How a retail worker found the courage to write for kids
In short: Jason Reynolds didn't start reading books until he was 17. He spent years working at department stores and mental health clinics, often writing his novels while standing at a cash register when business was slow. His journey from poetry to best-selling fiction is a masterclass in finding your voice.
Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Oxon Hill, Maryland, Jason Reynolds' early creative life was shaped by the 1980s and 90s rap scene. Inspired by artists like Queen Latifah, Tupac, and Biggie, he began writing poetry at age nine. These early works were deeply personal; one of his first poems about his grandmother’s death in 1994 was printed in her funeral program to console his mother.
Despite a BA in English from the University of Maryland—earned despite lackluster grades and academic discouragement—Reynolds struggled to find his footing as a novelist. After moving to New York, he lost his apartment and worked at Lord & Taylor and Rag & Bone. It was during these retail shifts that he began drafting stories. His breakthrough came when friend Chris Myers urged him to write about young Black boys, suggesting Reynolds look toward the works of Walter Dean Myers rather than trying to emulate giants like James Baldwin or Toni Morrison.
Reynolds' literary output is now vast and diverse. He is known for the Track series—including titles like Ghost (2016) and Sunny (2018)—and high-profile collaborations like All American Boys, which explores police brutality through two distinct perspectives. His work is characterized by an authentic focus on minority characters and a commitment to capturing specific voices, whether he is writing about the 'raw' honesty of urban fiction or distilling systemic social issues into individual family dynamics.
Currently holding a MacArthur Fellowship, Reynolds previously acted as the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature at the Library of Congress. His career serves as a testament to the power of persistence: moving from self-published poetry in 2001 to becoming one of the most influential voices in contemporary young adult literature.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Jason Reynolds
- Also: Wikidata — Jason Reynolds · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Jason K. Reynolds · CC0
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