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is an award-winning author and National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. This hour, Jason speaks with Manoush about reaching kids through stories that let them feel understood. 

Jason Reynolds is a best-selling author and the 

National Ambassador for Young People's Literature

. He was recently appointed to that position by the Library of Congress for a record third term.

 for young adult and middle-grade audiences, including “Ghost,” a National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature. His other works include “All American Boys,” the “Track” series, “Long Way Down,” “For Everyone,” and “Miles Morales: Spider-Man.” He has received numerous awards for his work, including a Printz Honor, a Newbery Honor, a Walter Dean Myers Awards, an Edgar Award, and a Carnegie Medal.

Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in neighboring Oxon Hill, Maryland, Reynolds found inspiration in rap music and began writing poetry at the age of nine. He self-published his first work at age 16 and continued writing poetry for several years before writing his first novel, “When I Was The Greatest,” in 2014. He won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent for this first work of prose. In the following years, he has written more than a dozen other works, including the #1 New York Times bestseller “Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You,” co-authored with Ibram X. Kendi.

As National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, he visits schools all over the country to connect with kids over books and reading, as well as raise national awareness of the importance of young people's literature. He is featured in a YouTube series entitled 

 through the Library of Congress where he gives young writers creative prompts to stretch their imagination and to learn to write authentically.

This episode of the TED Radio Hour was produced by Fiona Geiran and Rachel Faulkner. It was edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour

Our production staff also includes Katie Monteleone, Diba Mohtasham, Sylvie Douglis, James Delahoussaye, Matthew Cloutier, and Harrison Vijay Tsui. Jeff Rogers is our executive producer. Our audio engineer is Daniel Shukhin.

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Manoush Zomorodi

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Fiona Geiran

Rachel Faulkner

Sanaz Meshkinpour

Jason Reynolds is an award-winning author and National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. This hour, Jason speaks with Manoush about reaching kids through stories that let them feel understood.

Jason Reynolds: How can we connect with kids through the written word?

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