About 18 years ago, Kwame Alexander was struggling to sell a novel in verse about twin brothers who are star basketball players at their middle school. Eventually, after enduring rejections from more than 20 publishers, Alexander got a yes.
When that novel, “The Crossover”, was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2014, it was a huge success. It won the John Newbery Medal in 2015, evolved into a trilogy that sold over 2 million copies, was adapted into an Emmy Award-winning TV series for Disney, and is currently being reimagined as a stage musical.
“My career has been a master class in saying no and being rejected,” Alexander said. “Eventually, you have to keep taking shots.”
Now, more than a decade later, Alexander is getting ready to release the fourth book in the “Crossover” series. This time, he will self-publish it as one of the flagship titles of his new imprint, Kwame Alexander Books.
Alexander already had experience as a publisher. In 2018, she launched a children’s imprint called Versify at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, which is now part of HarperCollins. At Versif, Alexander published a series of award-winning books with an emphasis on works incorporating poetry, including novels in verse.
Recently, Alexander decided he wanted to expand into publishing books of all genres and for readers of all ages, and do it in a publishing company with entrepreneurial tendencies. So last November, he sent a direct message on Instagram to SourceBooks founder, publisher and chief executive Dominic Rakka.
SourceBooks has had success with author-based imprints in the past. In 2021, blockbuster romance author EL James launched an imprint with the company called Bloom Books, which has become a launchpad for other romance novelists—many of whom, like James, got their starts outside of traditional publishing. And in 2024, the company made a mark with successful self-published author Jeffrey Mason, whose “Hear Your Story” line of journals has been a best-seller.
Upon their first meeting, Rucka and Alexander bonded over their love of poetry and a shared relationship with the poet Nikki Giovanni. He quickly saw the potential for a partnership.
“He’s a builder,” Rakka said. “He’s expanding our list, he’s bringing in new creators, and bringing in people he’s worked with and people he wants to work with.”
Alexander said he was impressed by the company’s data-driven approach to marketing and building an online audience.
He said, “They seemed to understand how to market and sell books, and that’s always been a challenge for me in my relationships with publishers.”
Alexander already has a long publishing track record. She has written 47 books, and Versify has released more than 50 titles by other authors, including award-winning books like Sofia Pasternak’s “Anya and the Dragon.” Last year, he founded a literacy non-profitOne Word at a Time, which brings leading authors into classrooms through virtual visits that include readings, question-and-answer sessions, and writing exercises.
The initial acquisitions from Alexander’s new imprint are geared toward young readers, and include an extraordinary young adult novel from best-selling author Lola Stavill and a thriller in verse for young adults from award-winning Irish author Sarah Crossan. Alexander also plans to publish works by emerging writers, including a middle-grade adventure novel by Laura Rocha inspired by Mexican folklore, and said he hopes to recruit and collaborate with prominent writer friends, including Dhonielle Clayton, Jason Reynolds, and Renee Watson.
With the latest sequel to “The Crossover,” scheduled for fall 2027, Alexander hopes to attract new young readers who have not yet read the series, and write for longtime fans who grew up with the books and are now adults.
Alexander’s imprint is getting a splashy introduction this week at two major book business conferences, both of which are being held in the Chicago area: the Children’s Institute, a gathering for independent booksellers that is organized by the American Booksellers Association, and the American Library Association’s annual convention. SourceBooks, based in nearby Naperville, Illinois, will celebrate the imprint at both shows, giving away swag such as tote bags and mini basketball stress toys to librarians and independent booksellers.
Kwame Alexander Books will prioritize publishing the works of authors from communities who have been historically underrepresented in American literature. It is launching at a time when censorship is rife in public schools and libraries, and when many books that advocate diversity are being banned. according to American Library AssociationOf the 4,235 unique titles targeted by book bans in 2025, nearly 40 percent included LGBTQ characters and people of color.
“The more books we can bring to this area, the better,” said Jennifer Gonzalez, publishing director of SourceBooks. “Hopefully, there will come a day when we don’t have to worry about banning books, but that won’t stop us from publishing great books and writers and illustrators, and we’re committed to bringing those voices to a broader population.”
Alexander said he hoped to publish books that would help readers imagine their place in the world, despite the challenges posed by book bans.
“It doesn’t change because the political environment becomes dangerous,” he said. “I want to create a home that transcends any fights over a single book.”
