Jason Reynolds' favorite thing is being alone

By Rachel Martin

Published June 12, 2025 at 7:00 AM EDT

A note from Wild Card host Rachel Martin: I want you to think back to when you were a kid — was there an adult in your life who didn't talk down to you? Someone who instantly just treated you like a person, with your own perspectives and life experiences?

Jason Reynolds has built his entire career around not talking down to kids. His best selling and award-winning young adult books include "Long Way Down," "Ghost" and two Miles Morales Spider-Man novels. All of his stories come out of his own experience as a Black kid growing up outside of Washington D.C. Kids are complicated people, and Jason Reynolds treats them that way.

Jason won a MacArthur "genius" award in 2024. His most recent release is an original audio book called "Soundtrack."

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

Protect Connecticut Public