Jason Reynolds Quotes

Jason Reynolds

Profession : Author

Birth : December 6, 1983

It wasn't that the teachers were bad. From what I can remember, they were pretty good. It was about the selection of books. It was about not seeing my young life reflected back to me: my family dynamics, the noise and complexities of my neighborhood, the things I loved, like ice cream trucks and Kool-Aid.

Jason Reynolds

Having a superpower has nothing to do with the ability to fly or jump, or superhuman strength. The truest superpowers are the ones we all possess: willpower, integrity, and most importantly, courage.

Jason Reynolds

The truths are universal: Every kid knows fear. Every kid knows family and friendship. Loss, love, laughter. Everything else is just detail.

Jason Reynolds

Be not afraid of discomfort. If you can't put yourself in a situation where you are uncomfortable, then you will never grow. You will never change. You'll never learn.

Jason Reynolds

Writing is like any other sort of sport. In order for you to get better at it, you have to exercise the muscle.

Jason Reynolds

I'm writing all the books I wish I had when I was a kid.

Jason Reynolds

Grief is like mending a knee. You can mend the knee and make it function, but the knee never actually heals.

Jason Reynolds

When I was a kid, I couldn't see life outside ramen noodles and Kool-Aid.

Jason Reynolds

We've always been told to pretend as if we're not afraid.

Jason Reynolds

Sometimes it's okay for careers to find you.

Jason Reynolds

I know the feeling of confusion and betrayal. I know the feeling of fearing for my life.

Jason Reynolds

Poetry has the ability to create entire moments with just a few choice words. The spacing and line breaks create rhythm, a helpful musicality, a natural flow. The separate stanzas aid in perpetuating a kind of incremental reading, one small chunk at a time.

Jason Reynolds

Gratitude is one of the greatest gifts we can give. And it's not a gift we often give to children. We expect it of them, but we don't necessarily give it back.

Jason Reynolds

All I want kids to know is that I see them for who they are and not who everyone thinks they are.

Jason Reynolds

The idea of the mask in any scenario has always fascinated me. Not only does it protect identity, it also allows one to hide.

Jason Reynolds

I grew up around a whole bunch of girls, and one thing I realized is what they had on their plate was very different than what I had on mine. The things girls are made to be responsible for is a heavy burden - take care of your younger siblings, do good in school, have some extracurriculars. The pressure is intense.

Jason Reynolds

Hip-hop saved me. It gave me permission to use language in a certain way. It validated my community and my friends. It gave our slang a certain elegance.

Jason Reynolds

The stories of kids who grew up in communities like mine weren't being written about in many books for kids.

Jason Reynolds

The feeling of self-discovery, for me, is perennial.

Jason Reynolds

Boston is pretty infamous for race relations.

Jason Reynolds