We are incredibly grateful to everyone who joined us for the 4th Annual Words of Wonder (WOW) Literary Festival. Your presence and enthusiasm made the day truly special.
Thank you for being a part of our WOW community and helping us bring the joy of books and art to life! We can’t wait to see you again on July 25, 2026!
Step Into a World of Wonder at the 5th Annual Words of Wonder Literary Festival!
Join us on the South Side of Chicago for a one-of-a-kind celebration where imagination runs wild and stories come to life!
The Words of Wonder Literary Festival is more than just a festival—it’s a joyful explosion of books, creativity, and culture for readers and writers of all ages. Whether you're a budding bookworm or a seasoned storyteller, there's something here for everyone!
Immerse yourself in:
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Interactive literacy and art experiences
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Vibrant storytelling led by beloved Black authors and illustrators
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Story-inspired dance, live music, and drumming rooted in Indigenous and African traditions
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Hands-on writing workshops and engaging installations
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A diverse marketplace of book vendors and community organizations
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Tasty snacks, healthy food, fun giveaways, and so much more!
Bring the whole family and get ready to read, write, dance, and dream!
2025 Sponsors
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Our 2025 Author Headliner is
Kwame Alexander
Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, Emmy-winning producer and #1 New York
Times bestselling author of 42 books, including the new release How Sweet The Sound, Black Star, the second installment of his Door of No Return trilogy, This Is The Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets, Why Fathers Cry at Night, An American Story, the Coretta Scott King Award-winning book illustrated by Dare Coulter, The Door of No Return, Becoming Muhammad Ali (co-authored with James Patterson), Rebound, which was shortlisted for the prestigious UK Carnegie Medal, and The Undefeated, the National Book Award nominee, Newbery Honor, and Caldecott Medal-winning picture book illustrated by Kadir Nelson.
Kwame is also the Emmy-winning Executive Producer, Showrunner, and Writer of The Crossover TV series, based on his Newbery-Medal winning novel of the same name, which premiered on Disney+ in April 2023. The series was produced in partnership
with LeBron James' SpringHill Company and Big Sea Entertainment, Kwame's production company that is dedicated to creating innovative, highly original children’s and family entertainment. Other current projects in development at Big Sea include America’s Next Great Author, the groundbreaking reality television series for writers.
A regular contributor to NPR’s Morning Edition, Kwame is the creator and host of the Why Fathers Cry podcast, premiering September 2023, featuring conversations about love and parenting and loss, with fathers and sons. He regularly shares his passion for literacy, books and the craft of writing around the world at events like the Chautauqua Lecture Series, the Edinburgh Book Festival, Aspen Ideas, and the Global Literacy Symposium in Ghana, where he opened the Barbara E. Alexander Memorial Library and Health Clinic in Ghana. Most recently he was appointed the Rudell Artistic Director of Literary Arts and Writer-in Residence at the Chautauqua Institution.
His mission is to change the world, one word at a time.
You can learn more about him at www.kwamealexander.com.
Meet the Host
Zion Ali is a dynamic performer and singer-songwriter whose music uplifts and inspires, particularly focusing on youth empowerment. With songs like “I Believe,” “Make it Through,” and from his youth-centered album “I Believe in Youth,” Zion has captured the hearts of audiences across Chicago and beyond. He’s also made waves performing at major events like the Bud Billiken Parade and the UniverSoul Circus.
Follow Zion Ali social handles
Instagram: @zionaliofficial
Facebook: @Zion Ali
LinkedIn: @Zion Ali
Partner with Us!
This one-of-a-kind sponsorship opportunity
will allow you to be a part of history!
The 4th Annual Words of Wonder Literary Festival is more than an event — it’s a movement to celebrate and amplify the voices of young readers, writers, and storytellers on the South Side of Chicago. Each year, we bring together hundreds of families for a day filled with animated storytelling, live music, art, workshops, and community connection.
By becoming a sponsor, you’re investing in literacy, creativity, and community. Your support helps us provide free and enriching experiences, bring in diverse authors and artists, and create a space where stories come to life.
Our 2025 Illustrator Headliner is
London Ladd
London Ladd is an award-winning illustrator whose work has been featured in publications such as HarperCollins, Philomel Books, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Scientific American and community-based murals. Utilizing a unique mixed-media technique, he brings various subjects to life by combining acrylic paint, cut paper, and tissue paper. Each image is infused with emotion, reflecting the artist's dedication to portraying the essence of life.
He serves as an Assistant Teaching Professor at Syracuse University, where he received his BFA and MFA degrees. Ladd received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the State University of New York and multiple nominations for an NAACP Image Award. He was also shortlisted for the World Illustration Awards, and several organizations, including the Society of Illustrators, Communication Arts, American Illustration, and the American Library Association, have recognized his work.
His vision is to establish a visual arts community center in Syracuse, NY, where lower-income families can engage in artistic activities in a fun and creative environment.
You can see his works at www.londonladd.com.
What Attendees Had to Say About The Festival
Our 2025 Mainstage Author is
Lesa Cline-Ransome
Lesa Cline-Ransome is the award-winning author of numerous non-fiction and historical fiction titles for picture book, chapter book, middle grade, and young adult readers. Her work has been named to ALA Notable Books and Bank Street Best Children’s Book lists.
Her verse picture book biography of Harriet Tubman, Before She Was Harriet was nominated for an NAACP Image Award and received a Jane Addams Honor, Christopher Award, and Coretta Scott King Honor for Illustration. Finding Langston, the first in the Finding Langston trilogy, was the winner of the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction and received the Coretta Scott King Award Author Honor. Her picture book, They Call Me Teach, received the 2025 Jane Addams Award. Her MG novel-in-verse, One Big Open Sky, was the recipient of the Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Award Author Honor, as well as being named a Best Book of 2024 by Kirkus, the Boston Globe, and the New York Times. For Lamb, her debut YA historical fiction novel set in Jim Crow, Mississippi, received four-starred reviews and appeared on numerous Best of the Year lists.
She is the host of KidLitTV's Past Present: Giving Past Stories New Life.
Lesa is the mother of four and frequently collaborates with her husband, illustrator James Ransome. She lives and works in the Hudson Valley region of New York where she consumes large quantities of books and chocolate and each day, she takes long walks and short naps. In between, she writes.
Find out more at: www.lesaclineransome.com
Performances
Kwame Alexander
London Ladd
Lesa Cline- Ransome & James Ransome
Zion Ali
Our 2025 Mainstage Illustrator is
James E. Ransome
James E. Ransome has been honored with the 2023 Children's Literature Legacy Award by the American Library Association in recognition of his exceptional contributions to Children's Literature. With a career spanning over 33 years, James has illustrated more than 70 books. His passion for drawing was kindled in Rich Square, NC, and as a teenager, he moved to Bergenfield, NJ, before pursuing a BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.
Ransome's remarkable talent has garnered him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Coretta Scott King Awards, a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, ALA Notables, a Jane Addams Award, and NAACP Image awards. He has also showcased his artistry through murals displayed at notable locations such as the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, Poughkeepsie's Adriance Memorial Library, and the Underground Railroad Museum in Cincinnati.
In recent years, James has extended his artistic prowess to create theater posters for Washington DC's Arena Stage. Furthermore, his illustrations have been featured in the History Channel Documentary "Black Patriots: Heroes of the Civil War" narrated by James' childhood basketball idol, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He resides in New York State alongside his wife and frequent collaborator, author Lesa Cline-Ransome.
You can see his works at www.jamesransome.com.
