New York Times Best-Seller Jason Reynolds Visits Atlanta Public Schools

Atlanta Public Schools (APS) middle school students erupted when New York Times best-selling author Jason Reynolds took the stage in The B.E.S.T. Academy auditorium.

“The students reacted to seeing Jason Reynolds the way they might react when they see a movie star or popular music artist,” APS director of library and media services Jennifer Saunders said. “Their reaction shows that they understand the power of his storytelling. He is telling the stories that they can relate to and that they want to read.”

The students from Sutton 6th grade Academy, John Lewis Invictus Academy, Bunche Middle School, Young Middle School, Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy (CSK), B.E.S.T. Academy, Long Middle School, Hollis Innovation Academy, King Middle School, and Sylvan Middle School had each spent the five weeks leading up to the author’s visit engaging in reading activities as a part of the middle school Books & Badges Club.

During the middle school book club, APS police officers and students read Ghost, the first book in Jason Reynolds’ Track series. In the weekly discussions, students not only went over the themes and topics from the novel, but also worked through activities and conversations that connected with their lives.

“Events like this directly support our district’s mission to prepare students for college, career, and life,” Saunders said. “Our goal in Library Media Services is to continually inspire a joy of reading. We know that proficiency grows from passion—so we help students find genuine enjoyment in reading by connecting them with authors of books they love, especially authors who look like them.”

Reynolds engaged with students and answered their questions about the series. His books, which draw inspiration from real stories and real people, is his way of connecting with his audience. Especially for young readers, Reynolds wants his storytelling to engage with them and reflect the normalcy, beauty and complexity of their lives at that age.

The author is celebrating the release of his newest book Coach, which is the fifth and final book of the Track series. The students in the Books & Badges book club started at the beginning of the series, but the avid readers who followed the main character Coach through the first four books will be taken back to 1988 and discover how the protagonist navigated through the early years of his life.

Fortunately for the APS students, they didn’t have to wait in line at the bookstore or online delivery, because everyone who came to see Reynolds received a free, signed copy at the end of the event.

“When I can show up to a place and it’s packed and all the kids are excited, then I’ve done my job,” Reynolds said. “Getting our kids to read has everything to do with keeping their bodies physically free, their minds mentally and emotionally free. It’s bigger than just the story. It’s more about making sure that they know they exist in the world.”