Jason

Reynolds 01

From Kid Poet to Literary Celebrity

 Let’s be honest — Jason
Reynolds could publish
his grocery list and I
02
would read it (and
probably give it 5 stars).
-One Early Reviewer
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 Rap Music
It was rap music that opened
Reynolds to the world of literature.
One day he went to the store and
04 bought a Queen Latifah cassette tape
for $5. As he was listening and
rapping along, he opened the liner
notes and made a life-changing
discovery: "This is also literature in
the form of poetry, but it sounds like
me."
Jason began
writing poetry
at the age of 14. 05

His first poem was read at

his grandma's funeral.
 Failed First Attempts
Just after graduation, Jason and his
friend went into debt printing a
collection of poetry and art.
06 Jason was 21 when he first got a
literary agent (this one was a win).
He and his friend wrote "My Name
Is Jason. Mine Too" (2009). It was
not a commercial success.
He returned home, put aside his
dream of becoming a writer, and
began to work for his father
(director of a mental health clinic).
 "I learned just how
interesting stories can be,
how complex humanity
really is, how necessary it is 07

sometimes to humanize
those who have been
vilified."
-Jason Reynolds
 First Hit 
Jason wrote his first novel, When I
Was the Greatest, before and after
his shifts at Rag & Bone in 2012
(five pages a day).
08 “I had never written anything in
my own voice,” he recalls. “I
thought, ‘You mean to tell me I
can put my natural voice on the
page, the one everybody has
called improper English, and
it’ll give texture and authenticity
to the story? I didn’t know.’ ”
Award-Winning
Author
New York Times bestselling
author
Newbery Award Honoree
09
Printz Award Honoree
National Book Award Honoree
Kirkus Award winner
Walter Dean Myers Award winner
(two times)
NAACP Image Award Winner
Coretta Scott King honors (three
years in a row)
 Jason has
10 published
12 books.
Books

Reflects your confidence

and allows your important 11
points to sink in
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Poetry

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 Split into 8
groups.
As a group, research one
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book using NoveList
(located on our database
page or in the portal) and be
prepared to share the
synopsis and themes with
the class.
 What recurring themes
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did you discover as you
shared information about
the books?
Hint: You can discover
themes by clicking on
the "More About This
Book" tab and looking
under subject headings.
 COMPETITION!
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I'm looking for a student who can introduce our
literary rockstar before his presentation in the
auditorium. Maybe it's you!!!
Good luck! 18
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What do you
hope Jason
talks about 20
during his
presenation?