The Dajae Coleman Foundation, Evanston Public Library Friends and Evanston Public Library present an afternoon with Kwame Alexander (left), the 2015 recipient of the Newbery Medal for The Crossover, a novel in verse for children and teens about basketball, brothers and a close-knit family navigating a crisis. The event will be held on Thursday, July 23 at 2:30pm in the Library's Community Meeting Room. Mr. Alexander will read from his work, discuss matters of the heart, and sign books.

Kwame Alexander's visit to the Library is part of the Dajae Coleman Foundation's 2015 Summer Reading Initiative which includes readings of The Crossover with the YMCA Children's Center Camp WaNaGo, writing workshops, and a writing contest with the campers.

Tiffany Rice is president of the Dajae Coleman Foundation, an organization founded to honor the legacy of her son Dajae Coleman, an exceptional young man who tragically lost his life to gun violence at the age of 14.

Of this event, Rice said, "Reading was important to Dajae. Our work reflects the things he was most passionate about. We want to bolster the success of youth in our community, and addressing the summertime lapse seen in students who don't read over break is essential to our mission."

The library event is specifically geared at youth ages nine to fourteen, but the entire community is welcome to attend this free author presentation. Copies of The Crossover will be available for purchase courtesy of Bookends & Beginnings. Please register. Space is limited.