Kwame Alexander’s Wimpy-Ton Ball: An Evening That Celebrated Books, One Word at a Time for a Good Cause

Poet and founder of One Word at a Time Kwame Alexander with Reading Rainbow Host Mychal Threets at the 2026 Wimpy-ton Ball.

A Night That Brought Stories to Life

The Wimpy-ton Reading Ball brought together educators, students, librarians, authors, and families for an unforgettable night celebrating the power of stories. 

The virtual event, held on April 26, was a fundraiser for One Word at a Time, a nonprofit founded by Newbery Medal- and Emmy® Award-Winning Poet Kwame Alexander that brings affordable, interactive virtual author experiences to students in schools and libraries across the country. 

“When kids meet authors, a spark ignites that keeps them reading,” Alexander told the audience. “Who gets to experience that spark shouldn’t depend on zip code or school budget.”

The Wimpy-ton Reading Ball included live readings and the opportunity to help write a community poem. It was hosted by Alexander, with participation from Julia Quinn, author of the Bridgerton series; Mychal Threets, librarian, children’s author, and host of Reading Rainbow; and Jeff Kinney, creator of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. 

These authors came together to share stories and remind everyone why books matter, all while supporting literacy programs. Overall, the event showed that reading can be fun, creative, and meaningful. 

Bridgerton author Julia Quinn joins host Kwame Alexander at the Wimpy-ton Ball.

Why Reading Matters to Kids
Tori Bachman, Executive Director and Chief Program Officer at One Word at a Time, said she cares deeply about helping kids enjoy reading. The nonprofit introduces students to authors who may have never met an author before. With the proceeds from the event, One Word at a Time aims to double their impact and reach 200,000 plus students and make reading more accessible. 

“Once kids reach about age nine or 10, they kind of stop reading for fun. My whole career has been getting kids excited about reading…making it fun and interesting,” she said. 

Another point Bachman made was that reading does not have to look the same for everyone. She explained that if a kid says they do not enjoy reading, she will first ask why and then help them find something about reading that excites them. This is an important step because, according to the Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report™, 93% of kids agree that their favorite books are the books they pick out for themselves. 

Looking forward, Bachman shared that One Word at a Time plans to establish a Youth Advisory Team that will assist in selecting authors and developing new ideas for reading events and programs. She wants students to know that they have a voice, and her team is listening. 

Author Jeff Kinney received the Reading Game-Changer Award from One Word at a Time.