*ICYMI* Cool To Be You: Kwame Alexander On Authenticity
*ICYMI* Cool To Be You: Kwame Alexander On Authenticity  
Podcast: The Reading Culture
Published On: Wed Jul 23 2025
Description: This week, we revisit our episode with Kwame Alexander while we take a quick summer break!Kwame Alexander recently interviewed the esteemed and now former Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, for the American Library Association’s Annual Conference in Philadelphia. They talked about the power of poetry, the role of libraries in creating access and imagination, how Dr. Hayden remains hopeful and positive in this moment, and of course, how books can help kids be better humans and dreamers. It was such an inspiring conversation that we wanted to re-air this much earlier episode with the bestselling, beloved author (and apparently incredible interviewer!) Kwame Alexander.  Summer Reading GiveawayEnter our summer reading giveaway for your chance to win a book by any author we've featured on the show, plus the special reading culture mug that Jordan sends to every guest.To enter, just like and comment on our summer reading giveaway post on Instagram and subscribe to our newsletter at the reading culture pod.com/newsletter. Better yet, if you tag a friend, you can win together. ***"I'm just being real. I'm telling my story. I think Nikki Giovanni calls it dancing naked on the floor. I am unafraid and I'm doing my dance… I don't feel like I can go wrong if I'm just being me.” - Kwame AlexanderExciting reluctant middle school kids about reading (or really, anything) can be a battle. Getting them to think reading is cool is another. Kwame Alexander excels at both. His ability to authentically relate to his readers is a skill around which he has built his career.Kwame is beloved by parents, educators, and students, for his ability to ignite a love of reading (especially middle school boys) through poetry and characters who reflect their real experiences. But his impact extends beyond just an introduction to books; he also opens the door for readers to explore their own emotional depths. As he tells us, “I think part of my job is just to show a different side of masculinity.”Kwame is best known for "The Crossover," "The Undefeated," "The Door of No Return," and numerous other novels and poetry collections. He also recently authored his memoir "Why Fathers Cry at Night." He won the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Book Award among many other awards, and this year, "The Crossover" was adapted into a Disney+ original TV series. In this episode, he tells us about his own upbringing surrounded by Black storytelling and literature, reveals his secret to making middle-schoolers think he’s “cool”, and shares about a letter he received (which was “not fan mail”) that inspired a surprise visit to an unsuspecting kid.***Connect with Jordan and The Reading Culture @thereadingculturepod and subscribe to our newsletter at thereadingculturepod.com/newsletter. ***This episode’s Beanstack Featured Librarian is Kirsten, the programming specialist for the Indianapolis Public Library. She shares some moving stories about a book club she runs for teens at a residential treatment facility. ChaptersChapter 1: Glasses firstChapter 2: Mom’s stories, dad’s garageChapter 3: Love After LoveChapter 4: The “Reluctant” ReadersChapter 5: Kwame Shows UpChapter 6: America’s Next Great AuthorsChapter 7: BlackoutChapter 8: Beanstack Featured Librarian Chapter 9: Hidden TrackLinksThe Reading CultureKwame AlexanderFolly IslandNYT article by Teddy Wayne about the potential benefits of clutterBeef, No ChickenLove After Love by Derek WalcottKwame’s Newbery Banquet SpeechWhy Fathers Cry: The Podcast | Kwame Alexander#KwameShowsUpNikki GiovanniCollected Poems, 1948-1984 -  Derek WalcottThe Crossover | Official Trailer | Disney+America's Next Great AuthorThe Reading Culture on Instagram (for giveaways and bonus content)Beanstack resources to build your community’s reading cultureHost and Production CreditsHost: Jordan Lloyd BookeyProducers: Mel Webb, Jackie Lamport, and Lower Street MediaScript Editors: Josia Lamberto-Egan, Jackie Lamport, Jordan Lloyd Bookey