Kwame Alexander has always been surrounded by books and reading. It was an integral part of his childhood and helped mold him into the award-winning poet, author, speaker, teacher and visionary he is today. As the creator of the Page to Stage Writing and Publishing Program, Alexander has managed to spread his love of reading and the written word to thousands of children. When he speaks at schools, Alexander assures the children that he didn’t always think books and writing were cool. There were a few years that “I got away from the writing/reading world,” says Alexander. “But, I found my way back to literature and realized I wanted to make books cool.”