(Recorded August 25, 2017) We’re very proud to bring you this exclusive interview with award winning author JASON REYNOLDS, writer of the New York Times bestselling novel Miles Morales: Spider-Man! Given the current state of affairs, this is a timely book that lends itself to good conversation about tough topics. In this episode, Jason shares his insight on writing for someone else’s character and finding a way to put his own stamp on it. We get into how the book considers big ideas like identity, truth, family, courage, the need for masks, and of course, power and responsibility. We also learn how all of us have the power of Spidey-Sense, and discuss how in this day and age, it’s more important than ever to get into “good trouble.” This was such an interesting and wide-ranging conversation with a talented and generous writer.  We hope that you enjoy this interview! Stuff that we’d mentioned in this episode: * Poetry: * Sijo * Villanelle * Sestina * Haiku * Yale School of Medicine: Implicit bias may help explain high preschool expulsion rates for black children * This American Life: Is This Working? * Prison Industrial Complex and School to Prison Pipeline * Jefferson Davis * Miles Davis * Ganke…or Genki? * “We Wear The Mask” by Paul Laurence Dunbar * Congressman John Lewis; Also: March (graphic novel autobiography) * Black Panther by Ta-Nahesi Coates * Mockingbird by Chelsea Cain * Man-Thing by RL Stine * Jason’s upcoming books: * Patina * Long Way Down * Recommended Reads: * Dear Martin by Nic Stone * Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson * American Street by Ibi Zoboi * The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas * Solo by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess * Love by Matt de la Peña * Simple’s Uncle Sam by Langston Hughes * Cover artist: Kadir Nelson *