Say Yes: Find Your Passion, Unleash Your Potential, and Transform Your Life

by Kwame Alexander

Kwame Alexander's Say Yes is a meaningful manifesto that challenges readers to embrace the transformative power of "yes." Adapted from Alexander's inspiring commencement speech at American University, this book weaves personal stories, profound insights, and actionable wisdom into a must-read guide for anyone ready to fuel their passion, turn rejection into resilience, and unlock their potential.

Turning “No” into New Horizons. Kwame Alexander shares how every "no" shaped his path and fueled his determination. With insights into navigating the interplay of business and art, he reveals how to stay true to your passion while forging a fulfilling, successful life. This is a call to dreamers, creators, and your dreams deserve your effort, even when the road gets tough.

The Power of Saying Yes. Through vibrant storytelling and motivational wisdom, Say Yes explores how one word can alter perceptions, open doors, and lead to unimagined possibilities. Whether writing a groundbreaking novel or stepping into the unknown, Alexander's journey proves the power of persistence and the beauty of embracing the unexpected.

Perfect for college graduates, creative thinkers, and anyone chasing their dreams, Say Yes is a transformative manifesto for those ready to turn challenges into opportunities and passion into purpose. Let this book inspire you to say "yes" to your own bold vision.

Inside, you’ll
●      Stories of triumph over rejection and practical steps for overcoming challenges.
●      Inspiration to balance passion with practicality in creative and professional pursuits.
●      A guide to building resilience and redefining success.

If you like 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think, Very Good Lives, or The 7 Habits for Graduates, you'll love Power of Yes.

Genres: Nonfiction, Art

80 pages, Hardcover

First published April 29, 2025

About the author

Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, and New York Times Bestselling author of 21 books, including The Crossover, which received the 2015 John Newbery Medal for the Most Distinguished Contribution to American literature for Children, the Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor, The NCTE Charlotte Huck Honor, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, and the Passaic Poetry Prize. Kwame writes for children of all ages. His other works include Surf's Up, a picture book; Booked, a middle grade novel; and He Said She Said, a YA novel.

Kwame believes that poetry can change the world, and he uses it to inspire and empower young people through his PAGE TO STAGE Writing and Publishing Program released by Scholastic. A regular speaker at colleges and conferences in the U.S., he also travels the world planting seeds of literary love (Singapore, Brazil, Italy, France, Shanghai, etc.). Recently, Alexander led a delegation of 20 writers and activists to Ghana, where they delivered books, built a library, and provided literacy professional development to 300 teachers, as a part of LEAP for Ghana, an International literacy program he co-founded.

Reviews

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The question is: Can you wait for the YES? Can you work for it?”
👍
Kwame gave the commencement speech at American University and this inspired him to release that speech, along with other inspirational thoughts, into a book full of personal stories, profound insights, advice, wisdom and how to unlock your own potential by saying yes.
👍
I teared up when Kwame shared his story from when he got the Newbery call. His life has been filled with so many NOs that finding his YESes were so joy-filled and well-earned. This would be an amazing gift for graduates or anyone chasing a dream and needs some encouragement so they don’t give up.

I wanted more! I wanted it to be longer.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kwame Alexander explains why you will hear 'NO' lots of times before you hear the 'YES' that will change your life! Written from the perspective of 'artistic frustration' Kwame reminds you that saying 'YES' to your dreams when all you hear from others is 'NO' is the key to eventual success! Inspiration an thought provoking!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes!

[thewanderingjew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Say Yes: Find Your Passion, Unlock Your Potential, and Transform Your Life, by Kwame Alexander
Having read several of the books with Alexander’s name attached, I wanted to see if this one would be appropriate for my middle grade, high school age and working age grandchildren. I am always looking for an appropriate little gift to bring them some good cheer. I guess on this, the jury might still be out, because while I found it wildly appropriate for both the young and the adult, my husband thought it more suitable for those in the work place.
Since I was an educator, and he was a corporate head, I will go with my opinion. This would, however, be a great gift for a graduating student, since it is taken from Mr. Alexander’s commencement speech to the graduating class of the American University School of Communication and School of Education. I think both my husband and I have correctly judged this book’s value for the reading public.
Because I am reminded of my grandson’s disappointment when a foolish fourth-grade teacher mocked the inordinate amount of effort he expended to complete an assignment, I think that this book would be particularly well-suited to a class discussion with a responsible and qualified adult who hoped to inspire students, not discourage them. If that teacher could reach any young person that might be questioning his/her ability and inspire him/her to never give up in the face of unwarranted criticism, especially when extra effort is really all that needs to be encouraged and praised, not criticized, that teacher will have accomplished the very purpose of an educator, which is to inspire learning, in whatever way a student can in order to attain wisdom and maintain hope to go on and not give up.
Alexander has managed to impart the idea that quitting is the only failure we experience. We need to dust ourselves off and get up to try again because the old adage of “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again”, is particularly useful as we all face our lives with its ups and downs.
In this regard, I have two important memories in my past that have always inspired me in the face of controversy, chaos, confusion, and rejection. One was the advice of my seventh-grade teacher. She insisted that I learn to keep a journal to record my effort, my successes, my failures, my emotional reactions and interaction with the world around me. It helped me navigate through troubled times by carefully examining the situation. The second was my ninth-grade teacher. He read a poem to the class, by Edgar Allen Guest, “They Said It Couldn’t Be Done”. It encouraged us all to reach for the sky, even in the face of rejection and negative attitudes. The poem recommended buckling down, starting right in, and doing it! He believed that if we aimed high, even if we didn’t reach our goal, we would still have attained some height and success, a point we would never have reached if we aimed low.
I think this poet, Alexander is onto the same wonderful idea. If you aren’t in it, you can’t win it, as my mother would say, and her advice was priceless. Keep on truckin’, and don’t give up! Believe in yourself.

[Kelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little book, big message? Quick read, lifelong inspiration? YES!

Say Yes is Kwame Alexander’s personal story of tenacity & resilience. Kwame Alexander is a poet, #1 New York Times bestselling author of 42 books, and producer of the Emmy Award-winning series The Crossover, based on his Newberry Medal-winning novel of the same name. All of these accomplishments were preceded by rejection, doubt, and a big fat “NO!” and even with all his accolades, he still has to contend with being told NO.

Adapted from Alexander's inspiring commencement speech at American University, this book weaves personal stories, profound insights, and actionable wisdom into a must-read guide for anyone ready to fuel their passion, turn rejection into resilience, and unlock their potential. Kwame Alexander shares how every "no" shaped his path and fueled his determination to finding his YES.

[Allison Haehnel · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his signature writing voice interspersed with poetic stanzas, Kwame Alexander tells readers and dreamers why they/we should “Say Yes”.

We learn more of Kwame’s bumpy road to Newbery Award winning author/producer/speaker as he uses his No stories to spur us toward saying Yes to ourselves. Part self-help, part memoir, and part inspiration, it all works together to let the reader find their own meaning and path to the Yes they are searching to find.

This could be a partner read to a poetry unit for middle/junior high school, or a commencement gift for a high schooler or adult. The parables can work as life lessons for the younger set equally as well as it will work as nostalgia for high school and up who loved The Crossover.

[LeeAnna Weaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Say Yes is a perfect book for recent college graduates, especially those who earned degrees in the Arts. Adapted from Alexander's commencement speech at American University, the author speaks to how often he had to work through NO to get to YES as he labored to publish his writing. Perseverance and an unwavering belief in his vision kept him moving forward. Years passed, and he took on dozens of jobs to support his family while he continued to write and submit his work. In 2014, he was awarded the Newbery Award for excellence in children's literature for his book Crossover. The novel was adapted into an Emmy nominated streaming series. Say Yes is a little book with a powerful and positive message.

[Amber M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This little cutie (80 pages) was a quick and motivating read. I loved getting behind the scenes info about Alexander’s many rejections before someone finally picked up The Crossover. And while he won an Emmy for the series adaptation it wasn’t picked up for a second season… how does that make sense. This would be a great gift for graduation or a nice read aloud option for teachers showing how perseverance can pay off.

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this arc!

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I believe you will get more from saying yes in life than saying no.
This was a great little pep talk and you will be done in half an hour. I haven’t read his bestseller but now I want to and will.
I found it humorous that there is an endorsement on the back from Oprah. Wasn’t she the one who told us to say no and set boundaries?

[South Brunswick High School Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspired by Alexander’s 2024 commencement speech at American University, this brief book is meant to show young people how to identify their personal passion through Alexander’s own journey from a rejected author to an award-winning literary force. Readers will find juice quotes and inspiring passages that are fit to share.

[Diane Rembert · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you’ve ever been discouraged in your literary journey, I implore you to pick up this self-help book by @kwamealexander. His words are inspiring and give you the push that you need to keep going, and don’t forget to SAY YES!

[Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take some time to sit with the advice Alexander offers in Say Yes. I love how he encourages us to think about the nos we’ve gotten, too, and how they shape our lives.

[Carrie Munsee · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved hearing the author read the audiobook!

[Yapha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very inspirational! Kwame reads the audio book and he was fabulous to listen to as always!

[Stephanie Dargusch Borders · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very brief book, as it’s a commencement speech that the author delivered at American University. Very inspiring and will shift your perspective. I think the message will stick with me.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Go out find your passion make money from it.. there I saved you time

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Positive, uplifting. Great to listen to him read it.

[Meganators]

Wow, Kwame shows how to embrace grit and tenacity in the pursuit of fulfilling one's greatest creative dreams and aspirations

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a fan of graduation speeches turned into slim books with a lot of white space and so-so advice.

[layan ليان · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve been told “no”—well, I’d have enough to buy this book. Which, ironically, is all about why saying “yes” is the most powerful thing you can do.

In Say Yes, Kwame Alexander makes the case for embracing the word that changes everything: yes. Yes to yourself. Yes to your dreams. Yes to the unknown, the scary, the unpredictable. Because yes isn’t just a word—it’s a mindset, a way of moving through the world that turns doubt into determination and rejection into redirection.

If every door slams shut with a resounding “no,” let this book be the reminder to say yes! :)

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Say Yes is an inspiring manifesto for life. Adapted from a commencement speech Kwame Alexander gave, he details how he often had to work through the NO from people/work/life to get to the YES. The power in advocating for yourself and fighting for the yes will change your life and help dreams become reality.

Special thanks to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.