My Name Is Jason. Mine Too.: Our Story. Our Way.

by Jason Reynolds, Jason Griffin Narrated by Jason Reynolds, Jason Griffin

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

Two artists, two Jasons, both incredibly talented with the dream of moving to New York to pursue their dreams. This must-read autobiography, written by Jason Reynolds and Jason Griffin, will show readers that friendship often influences art and molds and shapes individuals. It’s a beautiful and compelling story of how these two supported each other while making their dreams happen! 

A stunning visual autobiography of two crazy-talented besties, bestselling and award-winning author Jason Reynolds and painter Jason Griffin, who could never be who they are singularly if they weren't who they were together.

Once upon a time in America, there were two Jasons. Jason Reynolds and Jason Griffin. One a poet. One an artist. One Black. One white. Two voices. One journey in mind: to move to New York, the city of dreams, to make their own dreams come true. Willing to have a life not un-hard, so long as it wasn't unhappy. Willing to let the city swallow them whole, so long as it gives them their chance. They had each other. “What if painting was a sin, and the poetry became taboo. And no one ever clapped for me again. My question is, would you?”

They clapped. Oh, they clapped. And aren't we glad?

Editorial Reviews

AUGUST 2022 - AudioFile

Author Reynolds and artist Griffin shine as they co-narrate this poetic memoir, which riffs on friendship, courage, self-expression, and coming of age. In the early 2000s, the roommates set off for Brooklyn to pursue their creative dreams. There, they struggled to balance family concerns and self-doubt with the desire to be recognized and make a difference. As the pair look back on their past, their voices weave in and out, coming together to emphasize pivotal words—“brothers,” “survivors,” “friends.” Most importantly, they note that “men pretend,” acknowledging how difficult it is for men to admit feeling vulnerable. Those familiar with the print book’s visuals may miss the multilayered artwork, but the intimacy and authenticity of the audiobook are remarkable on their own. S.A.H. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

12/1/2022 - Horn Book

An eye-opening portrait-of-the-artists archive filled with memories, ephemera, and optimism (and appended with a new afterword by Reynolds and Griffin).

5/9/2022 - Publishers Weekly

A testament to the value of artistic expression and the power of friendship in self-discovery.

4/1/2022 - Kirkus Reviews

An artful collaboration; a love story.

AUGUST 2022 - AudioFile

Author Reynolds and artist Griffin shine as they co-narrate this poetic memoir, which riffs on friendship, courage, self-expression, and coming of age. In the early 2000s, the roommates set off for Brooklyn to pursue their creative dreams. There, they struggled to balance family concerns and self-doubt with the desire to be recognized and make a difference. As the pair look back on their past, their voices weave in and out, coming together to emphasize pivotal words—“brothers,” “survivors,” “friends.” Most importantly, they note that “men pretend,” acknowledging how difficult it is for men to admit feeling vulnerable. Those familiar with the print book’s visuals may miss the multilayered artwork, but the intimacy and authenticity of the audiobook are remarkable on their own. S.A.H. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2022-03-16
An artful collaboration; a love story.

In the early aughts, acclaimed writer Reynolds and accomplished artist Griffin shared a first name, a college dorm room, and a plan to move to New York City to pursue their overlapping dreams. This mixed-media art project and collection of poems is the result of their striving and struggles and the strength of their friendship. A number of entries focus on differences, for example, between Griffin’s red hair and Reynolds’ black curls. By way of contrast and juxtaposition, this is a story of connection between visual art and poetry, between dreams and real life in Brooklyn, and between two young men who eschewed many cultural expectations regarding what two men can mean to one another and how they should express their emotions and creativity. Their history is illustrated in bold colors, and the printed words are complemented by hand-lettered text. While the unevenness of the textual and visual presentations can at times present more as an uneasy distraction than a cohesive narrative—like when Reynolds’ well-grounded anxieties about New York or the precarious health of his mother are set against Griffin’s art-world ambitions and passions—the creative effort forces readers to constantly give attention to form, process, and relationships of all sorts.

Two Jasons share their singular experiences with all those who value art. (Poetry. 12-15)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940175743815
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster
Publication date:	06/28/2022
Edition description:	Unabridged

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