"I'm just trying to stand as witness to the truths of young people's lives." — Jason Reynolds

Last year the Library of Congress appointed Jason Reynolds to a two-year term as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, His 13 books for young people—including works of poetry and novels in verse—do not shy away from tough topics like police brutality, violence, and personal loss, empowering readers who might feel trapped in similar challenging circumstances. Initially a reluctant reader himself, today the award-winning writer is interested in writing the books that would have both captured his imagination and reflected his lived experience when he was a young reader. Here's our conversation with Reynolds on falling in love with reading, his creative process, and what he thinks makes a book boring.