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About Ty

Ty Chapman is an award-winning author and poet based in Minnesota. He is the author of many children’s books, and the poetry collection, Tartarus. Additionally, he co-edited the poetry anthology, All Power to the People, with his friend and collaborator, Ari Tison. He has published poems through The Academy of American Poets, Water~Stone, and more.

Ty has received fellowships from Cave Canem, The Center for Arts + Social Justice, and The Loft Literary Center. He holds an MFA in writing for children and young adults through Vermont College of Fine Arts.

When he isn’t writing his next poetry collection or middle grade fantasy novel, he spends his time playing basketball and reading in the sun.

To get in contact with Ty about his books or publishing opportunities please contact his literary agent, Sara Crowe. To schedule Ty for a school visit or other event, please contact his booking agent, Sarah DeVore.

Books

stokes (written with john coy)

Stokes tells the story of the NBA’s first Black superstar, Maurice Stokes, who is not as well known as he should be in part because of a career-ending injury.

Coauthors and basketball enthusiasts John Coy and Ty Chapman highlight what a standout Stokes was: he was 6’7” and as they write, “nobody had ever seen a guy his size score, defend, rebound, dribble, and pass so well.”

In a 1958 game against the Minneapolis Lakers, Stokes, went down hard and hit his head, losing consciousness. At the time, there was no concussion protocol, and Stokes went back into the game. A few days later, he went into a coma and woke up unable to move his body from the neck down. Players did not have any sort of financial support in situations like this, and Stokes’s teammate Jack Twyman worked with other players and Milton Kutsher to put on a benefit game during the summer at Kutsher’s hotel in the Catskills. This game became an annual tradition, and Stokes was eventually able to travel and watch the game. Wilt Chamberlain said of Stokes, “He had something transcending as a person. . . . Everybody loved him.”

james finds the beat

James is great at tests and homework, but speaking up in class? No way. Just the thought fills his chest with bumblebees. The one thing that makes the bees calm down is music. James can't bring music with him to class, though, or to the second worse place in school: the lunchroom. Everyone already has their friends; James is the odd one out. Until one day, he goes to lunch and hears something familiar. BOOM, TAP, BOOM, TAP, BOOM, TAP, TAP! Kids are rapping in a cypher! When the girl rapping passes the beat to James, he hesitates . . . until he gets lost in the music and finds his voice.

Bringing together a celebration of rap and an empowering mental health awareness message, James Finds the Beat features a young boy who struggles with social anxiety and who finds his voice and his community through music. An endnote includes discussion questions inviting children to explore the story and its ideas further.

tartarus

Tartarus marks author Ty Chapman’s bold entrance into poetry.

Between three sections of Basquiat-inspired vignettes, Tartarus offers the reader an unflinching look into Chapman’s emerging understanding of his relationship to Black masculinity through familial ties, the oscillation between nihilism and hope, and the ever present tensions felt moving through a state which sees the existence of your body as an inherent danger.


LOOKING FOR HAPPY

Every day is different. Some days everything goes right--you're in the groove and feeling like yourself.

But some days, it's a lot harder to find happy because everything is just blah. Sometimes everything that should be fun just feels . . . flat. A young boy is having one of those dreary days, and nothing seems to help. But after trying his grandmother's way to shake the blues also fails, he discovers that happiness is easiest to find when you're not looking.

This picture book gently reminds readers that it's normal to have happy and sad days and normalizes speaking about emotions and seeking help. Heartfelt and hopeful, the story models emotional intelligence and self-awareness for readers of all ages.





SaraH Rising

Sarah starts her day like any other day: she eats her toast and feeds her bugs. But today isn't a day like any other day. Today, her dad brings her to a protest to speak out against police violence against Black people. When Sarah spots a beautiful monarch butterfly and follows it through the crowd, she finds herself inside the no-man's land between the line of police and protesters. In the moments that follow, Sarah is confronted with the cruelty of those who are supposed to protect her and learns what it feels like to protect and be protected.

Inspired by the protests that happened during the Minneapolis Uprising after the police killing of George Floyd, Sarah Rising provides a child's-eye view of a protest and offers an opportunity for children to talk about why people take to the streets to protest racial injustice. Readers will gain a new appreciation for how important it is to be part of a community of people who protect each other.

Backmatter includes a note from the author about his experience growing up as a Black boy in the Twin Cities, information about the Minneapolis Uprising, and practical ways kids can get involved in activism.

Poems

 

Interviews

 

Services

 
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School Visits

Ty has a long history of working with youth, and would love nothing more than to visit your school. Pricing varies based on travel expenses, number of presentations, and other factors. To discuss price, availability, and other details, please find Ty’s contact page and get in touch with his booking agent, Sarah DeVore.

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Manuscript Critique

Ty offers manuscript critique for picture books! After sending him your (text only) manuscript, he will send back line level edits in 4 weeks or less. He will also send a critique letter detailing the choices that serve the work well, and potential opportunities for growth.

Pricing is as follows:

$150 for unrhymed manuscripts up to 700 words

$200 for unrhymed manuscripts 700-1400 words, and all rhymed manuscripts.

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Writing

Ty is currently open to solicitations of the following:

  • publishers and literary magazines seeking poetry

  • work for hire opportunities in children’s literature

  • authors crafting anthologies of poetry or short stories.

The short of it is, Ty loves to write and will consider all paid opportunities to do so.