyd, Steph Curry and Michelle Obama. Kwame Alexander also provides his own words of inspiration and uplift, as he shares his stories of overcoming obstacles and winning games."

Kwame Alexander (Author), Ruffin Prentiss (Narrator)

Audiobook