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November
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Maryland Author: Jason Reynolds Genre: Young Adult (YA) Action
“When it comes to books and reading, we have to get creative.” Jason Reynolds
Jason Reynolds - Born in Washington, DC and raised in neighboring Oxon Hill, MD, Reynolds found inspiration in rap and begin writing poetry at nine years old. He didn’t read a novel cover to cover till he was 17. It was Richard Wright's Black Boy and the “mischief in that book," he says, "reminded me of the mischief that my friends and I had done." It sparked in him a love of language and he began writing. He attended the University of Maryland. Jason publishing several poetry collections before he published his own first novel, When I Was The Greatest, for which he won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent. Seven more novels followed in the next four years, including Ghost and two more books in what became his New York Times best-selling Track series, Patina and Sunny As Brave As You earned Jason the 2017 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work for Youth/Teen. His latest release is a Marvel Comics novel called Miles Morales: Spider-Man. Learn more about Jason Reynolds at: www.jasonwritesbooks.com/
Genre: Young Adult (YA) Action is fiction written for young readers (ages 12–18). Jason’s books are written for middle-graders and teens and address difficult subjects, but they aren't scary. They reflect his understanding of the fears and challenges that all young people experience. They also reflect his awareness that today's kids face huge distractions and that his stories must be exciting to keep their interest. As he says, “I don’t write boring books.”
A partial reading list includes: When I Was The Greatest; Ghost; Patina; Sunny; As Brave As You; Miles Morales: Spider-Man.
Writer's Prompt Responses
Maryland Writers’ Association (MWA) invites you to have fun writing part of a Marvel YA Novel using only 100 words. In your 100 words, weave together 1) your YA character, 2) the Marvel Superhero he/she becomes, 3) a second character they rescue, 4) the situation they are rescued from, 5) a family pet, and 6) a sport.
Maryland Writers’ Association (MWA) invites you to have fun writing part of a Marvel YA Novel using only 100 words. In your 100 words, weave together 1) your YA character, 2) the Marvel Superhero he/she becomes, 3) a second character they rescue, 4) the situation they are rescued from, 5) a family pet, and 6) a sport.
Jon Ketzner - Cumberland Times-News - Cumberland
Jane Grey and Sarah closed the middle-school door, fresh from lacrosse practice. Waiting was Sarah's brother, Jerod, holding their boxer Sophie.
Jerod thought Jane was the smartest, prettiest girl in school but he didn't know what to do about it.
Jane smiled like she could read his mind.
Two huge men climbed out of a car and grabbed Jerod and Sarah.
"C'mon, you're coming with us," sneered one. Then to Jane, " Beat it darlin before you get invited too."
Both thugs dropped in an unconscious heap.
"Let's go," yelled Jane, "we'll figure out what's going on and what to do."
Jane Grey and Sarah closed the middle-school door, fresh from lacrosse practice. Waiting was Sarah's brother, Jerod, holding their boxer Sophie.
Jerod thought Jane was the smartest, prettiest girl in school but he didn't know what to do about it.
Jane smiled like she could read his mind.
Two huge men climbed out of a car and grabbed Jerod and Sarah.
"C'mon, you're coming with us," sneered one. Then to Jane, " Beat it darlin before you get invited too."
Both thugs dropped in an unconscious heap.
"Let's go," yelled Jane, "we'll figure out what's going on and what to do."
Patsy Snyder - Cumberland Times News - Cumberland
Used to be I was scared of everything. Not so much anymore. Not since the accident, that gave me power over all machines. It comes in handy. Today it saved Carly.
We were both walking to the YMCA. I left Shuster, my dog, home, so we could play basketball. I saw Carly on the opposite side of the street. Carly is excitable. When she saw me, she jumped between parked cars and ran across the street in front of a fast moving truck.
I closed my eyes becoming one with the truck, it skidded to an abrupt stop, saving Carly.
