Jason Reynolds
Jason Reynolds | |
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Young adult fiction | |
Notable works |
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Notable awards | Coretta Scott King Award NAACP Image Award Margaret A. Edwards Award |
Website | |
jasonwritesbooks | |
Literature portal |
Jason Reynolds (born December 6, 1983) is an American author of
In the next four years, Reynolds wrote eight more novels, most notably the New York Times best-selling Track series—Ghost (2016), Patina (2017), Sunny (2018), Lu (2018)—and As Brave as You (2016). Ghost was a National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature and As Brave as You won the Kirkus Prize, the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work for Youth/Teen, and the Schneider Family Book Award. Reynolds also wrote a Marvel Comics novel called Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2017).
In 2017, Reynolds returned to poetry with Long Way Down, a novel in verse that was named a
From 2020 to 2022, Reynolds was the Library of Congress' National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.[1][2]
In 2023, Reynolds won the
Early life, education and influences
Reynolds was born on December 6, 1983,[4][5][6] in Washington, DC, and grew up just across Maryland border in Oxon Hill,[7] a neighborhood where his mother, a special education teacher in a Maryland public school, could afford a house with a yard and enough space for Reynolds, his three siblings, and sometimes other extended family.[8]
At nine years old, Reynolds was inspired by Queen Latifah's
third album,
One of Reynolds's earliest poems dealt with his grandmother's death in 1994 when he was 10.
While an undergraduate, Reynolds met collaborator Jason Griffin, who became his roommate.[11] Reynolds was also introduced to spoken word in this period[11] and began performing,[13] including eventually solo shows, and in 2001,[11] his first book came out, a poetry collection called Let Me Speak.[14]
During college, Reynolds also worked at a DC bookstore chain called Karibu Books, which specialized in African-American literature.[8] At Karibu he encountered prose that resonated with him for the first time, such as Richard Wright's novel Black Boy.[9] Enthralled with Wright's novel from the first page, Reynolds next began making his way through the great works of African-American literature on the store's shelves, reading James Baldwin, Zora Neale Hurston, and Toni Morrison.[9] While at Karibu he also encountered street fiction, also known as urban fiction, which is a literary genre Reynolds compares to rap's capacity for being "raw and honest. For some kids, this was their life."[9]
Personal life
Reynolds moved back to Washington, D.C., from Brooklyn in 2016.[8] He collects items related to African-American literature, including a letter by Langston Hughes, a pre-publication review copy of Claude Brown's Manchild in the Promised Land and an autographed first edition copy of Toni Morrison's Beloved. He appeared on Antiques Roadshow in 2021 to discuss his collecting.[15]
Selected works
Reynolds does not start with a particular age audience in mind; instead he focuses on trying to write the voice of his characters authentically and lets that dictate whom the book would appeal to.[16] All of his writings feature minority characters, which he sees as a reflection of the modern world.[16]
Early works
After graduating from college, Reynolds moved to New York with a classmate,
Eventually, Reynolds returned to New York, again working in retail while he applied to graduate school, unsuccessfully because of his college grades.
In 2014, Reynolds published When I Was The Greatest (with the
In 2015, Reynolds published The Boy in the Black Suit, about a child grieving the loss of his mother.[7] It won a Coretta Scott King Honor from the American Library Association.
All American Boys
Also in 2015, Reynolds published All American Boys, co-authored with Brendan Kiely.[20] The book depicts a black teenager assaulted in a convenience store by a white police officer who wrongly suspects him of stealing. The book is written in two voices, with Reynolds writing from the point of view of the teenaged victim, Rashad Butler, in a hospital bed, while Kiely wrote the character Quinn Collins, a white teenager and family friend of the police officer, who witnessed the violent attack.[20] In a review for The New York Times, Kelka Magoon found both main characters "successfully drawn" and called the novel "a book to be grappled with, challenged by, and discussed. All American Boys represents one voice—even better, two voices—in a national conversation that must continue beyond its pages."[20]
The book arose from personal conversations between Reynolds, who is black, and Kiely, who is white. The two met on a
The book won the inaugural Walter Dean Myers Award from the We Need Diverse Books organization,[22] as well as a Coretta Scott King Honor.[23]
As Brave as You
In 2016, Reynolds published As Brave as You,[24] which won the 2016 Kirkus Prize,[25][26] the 2017 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work for Youth/Teen,[27] the 2017 Schneider Family Book Award,[28] and the 2017 Coretta Scott King Honor.[29] The book describes two African-American brothers from Brooklyn who are sent to spend the summer with their grandfather in Virginia.[30] In The Washington Post, a reviewer said, "Reynolds deftly blends humor and heart through lively dialogue and spot-on sibling dynamics."[23]
Track series
The Track series follows a different protagonist in each novel, all of whom are members of the Defenders, an elite track team. In 2016, Reynolds published
Three more books have followed in the series.
