Book Review

My name is Jason

By

Jason Reynolds

Jason Griffin

 

One Jason is a poet and the other an artist. One is black and one is white. Heavy on dreams and light on cash, the aspiring young men move to Brooklyn, eating cereal and fried tuna while writing and painting wherever and whenever they can. Dancing the line between novel-in-verse and poetry collection, this autobiographical collaboration riffs on staying true to oneself, cultivating creative genius, taking risks, friendship, and becoming adults. The verse and dynamic artwork are simultaneously playful and desperate, but always expressive and fresh. The two are so tightly intertwined that one feeds off the other, adding layers of meaning for readers to peel away. Though this book will undoubtedly find broad appeal, because the Jasons set out on this journey in their early 20s, it may speak most directly to older teens starting to grapple with some of the same issues. If not for visual appeal or immediacy of tone and theme, teens will love the speed at which this unique book can be read. One thing is for certain—they will clamor for Griffin and Reynolds's next collaboration.—Jill Heritage Maza, Greenwich High School, CT

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