Libraries Partner for “One Book—One Community” Initiative   

Libraries encourage discussion of race with community reading of Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

 

The Grandview Heights Public Library is pleased to join eight other Central Ohio library systems in a partnership to promote a community reading of Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds as part of a Let’s Talk About Race: One Book—One Community initiative.

The community read kicks off on Monday, November 9 and continues through Sunday, January 24, when the libraries will host author Jason Reynolds in a virtual discussion of the book at 4 pm. Register for this free event.

This initiative is designed to broaden and deepen the library’s focus on literacy and cultivate dialogue around race and social justice based upon a shared reading experience for the Central Ohio community.

During this 11-week program, each library will work with local schools and other community partners to promote reading and discussion of the book.

Read the book and join the conversation! Central Ohio libraries are making extra copies of the book available for this event.

Reserve the book, e-book, or audiobook at ghpl.org.

Browse booklists, events, worksheets, and resources compiled by GHPL staff at ghpl.org/antiracism.

ABOUT THE BOOK 
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You is a timely and accessible book by bestselling author Jason Reynolds. While written for young people, this nonfiction remix of Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi is a timely read for people of all ages.

This nonfiction Young Adult book is packed with relevant information that is poised to help promote dialogue and bridge the differences that divide us.

A free reading guide prepared by the publisher is available at:
www.hachettebookgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/StampedBookClubGuide.pdf

ABOUT JASON REYNOLDS  
Jason Reynolds is an American author who writes novels and poetry for young adult and middle-grade audiences, including Ghost, a National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature. Born in Washington, DC, and raised in neighboring Oxon Hill, Maryland, Reynolds found inspiration in rap to begin writing poetry at nine years old.

He focused on poetry for approximately the next two decades, only reading a novel cover to cover for the first time at age 17 and publishing several poetry collections before he published his own first novel, When I Was The Greatest, in 2014. He won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent for this first work of prose and seven more novels followed in the next four years, including Ghost (2016) and two more books in what became his New York Times bestselling Track series, Patina (2017) and Sunny (2018); As Brave As You (2016), winner of the 2016 Kirkus Prize, the 2017 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work for Youth/Teen, and the 2017 Schneider Family Book Award; and a Marvel Comics novel called Miles Morales: Spider-Man (2017).

Reserve Jason Reynolds’ books from the library at ghpl.org.

Jason Reynolds photo by James J. Reddington.

 

ABOUT THIS PARTNERSHIP  
In addition to sharing resources, Central Ohio libraries have a history of collaboration. A discussion that began in July 2020 of how to work together to increase community understanding and promote constructive dialogue on the topic of race in America resulted in this One Book—One Community program, which encourages friends, families and neighbors to share their personal experience while reading the same book.

Participating libraries:

• Bexley Public Library
• Columbus Metropolitan Library
• Grandview Heights Public Library
• London Public Library
• Plain City Public Library
• Southwest Public Libraries
• Upper Arlington Public Library
• Westerville Public Library
• Worthington Libraries