The Amazing Jason Reynolds

Just before spring break I received an email from the public library teen department. They had scheduled Jason Reynolds to visit and, due to state testing requirements, he was not going to be able to go to the high schools. I was asked if he could come talk to my students right after break. I wanted to say yes, but had to check with my principal and also find out if I could get staff members on board. Thank goodness, on both accounts, that the answer was YES. On that very day, 80 copies of All American Boys were delivered to the school and the eighth grade general English classes began reading it soon after.

I'm never certain as to how author visits will take shape--or how things will go on the actual day. My biggest worry this time was the week-long spring break looming ahead with our state M-STEP testing to follow. Would the students get engaged enough with the book to be ready for our guest? Would testing run over and make it hard for kids to come and meet the author? So many unknowns that any control freak would worry about were all coming together at once! However, after hosting many author visits over the past several years, I should know enough to trust my staff and our students--they always come through and this time was no different.

KPL and KPS librarians with Jason Reynolds. We are fortunate to have a partnership between the public and school libraries.

Mr. Reynolds arrived in the afternoon with the teen librarians from the public library. He was immediately comfortable--open and friendly in ways that make him magnetic. The kids were finishing lunch, so we had time to chat about his projects, as well as forthcoming books by other authors that he is excited about. I could have spent a whole day talking books with him. He also made a joke about my red hair (it's a superpower!) which made me instantly like him. I knew right away that the students were going to be on the edge of their seats--and I was not mistaken.

When the students arrived, they settled in and he began telling his side of where the idea for All American Boys came from. He also told Brendan Kiely's story. I won't spoil it because I genuinely hope everyone gets to see Jason speak, but I will say that the students were immediately engaged by his honesty and his storytelling ability. After talking about the book, he also spoke in general about the choices one makes and how they might impact future options. One of our staff members asked him about the moment when the "light went on," and he decided he needed to get his business in order as he had been a teen with little direction. He gave three heartbreaking instances that were pivotal for him . . . and you could hear a pin drop. It's hard for anyone to see into the future, particularly as a teen. I'm hoping that my students were able to take something from Mr. Reynolds' advice and that they will apply it to themselves. I see students every day who have limitless potential, but yet are backing themselves into corners where they will not have as many options as they might otherwise.

How impactful was this visit? We had to have Mr. Reynolds speak at the end of the day due to our testing schedule. Though the final bell had rung, I had students who stuck around to keep asking questions and chatting. As if that was not enough, even more students arrived at the evening presentation to hear him speak again. The boys were especially taken with everything he shared--and wanted to ask even more questions. I know that there is a lot of talk out there about transforming boys into readers. I have always thought that good collection development and reader's advisory both make a difference. However, this visit convinced me that making connections can also be powerful. I like the idea of authors becoming heroes and role models . . . but also for my students to discover their own strengths chart a path for themselves. I am grateful for every opportunity to expose students to new books, new ideas, new people . . . we are fortunate to have a relationship between the schools and the public library that offers our students so much more than I can do on my own.

These boys had follow-up questions for Mr. Reynolds. Two of them also attended the evening presentation to learn more.

Our staff members also took time out to join the presentation and ask questions after Mr. Reynolds was done.