The third installment in the series, called Sunny, was released on April 10, 2018.[41] Paste magazine named the audiobook, narrated by Guy Lockard, one of the 13 best of 2018 to date, saying, "The whole series is a must-listen, but Sunny is a particular treat" thanks to the Lockard's portrayal of the "lolling, goofball voice" of the novel's first-person protagonist.[42]
The fourth installment in the series, called Lu, was released October 23, 2018.
Miles Morales: Spider-Man
Reynolds is the author of Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2017),[43][44] a novel based on the Marvel Comics' Afro-Puerto Rican teen character.[45] Reynolds has described his ambitions for the book as similar to Jordan Peele's approach to Get Out, namely to engage the audience with systemic social issues by "distill[ing] it down to a single family." Speaking to School Library Journal, Reynolds said, "It was a trip to take these issues I care so much about and figure out what they look like as a person. What do they sound like? How do they dress? How do they act? What do they do?"[45] Reviewing the book for the Washington City Paper, Kayla Randall said, "The result...was exceptional."[29]
Long Way Down
Reynolds's 2017 book,
In October 2020, a graphic novel edition of Long Way Down was published with art by Danica Novgorodoff.[49]
For Every One
On April 10, 2018, Reynolds released For Every One,[50] a work of poetry. He originally performed the poem at the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial at the Kennedy Center.[51] Two weeks later, Reynolds occupied three slots on The New York Times best-seller lists for children's literature: two on the young adult hardcover list (Long Way Down and For Every One),[52] and one on the children's series list for the Track series.[53]
"Ten Things I've Been Meaning to Say to You"
Reynolds published a list for teenagers with 10 things he thought they should know about life and their futures. It was posted on May 28, 2018, on Powell's Book Blog.[54]
Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks
Look Both Ways was published on October 8, 2019. The story is told across ten blocks in different perspectives as middle schoolers walk home from school.[55] On the day of its release, Look Both Ways became a finalist for the National Book Award[56] and later made the New York Times Best Sellers List.[57] Jason Reynolds explained that he wanted to explore kids' autonomy in this book, saying, "It is a time when they are unsupervised" and they "get to learn about the world on their own, for better or for worse."[58] He won the 2021 Carnegie Medal for the book.[59]
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You
Reynolds announced Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You in August 2019 in collaboration with Ibram X. Kendi.[60] Releasing in March 2020, Reynolds' book is an adaptation of Kendi's book Stamped from the Beginning, which won the National Book Award in 2016.[60] The book is for teens and young adults and serves to start a conversation among them about race and racism in America.[60] Reynolds says, "I think that we have a rare opportunity to give the historical context of how we made it here today. This is the definitive history of race in America from the 1400s to today. It isn't about how to fix it per se. It's just about contextualizing why it is the way it is."[61]
In 2021, Reynolds, alongside Kendi and Sonja Cherry-Paul, published Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You, which was illustrated by Rachelle Baker. The book is a New York Times best seller.[62]
Podcast series, Radiotopia presents: My Mother Made Me
In 2022, Reynolds wrote and hosted My Mother Made Me, a podcast he made in collaboration with Radiotopia. The podcast description reads, "My Mother Made Me is a four-episode series from Radiotopia Presents, where writer Jason Reynolds and his mother, Isabell, explore their shared history, how she raised him, and what they’re teaching each other. They go deep – birth, death, spirituality… but they also keep it light: pushing a cart through Costco, birthday lunches, and hitting the casino together. That’s just how they do."[63]
Selected awards and honors
Bibliography
- Let Me Speak-- (2001).
- SELF with Jason Griffin (2005)
- My Name Is Jason. Mine Too.: Our Story. Our Way. with illustrations by Jason Griffin (2009)
- When I Was The Greatest (2014)
- The Boy in the Black Suit (2015)
- All American Boys with Brendan Kiely (2015)
- As Brave as You (2013)
- Ghost (Track Book #1) (2016)
- Patina (Track Book #2) (2017)
- Miles Morales: Spider-Man, with illustrations by Kadir Nelson (2017)
- Long Way Down (2017)
- Sunny (Track Book #3) (2018)
- For Every One (2018)
- Lu (Track Book #4) (2018)
- Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks(2019)
- Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You(2020)
- Stuntboy, in the Meantime (2021)
- Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You
- Ain't Burned All the Bright (2022)
Podcast series
See also
- Tomi Adeyemi, 21st-century African-American young adult novelist
- Eve Ewing, 21st-century African-American poet and scholar of education
- Ronald L. Smith, 21st-century African-American children's book author
- Javaka Steptoe, 21st-century African-American children's book author and illustrator
- Angie Thomas, 21st-century African-American young adult novelist
References
- ^ "Jason Reynolds named Library of Congress' national ambassador for young people's literature". CBS News. January 13, 2020. Archived from the original on May 23, 2020. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
- ^ Schaub, Michael (December 6, 2022). "Library of Congress To Celebrate Jason Reynolds". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ "Jason Reynolds Wins 2023 Edwards Award for 'When I was the Greatest,' 'The Boy in the Black Suit,' 'All American Boys,' 'Ghost" and "Long Way Down'". American Library Association. January 30, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Fleming, Alexandra Rockey (October 24, 2017). "Meet the Inspiring Author Who Writes He Wanted to Read Growing Up: 'Every Kid Knows Fear'". People. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
- ^ Reynolds, Jason (December 6, 2019). "Today, I've been alive 36 years". Twitter. Retrieved November 10, 2020.
