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Jason Reynolds is committed to finding a way to get books into the hands of young people of color, particularly young boys of color, and take away their fear of literature. His works are a reflection of his commitment to the community and creating connections that resonate with young boys of color (McCollum, 2021). His words flow seamlessly through his work as well as his speaking, which can be seen in his videos and interviews. He also uses his words in podcast episodes on his website. His passion truly shines through his work.

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How poetry can help kids turn a fear of literature into love

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Jason Reynolds began writing because he wanted to reach children of color and the communities he was never able to find in books as a child himself. Some of the themes of his books include racism, economic inequity, police brutality, grief, trauma, and gun violence. This shows how much of a risk taker he has to be to publish stories with strong topics such as these and hope for an audience willing to read them (Reynolds, 2014).

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Jason Reynolds began writing because he wanted to reach children of color and the communities he was never able to find in books as a child himself. Some of the themes of his books include racism, economic inequity, police brutality, grief, trauma, and gun violence. This shows how much of a risk taker he has to be to publish stories with strong topics such as these and hope for an audience willing to read them (Reynolds, 2014).

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Born in 1983, Jason Reynolds grew up in Washington D.C. and nearby Oxon Hill, Maryland. His early life experiences, including his mother's love of poetry and his neighborhood's influence, deeply shaped his writing style and storytelling approach.

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Map multiple locations, get transit/walking/driving directions, view live traffic conditions, plan trips, view satellite, aerial and street side imagery. Do more with Bing Maps.

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Interestingly, Reynolds didn't read his first novel until he was 17! He was inspired by rap music to begin writing poetry at age 9. This influenced his accessible writing style that connects with reluctant readers (Reynolds, 2014).

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This powerful novel-in-verse follows fifteen-year-old Will during a 60-second elevator ride, as he grapples with the decision to revenge his brother's death. A masterpiece that addresses gun violence and the cycle of trauma.

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Although it is quite a chunky book I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to read and how quickly I read it as I have not picked up any graphic novels before and was a bit uncertain if I would enjoy reading it. I did not realise until after I finished reading it that Long Way Down was first published in verse, but now that I know it kind of makes sense and dictates the pace of the story.

I thought the storyline flowed naturally and was not confusing. It is set in United States and describes a place where gun crime is unfortunately more common than in the UK. Although that backdrop is alien to me, I felt better informed about what it must be like to live there. I think it is a really important book because it does make you stop and think about what you would do in that situation and it highlights the problems of gang violence without glorifying it.

The pictures really made the words come to life and they gave a face to the characters in the story. I like the artist's watercolour technique and style. It feels like a high quality art book with thick paper and matt pictures instead of some of the glossy manga-type books I have seen. I actually got quite absorbed in looking at Danica's artwork as I am studying GCSE art and draw a bit too.

I liked how, instead of chapters, the narrative was sub-divided into sections using the floor levels indicated by the lift (or elevator) in the high rise building where the story was set. I found this highly original and appreciated this creative aspect which made it the book more interesting because it was a bit different. The whole story actually takes place in just a few seconds whilst the lift is going down and Will is agonising about his decision.

The main character in the story is a teenage male called Will whose situation I could not identify with, but who I liked and had empathy for. He seemed to be a real person and I had a good sense of how he might appear in screen adaptation. It would make a really good film I think.

The story-line is interesting because it is about Will wanting to avenge for his brother's death by shooting his murderer. But he is haunted by the voices of people from his past, like his father, friends and uncle, who try to persuade him why he should not return the violence. At the end of the story there is a cliff-hanger and Will's final decision is deliberately left open for the reader's interpretation. I chose to believe that he did not commit a crime and shoot someone.

I would recommend the book to other people aged 14 years + And please tell Jason he did good - it is not a boring book and I would like to read more of his other stories.

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Kid's Book Review: Long Way Down | Books Up North

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Although it is quite a chunky book I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to read and how quickly I read it as I have not picked up any graphic novels before and was a bit uncertain if I would enjoy reading it.

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The first book in Reynolds' Track series follows Castle 'Ghost' Cranshaw, a young runner with a troubled past. This novel beautifully explores themes of trauma, resilience, and the power of finding your passion.

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Ghost is a poor, angry young man whose dad is in prison. A track coach sees his potential and helps him look ahead rather than wallow in his pain.

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A remix of Ibram X. Kendi's work, this book makes the history of racism in America accessible to young readers. It's a crucial text for understanding how racism has evolved and how we can work to be antiracist.

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The first name bits:

What Jason knows is that there are a lot - A LOT - of people, young, old, and in-between, who hate reading. He knows that many of these book haters are boys. He knows that many of these book-hating boys, don't actually hate books, they hate boredom. If you are reading this, and you happen to be one of these boys, first of all, you're reading this Jason's master plan is already working (muahahahahahaha) and second of all, know that Jason totally feels you. He REALLY does. Because even though he's a writer, he hates reading boring books too.

So here's what he plans to do: NOT WRITE BORING BOOKS.

That's it, and that's all.

Now, for the last name bits:

Jason Reynolds is an award-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author. Jason's many books include Miles Morales: Spider Man, the Track series (Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu), Long Way Down, which received a Newbery Honor, a Printz Honor, and a Correta Scott King Honor, and Look Both Ways, which was a National Book Award Finalist. His latest book, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, is a collaboration with Ibram X. Kendi. Recently named the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, Jason has appeared on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and CBS This Morning. He is on faculty at Lesley University, for the Writing for Young People MFA Program and lives in Washington, DC. You can find his ramblings at JasonWritesBooks.com.

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Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning

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Amazon.com: Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning: 9780316453691: Reynolds, Jason, Kendi, Ibram X.: Books

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Reynolds has received numerous awards. He has been on the #1 New York Times Bestselling Authors list multiple times. He is the recipient of a Newbery Honor, a Printz Honor, an NAACP Image Award, and multiple Coretta Scott King honors. Reynolds is also the 2020-2022 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Most recently he was named to the MacArthur Foundation Fellows Class of 2024 (Reynolds, 2014).

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National Ambassador for Young People's Literature

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National Ambassador for Young People's Literature

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In 2020, Reynolds was named National Ambassador for Young People's Literature by the Library of Congress. His platform 'GRAB THE MIC: Tell Your Story' encourages young people to share their narratives.

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Closing Celebration for National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Jason Reynolds

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Jason Reynolds did not enjoy writing as a child, until he discovered rap and hip hop. Both genres of music encouraged the lyrics and rhythm of his poetry. This aspect of his culture in his community was such an essential part of him finding his creativity and starting his journey of writing to kids just like him (McCollum, 2021).

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Jason Reynolds did not enjoy writing as a child, until he discovered rap and hip hop. Both genres of music encouraged the lyrics and rhythm of his poetry. This aspect of his culture in his community was such an essential part of him finding his creativity and starting his journey of writing to kids just like him (McCollum, 2021).

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In this video about his book Long Way Down, Jason Reynolds discusses the stereotypes of his culture and the connection to gun violence, and the very real issues that children of color can experience in their everyday lives.

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Kennedy Center Education Digital Learning

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“When I was 19, a friend of mine was murdered,” Reynolds said. “That night my friends and I went to his mom’s house and we were all planning to figure out who did this to him so we could exact revenge...And I just remember the pain – the pain of the lost friend but also the pain of meeting a part of myself that I didn’t know existed. A part of myself that could lose control to the point where I could commit a murder. That’s a very human thing” (McCollum, 2021).

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“When I was 19, a friend of mine was murdered,” Reynolds said. “That night my friends and I went to his mom’s house and we were all planning to figure out who did this to him so we could exact revenge...And I just remember the pain – the pain of the lost friend but also the pain of meeting a part of myself that I didn’t know existed. A part of myself that could lose control to the point where I could commit a murder. That’s a very human thing” (McCollum, 2021).