Kwame Alexander (Author) Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, and the New York Times bestselling author of 28+ books, including The Undefeated, Booked and Rebound , the follow-up to his Newbery medal-winning middle grade novel, The Crossover . He's also the Founding Editor of Versify, an imprint that publishes fiction and poetry for children and young adults. Kadir Nelson (Illustrator) Kadir Nelson is an American artist who currently exhibits his artwork in galleries and museums nationwide and abroad. He has created artwork for a host of distinguished clients including Sports Illustrated, The Coca-Cola Company and Dreamworks SKG as the lead conceptual artist creating for Steven Spielberg's Oscar nominated feature film, Amistad . He has created artwork for albums by Michael Jackson and Drake, and is the creator of several bestselling picture books.