Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and Little, Brown and Company are excited to announce the acquisition of several new books from award-winning and bestselling author Kwame Alexander. The multi-book deal includes THE DOOR OF NO RETURN, a middle grade trilogy launching in Fall 2022, as well as a chapter book and picture book, to be edited by LBYR Executive Editor Margaret Raymo. Also included in the deal is LOVE POEMS, a book of poems for adults, to be edited by Little, Brown’s Vice President and Editor-in-Chief, Judy Clain and published in February 2023. Megan Tingley, Executive Vice President and Publisher, LBYR and Bruce Nichols,
Senior Vice President and Publisher, Little, Brown and Company, acquired world rights in a 5-house auction, from Deneen C. Howell of Williams & Connolly LLP.
“From Emily Dickinson and Langston Hughes to David Sedaris and Vashti Harrison, Little, Brown has been at the forefront of publishing meaningful and majestic books that matter by great authors and illustrators,” said Kwame Alexander. “To be in this good company is a dream to build on, and my imagination is gonna thrive.”
Megan Tingley, Executive Vice President and Publisher, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, said, “Kwame Alexander is not just an author, he is a publishing superhero! A supremely talented poet and storyteller, an electrifying public speaker, and an innovative marketer, he has inspired millions to believe in the power of words to transform lives. Working with Alexander is the opportunity of a lifetime and we seized it with both hands–we can’t wait to partner with him to bring his work to even greater heights and to reach millions more readers.”
Bruce Nichols, Senior Vice President and Publisher, Little, Brown and Company, said, “Kwame Alexander is not just a star in the world of books for young readers, he is a star communicator and poet to audiences of all ages, period. Little, Brown is proud and excited to be publishing his adult titles and coordinating with our colleagues to become his new home for projects of all shapes and sizes.”
Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, and New York Times bestselling author of 35 books, including the Newbery medal-winning middle grade novel, The Crossover, which has sold over 1 million copies, Swing, Becoming Muhammad Ali, co-authored with James Patterson, Booked, which was longlisted for the National Book Award, Rebound, which was shortlisted for prestigious UK Carnegie Medal, and the Caldecott Medal and Newbery Honor-winning picture book, The Undefeated, illustrated by Kadir Nelson. A regular contributor to NPR’s Morning Edition, Kwame is the recipient of numerous awards, including The Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, The Coretta Scott King Author Honor, Three NAACP Image Award Nominations, and the 2017 Inaugural Pat Conroy Legacy Award. In 2018, he opened the Barbara E. Alexander Memorial Library and Health Clinic in Ghana, as a part of LEAP for Ghana, an international literacy program he co-founded. He is the writer and executive producer of THE CROSSOVER TV series on Disney+.
About Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers is a division of Hachette Book Group, a leading trade publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre, the third-largest trade and educational publisher in the world. HBG is made up of seven publishing groups: Little, Brown and Company, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Grand Central Publishing, Perseus Books, Orbit, Hachette Nashville, and Hachette Audio. For more information, visit hbgusa.com.
About Little, Brown and Company:
Little, Brown and Company is a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc. Founded in 1837, Little, Brown has long been recognized as a publisher committed to publishing fiction of the highest quality and nonfiction of lasting significance. Hachette Book Group is a leading trade publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre, the third largest trade and educational publisher in the world. HBG is made up of eight publishing groups: Little, Brown and Company; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Grand Central Publishing; Perseus Books; Orbit; Hachette Books; Hachette Nashville; and Hachette Audio. www.littlebrownandcompany.com.