September 12, 2018—On Monday, October 1 at 7 p.m., bestselling authors of the Young Adult book “All American Boys” Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely will lead a community presentation on their book at the Shaker Heights High School Large Auditorium. “All American Boys” is a New York Times bestseller and the winner of the Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature and the 2016 Coretta Scott King Honor. The book follows two teens—one black, one white—as they deal with the repercussions of a violent act of police brutality. 

This event is co-sponsored by the Shaker Heights Public Library and is free and open to the public, however, registration is strongly encouraged, as space is limited. Community members who are interested in going may register online. 

The Library also will have copies of the book available for sale and signing at the event.

Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Kiely also will visit with Shaker Heights Middle School and High School students during the school day on Monday, October 1 and Tuesday, October 2. They will host two presentations and have lunch with Middle School students, followed by small group meetings with High School students.

These events have been funded and coordinated through a collaboration among Shaker Heights Schools, Shaker Heights Middle School PTO, Shaker Heights High School PTO and the Shaker Schools Foundation. In preparation for the authors visit and discussions, all Shaker Heights Middle School students have received a free copy of “All American Boys.”

“This book is especially timely and will resonate with so many of our students,” says David Glasner, Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction. “Both Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Kiely are gifted writers and speakers who have the potential to connect with our students and the broader community in very powerful ways which we hope lead to more open discussions on race in America.”

To learn more about the book, read this review, which appeared in The New York Times in 2015. You can also watch this video of the authors answering readers’ questions about their book: