OYAN Review: Jason Reynolds Talks Like an Author

This post is an article from the Spring 2018 issue of the OYAN Review and has been edited slightly for publication on the blog. It was written by Kristy Kemper Hodge at the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library.

It was Saturday night of the OASL Fall Conference, and Jason Reynolds towered on stage. He regaled us with the story of how he went from an obstinate non-reader to the author powerhouse he is today. The story begins with a much younger Jason, who grew up in a neighborhood that was dangerous and full of perils like gangs, shootings, drugs, and death. Where young men walked on one side of the law or the other, dealing and gang-banging or keeping their heads down, going to school, and staying out of trouble. Jason was able to keep out of trouble, and focus on school, but he was no reader. Why read? Why bother when there were no books about people like him? Who looked like him, talked like him, walked like him, lived like him? Or about people like his friends, family, and the people in his neighborhood? What could books possibly offer?

Then came Queen Latifah.

Slides for OLA 2018 Sessions Now Available

Whether or not you were able to join us in Eugene for OLA, you can now view the slides for most presentations on Northwest Central. Of particular interest to OYAN members:

• Understanding Autism preconference
• Being On the National YALSA Teens’ Top Ten Panel: A Tale of Many ARCs
• Engaging Teens Using YouTube
• If They Build It, They Might Come: Design Thinking and Teen Summer Reading
• Stark Raving OYAN: Book Rave and Graphic Rave Revealed, 2018
• This One’s for the Fans: Building and Improving Access to Fandom Collections in the Library

Mark your calendars: the 2019 OLA-WLA Conference will be held at the Hilton Vancouver in Vancouver, WA from April 17-20, 2019!

Diverse Voices in Teen Reads: A Book List

This booklist [pdf] comes from the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library and features books for teens that represent a diversity of lived experiences.

J NON-FICTION

Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
An in-depth account of Claudette Colvin, an important yet largely unknown civil rights figure.

Dreaming in Indian: Contemporary Native American Voices
An anthology of art and writings from some of the most groundbreaking Native artists working in North America today.

The Port Chicago 50 by Steve Sheinkin
An account of the 1944 civil rights protest by hundreds of African-American Navy servicemen who refused to work in unsafe conditions.

Rhythm Ride: A Road Trip Through the Motown Sound by Andrea Davis Pinkney
A narrative history of the Motown music label.

Combatting Hate via Your Library

YALSA has resources to help you support teens, especially those who may be feeling the brunt of current events. YALSA also has resources to help you promote empathy and understanding among teens. Check out these wiki pages:

• Cultural Competence
• Fostering Global Citizenship, Inclusion, and Understanding
• Serving Diverse Teens
• Supporting Youth in the Post-Election Climate

Don’t forget that anyone can add content to these pages, so if you know of a good resource, please add it!