ASML Author Series: Jason Reynolds

Please join us on Saturday, December 13 at 3pm for an Author Talk with renowned teen and children’s author Jason Reynolds. Reynolds will be in conversation with Valmai Hanson, Head of Teen Services at Wilton Library.

Jason is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels and poetry for young adult and middle-grade audiences, and a 2024 MacArthur Fellow. His new book, Coach, came out on October 14th and is the fifth book in the New York Times bestselling Track series. Some of his other works include Twenty-Four Seconds From Now..., National Book Award Finalist Look Both Ways, Caldecott Honor There Was a Party for Langston, and Ain’t Burned All The Bright, a Caldecott Honor winner. In his works, Jason aims to depict the rich inner lives of kids of color and ensure that they see themselves and their communities in literature.

Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Maryland, Reynolds first found inspiration in rap and began writing poetry when he was nine years old. He went on to publish several poetry collections before publishing his first novel, When I Was the Greatest, which won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent. He has since written numerous award-winning novels, including All American Boys, the Track series, Patina, Sunny, For Everyone, Miles Morales-Spiderman, and As Brave As You, which won the Kirkus Prize, an NAACP Image Award, and the Schneider Family Book Award. He is also the author of Long Way Down, a novel in verse which was named a Newbery Honor book, a Printz Honor Book, and best young adult work by the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Awards.

Reynolds’ book, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, written in collaboration with author and historian Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, is a gripping, fast-paced, and energizing narrative that illuminates the many insidious forms of racist ideas and gives readers the tools to identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their own lives. 

Reynolds currently lives and writes in Washington, D.C., and has served three terms as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. For more information on this Speaker, please visit www.simonspeakers.com. 

Elm Street Books will be on site to sell different books written by Jason Reynolds. Attendees may also preorder books from Elm Street Books available here and pick up the books at the event to be signed by the author. The Library receives a portion of proceeds from these sales. 

Doors will open at 2:30 p.m.

Pre-registrants should arrive NO LATER THAN 2:45 pm to be guaranteed seating; walk-in registrants as well as pre-registrants will be admitted after 2:45 pm, if space is available.

Please note that we are expecting more than 350 people to attend this program and finding parking may be challenging. Kindly carpool if possible, and look for parking in other nearby parking lots.

The ASML Author Series is sponsored by ASML. 

Photo credit: James J. Reddington