- ^ Reynolds, Jason. "Just received the best birthday news from my editor...SUNNY is done!". Twitter. Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
- ^ from the original on May 13, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Corbett, Sue (July 14, 2017). "Jason Reynolds Is the Hardest-Working Man in Washington". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on April 1, 2018. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f Foster, Jordan (April 17, 2017). "Jason Reynolds: From Kid Poet to Award-Winning Author". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on April 1, 2018. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e Brown, Lesley-Ann (August 22, 2015). "The Graceful Power of Novelist Jason Reynolds". NBC News. Archived from the original on April 1, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g Reynolds, Jason (November 1, 2011). "A brief timeline of my career (so far...)". Jason Reynolds. Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ "Jason Reynolds Publishes Novel | English Department". www.english.umd.edu. University of Maryland. Archived from the original on April 1, 2018. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
- from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- OCLC 436734417.
- ^ Kennedy, Mark (May 3, 2021). "'Antiques Roadshow' flips the script with celebrity editions". ABC News. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
- ^ a b Wilde, Susie (2018). "Jason Reynolds". Audiofile. 26 (6): 22–23.
- ^ Callard, Abby. "Spoken Word Poems With Jason Reynolds". Smithsonian. Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
- ^ "WHEN I WAS THE GREATEST by Jason Reynolds". Kirkus Reviews. October 20, 2013. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
- ^ "Children's Book Review: When I Was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds. S&S/Atheneum, $17.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-4424-5947-2". Publishers Weekly. October 28, 2013. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
- ^ from the original on April 9, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
- ^ Bates, Karen Grigsby (November 25, 2015). "'All American Boys': A Young Adult Book About A Police Beating And A Hard Choice". NPR. Archived from the original on April 5, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
- ^ Kirch, Claire (January 20, 2016). "Reynolds, Kiely win WNDB's debut Walter Award". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on September 24, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
- ^ from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ "Children's Book Review: As Brave as You by Jason Reynolds". Publishers Weekly. May 9, 2016. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
- from the original on November 1, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
- ^ "AS BRAVE AS YOU by Jason Reynolds". Kirkus Reviews. March 30, 2016. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
- ^ Aiello, McKenna (February 11, 2017). "NAACP Image Awards 2017 Winners: The Complete List". E! Online. Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
- from the original on December 8, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
- ^ a b Randall, Kayla (January 4, 2018). "Jason Reynolds Is Revolutionizing the Art of Writing Characters". Washington City Paper. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
- from the original on April 9, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
- ^ "Children's Book Review: Ghost by Jason Reynolds". Publishers Weekly. August 8, 2016. Archived from the original on May 3, 2017. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
- ^ Quattlebaum, Mary (November 1, 2016). "Authors, friends share their inspiration for new books". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 2, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
- ^ Messner, Kate (August 26, 2016). "A Young Sprinter Finds His Team in 'Ghost'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 5, 2016. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
- ^ "GHOST by Jason Reynolds". Kirkus Reviews. July 20, 2016. Archived from the original on January 24, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
- ^ from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
- ^ a b c d "PATINA From the "Track" series, volume 2 by Jason Reynolds". Kirkus Reviews. July 2, 2017. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
- ^ a b c d Worthington, Becca (August 2017). "Patina Review". Booklist. Archived from the original on May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
- ^ a b Sommer, Shelley. "Patina by Jason Reynolds Review". School Library Journal. Archived from the original on May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
- ^ a b Corbett, Sue (March 13, 2017). "Jason Reynolds: Writing as Fast as He Can". Publishers Weekly. 264 (11): 22.
- ^ Njoku, Ebony (November–December 2017). "Review of Patina". Horn Book Magazine. Archived from the original on May 17, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2018.
