Miles Morales: Spider-Man

Jason Reynolds is an African American author, poet, and video producer best known for his works of young adult fiction. Described as a champion of diversity in literature, Reynolds has earned numerous accolades for his work, including multiple honors as a New York Times bestseller.

Born in Washington, DC, in 1983, Reynolds was raised in a multicultural family; his father is African American and his mother is Puerto Rican. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Maryland, and went on to earn his MFA in writing for young people from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Reynolds published and performed some of his poetry before publishing his first book, an anthology of essays written by Black writers about their experiences growing up, titled My Name Is Jason. Mine Too, in 2003. Reynolds’s debut novel When I Was the Greatest was published in 2015 and quickly accompanied by another titled The Boy in the Black Suit; both novels were received well by critics.

Reynolds has written more than a dozen books to date, including All American Boys (2015), which was cowritten with Brendan Kiely. The novel is a contemporary story of two boys, one Black and one white, who are caught up in a police shooting. The novel was a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature.

Reynolds is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in literature. He has written repeatedly on the topic, noting that it is “crucial” for young readers to see themselves reflected in books, particularly those that tackle difficult issues. In 2020, Reynolds was named the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. This honor recognizes an author’s impact on promoting reading and literature to young people (Alam, Rumman. “Who Jason Reynolds Writes His Best-Sellers For.” Life and Letters, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2021).