Biography
Ty Allan Jackson is an award-winning children’s book author, literacy advocate, publisher and captivating motivational speaker. He is the founder of Big Head Books, LLC, a literacy organization that aims to introduce children to the joys of reading. Ty travels around the country inspiring children and educating adults about the impacts of illiteracy. A three-time TedX presenter, Ty believes that literacy is the foundation for a successful life and promotes it with humor and enthusiasm.Ty’s work as an author and literacy advocate earned him the Massachusetts inaugural Martin Luther King Jr. Content of Character Award, as well as citations from the Massachusetts Governor, Senator, and the House of Representatives. Ty’s books have been featured on CNN, NBC Nightly News, The Steve Harvey Show, PBS and countless other media outlets. One of Ty’s proudest moments came in 2011 when his books were gifted to former First Lady Michelle Obama by his hometown Mayor.
A Bronx, NY native, Ty now lives in Pittsfield, MA with his three children. He continues to write entertaining stories featuring relatable characters for children around the world.
Ty’s Story
It all started in 2009 with a simple question from Ty’s seven year old son: “Can I open a lemonade stand?” In support of his son’s entrepreneurial spirit, Ty helped him sell lemonade for an afternoon. They made $50! Ty didn’t know what his son should do with that money, so he went to a book store to search for books that teach children about finance and entrepreneurship. He couldn’t find a single book. So he wrote one! “Danny Dollar Millionaire Extraordinaire: The Lemonade Escapade” was born, and after being rejected by over 150 agents, he decided to launch his own publishing company Big Head Books. Ty published Danny Dollar in December 2010, and has written three more books since.