- ^ "SUNNY From the "Track" series, volume 3 by Jason Reynolds; illustrated by Jason Reynolds". Kirkus Reviews. April 7, 2018. Archived from the original on April 12, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2018.
- ^ Gunderson, Alexis (April 30, 2018). "The Best Audiobooks of 2018 (So Far)". April 30, 2018. Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ Johnston, Rich (July 23, 2016). "Jason Reynolds To Write A Miles Morales Spider-Man Young Adult Novel" Archived August 7, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. Bleeding Cool.
- ^ Herviou, Nicole (May 20, 2017). "Check out this exclusive art for the new Spider-Man novel" Archived May 20, 2017, at the Wayback Machine. Mashable.
- ^ a b Diaz, Shelley (July 11, 2017). "Jason Reynolds On "Miles Morales," Spider-Man, and His Secret Superpower". www.slj.com. School Library Journal. Archived from the original on April 8, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
- ^ a b Roback, Diane (February 12, 2018). "Kelly, Cordell, LaCour Win Newbery, Caldecott, Printz". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
- ^ Boedeker, Hal. "Maitland author wins Edgar Award: 'Really awesome'". OrlandoSentinel.com. Archived from the original on April 30, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
- ^ "Outstanding Literary Work – Youth/Teens – NAACP Image Awards: 'Marshall,' 'Get Out,' 'Girls Trip' Dominate Film Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 2, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
- ^ LONG WAY DOWN | Kirkus Reviews. Archived from the original on October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
- ^ "Young Adult Author Jason Reynolds Releases Book "For Every One"". 90.1 FM WABE. April 6, 2018. Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ISBN 978-1-4814-8625-5.[page needed]
- ^ "Young Adult Hardcover Books - Best Sellers - April 29, 2018". The New York Times. April 29, 2018. Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ "Children's Series Books - Best Sellers - April 29, 2018". The New York Times. April 29, 2018. Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
- ^ "Ten Things I've Been Meaning to Say to You by Jason Reynolds". www.powells.com. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved October 19, 2020.
- ISBN 9781481438285. Archivedfrom the original on November 3, 2019. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
- ^ "The 2019 National Book Awards Finalists Announced". National Book Foundation. October 7, 2019. Archived from the original on October 9, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
- from the original on November 25, 2019. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
- from the original on November 4, 2019. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
- ^ Flood, Alison (June 16, 2021). "Jason Reynolds wins Carnegie medal for 'breathtaking' Look Both Ways". the Guardian. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
- ^ a b c Gutterman, Annabel (August 2019). "Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi Are Teaming Up to Help Young People Navigate Racism". Time. Archived from the original on August 21, 2019. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
- ^ Author Jason Reynolds Speaks On His Latest Book, "Look Both Ways", archived from the original on July 29, 2020, retrieved November 3, 2019
- ^ "Stamped (for Kids)". Kirkus Reviews. April 7, 2021. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
- ^ "My Mother Made Me".
- ^ "John Steptoe New Talent Award". American Library Association. January 26, 2009. Archived from the original on September 3, 2011. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ "Ghost, by Jason Reynolds, 2016 National Book Award Finalist, Young People's Literature". National Book Foundation. Archived from the original on March 20, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
- ^ "Past Winners and Honorees". We Need Diverse Books. January 22, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Coretta Scott King Book Awards - All Recipients, 1970-Present". American Library Association. April 5, 2012. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ Best Fiction for Young Adults: 2017. March 1, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2022 – via Booklist.
- ^ "NAACP Image Awards - Outstanding Literary Work". African American Literature Book Club. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ "2017 Odyssey Award". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). March 14, 2018. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ "Ghost | Awards & Grants". American Library Association. January 24, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ a b Morales, Macey (February 19, 2018). "American Library Association announces 2018 youth media award winners". American Library Association. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ "The 2018 Edgar Award Winners". CrimeReads. April 27, 2018. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ "NAACP Image Awards: 'Marshall,' 'Get Out,' 'Girls Trip' Dominate Film Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. November 20, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ "2018 Printz Award". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). January 28, 2019. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ "2019 National Book Awards Longlists announced". National Book Foundation. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ "Jason Reynolds Named New National Ambassador for Young People's Literature". Library of Congress. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ "Reynolds, Smith win 2021 Carnegie, Greenaway medals". Books+Publishing. June 17, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ "Jason Reynolds Wins 2023 Edwards Award for 'When I was the Greatest,' 'The Boy in the Black Suit,' 'All American Boys,' 'Ghost" and "Long Way Down'". American Library Association. January 30, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
External links
- Official website
- Reading as a National Ambassador of Young People's Literature on Library of Congress, February 20, 2020
- Interview on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, January 23, 2018
- Interview on The Writing Life, October 9, 2018