The Glenbard Parent Series hosted author Jason Reynolds, the Library of Congress Youth Ambassador to Young People’s Literature, at a community author event on September 29, 2020. The Glenbard Parent Series selected the electrifying Long Way Down and Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You as its first semester Community-Wide Reads.
Long Way Down, written in free verse, is told from the perspective of a teenage boy mourning the death of his brother and contemplating revenge. The novel is set during the sixty seconds it takes the boy to ride the elevator down from his apartment. At each floor along the way, he encounters family and friends destroyed by gun violence. Each has advice for him as he struggles with the burden of revenge and grapples with a life-altering dilemma: to kill his brother’s murderer or not.
Jason Reynolds also discussed his criticality acclaimed non- fiction exploration of racism and antiracism, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You. This remix of Kendi’s book Stamped From the Beginning similarly traces the origins of anti-black and racist ideas as well as proposes tools for identifying and combating them- all approachable for a younger audience. Reynolds writes, “This is a book about the here and now”. The book is number one on the NY Times Bestseller List from the most in-demand young adult author in the U.S.
Jason Reynolds is a number one New York Times bestselling author, a Newbery Award Honoree, a two-time National Book Award finalist, an NAACP Image Award Winner, and the recipient of multiple Coretta Scott King honors. Among his 14 books are Ghost, All American Boys, and Long Way Down–which was a recent Parents’ Choice Gold Award Winner. The Chicago Tribune says books by Jason Reynolds are among the “best to lure kids from screens during the coronavirus lockdown.”
Community member summarizes Reynolds' event
Erica Nelson, former Glenbard Parent, faculty member for Business and Corporate Education, and co-president of the League of Women Voters of Glen Ellyn shared the following:
Jason Reynolds, Library of Congress National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, was this month’s GPS nationally recognized speaker. Jason Reynolds enthusiasm for writing and especially writing for kids was on full display on October 29th and the 500 + teens and community members who attended felt his passion and compassion.
Jason started his presentation with a gentle reminder for our school community during this challenging public health crisis….”Students, be gentle with yourselves. Parents, be gentle with yourselves. Teachers, be gentle with yourselves.” His book, Long Way Down is about a 15-year old boy whose brother is shot and killed. And so Will, descends in the elevator the 8 floors in his building, with a decision to make; does he take revenge?
Jason shared that when the book was first published the response was that it was a book about gun violence. That is true. It is also about this boy, Will. Living in an environment with rules that can make it impossible to see another way to live. The Rules. No. 1 No Crying. No. 2 No Snitching. No 3. Revenge, take it. Jason’s story is Will’s story. He lost a good friend as a teenager and Jason found another way to live.
Jason wants his readers to know about Will: “We don't see the things strapped to his back.” These are the rules that burden him when he wants to be a kid. “Every environment has rules that we carry on our backs.” What are they for us? What holds us back? What holds us in?
Jason took multiple questions from Glenbard High School students who were thoughtful and engaging. Two questions capture their preparation. The first was about whether he (Jason Reynolds) believes that this country (America) is the country that our founding fathers had in mind. Another was how Jason found the confidence to be a writer.
A takeaway from the book is to open our hearts to understand the belief systems and the rules that guide our lives. How do we see beyond the limits imposed on us? Acknowledge them. Challenge them. Break through them. We are much bigger than where we begin.
Parent shares takeaway from author event
Glenbard West parent Karin Daly shared the following takeaway:
"I appreciate that the Glenbard Parent Series had the courage to provide a platform to have challenging conversations and to hear voices that might be able to shake up and penetrate what many call 'the bubble' of our suburban area. Jason Reynolds brought a historical and thoughtful perspective, asking us to question the narrative of what we have long been taught, like calling something 'classic literature' — by whose definition? I loved his simpler themes as well: Anti-racism is just another word for love; and the concept that racism acts much like a virus and that we all have to own our role in the contagion to stop the spread.I'd like to continue to see this community having challenging conversations with each other and with our children. And questioning what we accept as a truth or a standard, as it may not take into account someone else's very valid truth or what is standard to them. Thanks again to GPS for a thought-provoking evening."
Resources
JASON REYNOLDS WEB SITE
STAMPED: FOR OUR CLASSROOMS, HOMES, AND COMMUNITIES web site with various videos and resources
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