Used to be I was scared of everything. Not so much anymore. Not since the accident, that gave me power over all machines. It comes in handy. Today it saved Carly.
We were both walking to the YMCA. I left Shuster, my dog, home, so we could play basketball. I saw Carly on the opposite side of the street. Carly is excitable. When she saw me, she jumped between parked cars and ran across the street in front of a fast moving truck.
I closed my eyes becoming one with the truck, it skidded to an abrupt stop, saving Carly.
Penny Knobel-Besa - Cumberland Times News - Flintstone
Zimmy rushed the basket thinking this one’s a sure thing, smiled at his little brother, Benji, just as he lost his balance thrown off by Scruffy tugging viciously at his pants leg and snatching the grimy basketball.
Zimmy’s head hit the cement as he saw the long legged mongrel do his impossible trick of bouncing and leaping until he dunked the ball. As his vision cleared he saw six grungy guys grabbing Scruffy while Benji flailed at them. Amazingly he saw his body had been transformed and he instinctively threw the shield in his hands and he didn’t miss.
Zimmy rushed the basket thinking this one’s a sure thing, smiled at his little brother, Benji, just as he lost his balance thrown off by Scruffy tugging viciously at his pants leg and snatching the grimy basketball.
Zimmy’s head hit the cement as he saw the long legged mongrel do his impossible trick of bouncing and leaping until he dunked the ball. As his vision cleared he saw six grungy guys grabbing Scruffy while Benji flailed at them. Amazingly he saw his body had been transformed and he instinctively threw the shield in his hands and he didn’t miss.
Patricia A. Hughes - Frederick News Post - Middletown
Tim lay on the wrestling mat dazed and confused, the laughter ringing in his ears, and a foot on his chest. Looking to the stands he saw his girlfriend Gina being taunted and abused, her head buried deep in her beloved miniature Yorkie’s fur.
“Look at Tim now” they chanted “he’s not ‘The Rock’ that’s for sure” they laughed.
“That little dog can probably wrestle better than he can” they said poking and shaking his little head.
Losing his temper and despising bullies, Tim bounded off the mat and burst out of his clothes, once again becoming the Incredible Hulk.
Tim lay on the wrestling mat dazed and confused, the laughter ringing in his ears, and a foot on his chest. Looking to the stands he saw his girlfriend Gina being taunted and abused, her head buried deep in her beloved miniature Yorkie’s fur.
“Look at Tim now” they chanted “he’s not ‘The Rock’ that’s for sure” they laughed.
“That little dog can probably wrestle better than he can” they said poking and shaking his little head.
Losing his temper and despising bullies, Tim bounded off the mat and burst out of his clothes, once again becoming the Incredible Hulk.
Lawrence McGuire - Waldorf - Independent
A cry from the hill above startled Gavin Kern.
Doctor Strange had sent Zarazoga High's star sprinter into Mondragon Woods during tonight's new moon to collect belladonna.
Forget that.
Gavin raced up the spongy slope into a nightmare. A many-eyed horror wrapped tendrils around a teenage girl and a yowling cat. The fiend grew from a summoning circle.
Gavin gloved his hands in crackling blue fire.
"Look! I'm trained!"
It swiveled hell-born eyes toward him.
He shouted the Command of Banishment.
When the demon vanished, the wannabe sorceress grabbed her cat and fled.
Doctor Strange never warned him about ingratitude.
A cry from the hill above startled Gavin Kern.
Doctor Strange had sent Zarazoga High's star sprinter into Mondragon Woods during tonight's new moon to collect belladonna.
Forget that.
Gavin raced up the spongy slope into a nightmare. A many-eyed horror wrapped tendrils around a teenage girl and a yowling cat. The fiend grew from a summoning circle.
Gavin gloved his hands in crackling blue fire.
"Look! I'm trained!"
It swiveled hell-born eyes toward him.
He shouted the Command of Banishment.
When the demon vanished, the wannabe sorceress grabbed her cat and fled.
Doctor Strange never warned him about ingratitude.