When literacy experts and a beloved trade book author team up, reading becomes a bridge to deeper thinking, richer conversations, and a lifelong love of learning.
The Crossover Literacy was shaped by an extraordinary team of children’s book creators and academic advisors who helped expand Kwame Alexander’s vision through storytelling, illustration, and instruction.
Kwame Alexander believes every child deserves a book that feels like it was written for them.
As the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 47 books, including the Newbery Medal-winning The Crossover, Kwame has spent his career helping kids discover the power of words, stories, and their own voices.
The Crossover Literacy universe was shaped by an extraordinary team of children’s book creators who helped expand Kwame Alexander’s vision through storytelling, illustration, and editorial collaboration.
Together, the team created a reading experience that’s as rich, dynamic, and authentic as the students it was designed to inspire.
Dawud Anyabwile is the creator and illustrator of Brotherman Comics and an animation director whose work includes the animated series Iyanu. His career spans comics, illustration, and animation, with a focus on storytelling through compelling characters and imaginative worlds. Through his creative work, he aims to inspire audiences and demonstrate the power of visual storytelling.
Nikki Shannon Smith is an educator, speaker, and award-winning author of nearly 30 books for young readers. She taught elementary school for 30 years and holds a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, a Reading Specialist Credential, a Preliminary Administrative Services Credential, and a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction: Language and Literacy. Learn more about Nikki at https://nikkishannonsmith.com/.
Behind the instructional design and the series’ research-aligned scope and sequence is a team of nationally recognized literacy experts who helped shape the instructional experience. Their collective expertise ensured that the instructional design reflects current research while honoring what matters most: keeping students engaged in authentic reading.
Pam Allyn is the founder and Executive Director of LitWorld, a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening children, families, and their communities through literacy and the power of stories. Pam is a renowned literacy educator and the author of many acclaimed books for both educators and parents, as well as the creator of the internationally recognized and celebrated World Read Aloud Day and many other successful academic programs. Pam has received many honors for her work, including the James Patterson Page Turner Award, The Children’s Village Legacy of Service Award, Scholastic’s Reading Champion Award, and the Kent Willamson NCTE Award, among many others.
Dr. JT Torres directs the Houston H. Harte Center for Teaching and Learning at Washington and Lee University. He supports teachers and students in all contexts, both in and out of the classroom. His approach to educational development focuses on meaningful relationships with students, teachers, and content. He helps educators cultivate critical connections with students, building on shared interest to achieve important outcomes. He is the co-author of How to Use Writing for Teaching and Learning and has published numerous studies based on his research exploring students’ writing identity, equity and justice in teaching, and oral literacy practices. Torres believes that literacy is an inherently inclusive process.
