Presenting 'J vs K' with authors Kwame Alexander & Jerry Craft

Get ready for a one-of-a kind author event where stories jump off the page!

Harris County Public Library is thrilled to welcome Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft, co-authors of the hit middle grade book J vs. K, for a fun, fast-paced presentation packed with laughs, live drawing, and behind-the-scenes stories about how they create their books.

The first 150 people to register will get a free copy of J vs. K!

We’ll also have Kindred Stories on site selling books by both authors, and there will be a book signing after the event.

Note: If you're one of the first 150 to register, we’ll contact you to confirm. You must attend the event in person to receive your free copy.

This event will be held at Asia Society Texas in the Brown Foundation Performing Arts Theater.

About J Vs. K:

Created by real-life rivals and #1 New York Times bestselling authors Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft this hilarious illustrated story features two talented fifth graders going head-to-head in a competition for the ages.

J and K are the most creative fifth graders at Dean Ashley Public School (DAPS). J loves to draw and his wordless stories are J-ENIUS! K loves to write and his stories are K-LASSIC!! Both J and K are determined to win the DAPS annual creative storytelling contest or at least get in the top five. And when they find out that they are both entering The Contest, it’s the beginning of one of the most intense rivalries the world has ever seen. It’s artist vs. writer with plenty of shady double crosses as J and K plot their way to the top. This epic match-up from Newbery medal winners Kwame Alexander (The Crossover) and Jerry Craft (New Kid) celebrates comics, creativity, and the magic of collaboration.

About the Authors:

Kwame Alexander is an Emmy® Award-winning producer, and #1 New York Times bestselling author of 44 books, including Why Fathers Cry at Night, How Sweet The Sound, The Door of No Return (2025 Audie Award Winner), The Undefeated, the National Book Award nominee, Newbery Honor, and Caldecott Medal-winning picture book illustrated by Kadir Nelson, and The Crossover, his Newbery-Medal winning novel-turned Disney+ TV series. His forthcoming books include J vs K, an illustrated novel he penned with Jerry Craft, and the motivational primer for graduates, creatives, and professionals, entitled Say Yes. He is also the executive producer of Acoustic Rooster and his Barnyard Band and Acoustic Rooster: Jazzy Jams, a PBS KIDS special and series of shorts produced by GBH Kids based on his beloved children’s book of the same name. The recipient of a 2025 NAACP Image Award, Kwame is also the founder of AuthorStudy.com, and the Michael I. Rudell Artistic Director of Literary Arts for Chautauqua Literary Arts. He regularly shares his passion for literacy, books and the craft of writing around the world, including Ghana, West Africa, where he opened the Barbara E. Alexander Memorial.

Jerry Craft is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the graphic novels New Kid, Class Act, and School Trip. New Kid is the only book in history to win the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature (2020); the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature (2019), and the Coretta Scott King Author Award for the most outstanding work by an African American writer (2020). In his latest book, Jerry has teamed up with fellow Newbery winner Kwame Alexander to bring you J VS. K. The story of two fifth graders, one a talented artist, and the other an amazing writer, who become bitter rivals when they enter their school's annual storytelling contest. Jerry was born in Harlem and grew up in the Washington Heights section of New York City and now travels the world telling kids and their families about the importance of reading.