See the Cover of Kwame Alexander’s Latest Book in the Door of No Return Series (Exclusive)

More Kwame Alexander books coming your way! The The New York Times bestselling author revealed the cover of his upcoming high school novel exclusively to PEOPLE. Black starthe second book in Alexander’s praised The door of no return series, will be published this fall by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. “A while ago, a high school student wrote me a two-page letter thanking me for writing my books but challenging me to write a novel with a girl as the main character,” Alexander tells PEOPLE.

Cover of ‘Black Star’ by Kwame Alexander.

Small, brown books for young readers

“When I started writing Black starI knew the story would continue from The door of no returnI knew baseball and Jim Crow would play a major role in the book, and I knew it was time to introduce a girl, like my daughter, like all the girls who read my books, like the young lady who challenged me,” he continues.

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Black star is the second book in Alexander’s acclaimed series for young readers. first installment, The door of no return, follows Kofi Offin, an 11-year-old boy living in the village of Upper Kwanta. The book was originally published in 2022, and will arrive in paperback on May 7.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The action is set in the American South during the Great Migration, Black star takes place 60 years after the first book went out of print. This time, Kofi’s granddaughter, 12-year-old Charley Cuffman, is growing up in a separate town and wants to be the first pitcher in professional baseball. She has big dreams, encouraged by her nana Kofi’s stories about her ancestors, but there are some things her parents don’t think she’s old enough to understand.

When she challenges a bully to a baseball game and makes a fateful decision with consequences she didn’t foresee, readers will learn the importance of knowing your history—even if it’s a difficult one.

Kwame Alexander.

Rowan Daly

Alexander is a bestselling author of over 40 books for children and adults. Other recent publications include a memoir Why fathers cry at night and This Is Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets. His poem and picture book from 2019. Undefeatedhighlights significant moments in black history, won the 2020 Caldecott Medal and was a 2020 Newbery Honor Book. Alexander, who has taught writing workshops in schools for more than a decade, also runs Book-in-a-Day, an educational program that teaches students about writing and publishing books.

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The author and educator is also successful in the television industry. He recently won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Young Teen Series for the Disney+ adaptation of his 2014 middle grade verse novel. Crossover; The series, on which Alexander served as writer, showrunner and executive producer, was produced by Alexander’s Big Sea Entertainment and LeBron James’ SpringHill Company. The book won the 2015 Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Honorary Award, and follows twin basketball players Josh and Jordan as they come of age. But with this latest novel, both author and publisher say they have something special for readers. Black star is an “enchanting” story of an American family, according to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. “I think this is my favorite book I’ve written,” adds Alexander.Black star it will be on the bookshelves on September 24, 2024.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education