Authors Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely Inspire Grade 8 Students
For the past month, Grade 8 students have been reading and discussing works by authors Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely. Along with their own individual works, the authors co-wrote the award-winning All American Boys that deals with police brutality from the alternative voices of the victim, Rashad, and a witness, Quinn. Jason spoke honestly about his experiences as a black man from an economically disadvantaged community while Brendan talked about learning to recognize the privileges - and responsibilities - he has as a white man in this country.
In their talk with students, Jason and Brendan connected many real events from their own lives to scenes and characters in their books, emphasizing the authenticity of their work. Students asked thoughtful questions about the books they had read as well as the authors' writing processes and their personal friendship. The visit was both engaging and inspiring!
Story provided by: Christy Payne, N.B.C.T., Director of Libraries and Information Services
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