Posted on May 2, 2023
Author Jason Reynolds on book bans, racism and Spiderman
393
15
2
7
7
0
https://www.npr.org/2023/05/02/ [login to see] /author-jason-reynolds-on-book-bans-racism-and-spiderman
Award-winning author Jason Reynolds returns with a sequel to his young adult novel Miles Morales: Spider-Man. This one is called Miles Morales Suspended, and it continues the adventures of an "unassuming, everyday kid who just so happens to be Spider-Man."
In the sequel, Miles Morales — the half-Black, half-Puerto Rican teenage Spiderman — finds himself in school suspension for disagreeing with his history teacher. Morales goes to a fancy private school in Brooklyn, New York, where he doesn't always feel acknowledged. But with his superhero powers, he's invincible.
Reynolds' book is directed toward a wide audience — part poetry, part prose, with illustrations throughout. It grapples with huge themes though: censorship in schools, racism and fear.
He spoke with Morning Edition's A Martinez about Morales' other teenage superpowers and obsessions: writing poetry, and exploring his feelings about family, teachers, and a girl he likes.
Award-winning author Jason Reynolds returns with a sequel to his young adult novel Miles Morales: Spider-Man. This one is called Miles Morales Suspended, and it continues the adventures of an "unassuming, everyday kid who just so happens to be Spider-Man."
In the sequel, Miles Morales — the half-Black, half-Puerto Rican teenage Spiderman — finds himself in school suspension for disagreeing with his history teacher. Morales goes to a fancy private school in Brooklyn, New York, where he doesn't always feel acknowledged. But with his superhero powers, he's invincible.
Reynolds' book is directed toward a wide audience — part poetry, part prose, with illustrations throughout. It grapples with huge themes though: censorship in schools, racism and fear.
He spoke with Morning Edition's A Martinez about Morales' other teenage superpowers and obsessions: writing poetry, and exploring his feelings about family, teachers, and a girl he likes.
Author Jason Reynolds on book bans, racism and Spiderman
Posted from npr.org
Reading
Racism
1st Amendment
Freedom of Speech
Posted 1 y ago
Responses: 2
4
4
0
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel good day Brother William, always informational and of the most interesting. Thanks for sharing, have a blessed day!
(4)
(0)
4
4
0
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."On the real villain: fear and blockades
I will say that for me — there are very few actual villainous people. There are people who make decisions that feel villainous, who do terrible things to people. But I don't know if there's a person who's all the way bad. Like, we can name a few offhand, but I think most of us are somewhere in the gray. And so I like that the binary is always complicated for me when it comes to writing the hero in the villain story.
This idea that there is darkness, right? That fear is a villain. That if we can't get power, get out of our own way or get past our own stuff, then we'll create stuff that our young people can't get past. We'll put blockades there because the blockade makes it safer for me, who's also dealing with the same blockade. And I think all of those things are what creates that darkness in this story, but also in our society."
..."On the real villain: fear and blockades
I will say that for me — there are very few actual villainous people. There are people who make decisions that feel villainous, who do terrible things to people. But I don't know if there's a person who's all the way bad. Like, we can name a few offhand, but I think most of us are somewhere in the gray. And so I like that the binary is always complicated for me when it comes to writing the hero in the villain story.
This idea that there is darkness, right? That fear is a villain. That if we can't get power, get out of our own way or get past our own stuff, then we'll create stuff that our young people can't get past. We'll put blockades there because the blockade makes it safer for me, who's also dealing with the same blockade. And I think all of those things are what creates that darkness in this story, but also in our society."
(4)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google