Today is the beginning of Jason Reynolds Grab the Mic Write.Right.Rite video prompt series. Jason is the current Library of Congress Ambassador to Young People’s Literature. He wants to travel the rural parts of the nation this year but while we all stay home safely, he is posting video prompts 2x a week to help keep us writing. He believes we ALL have stories to tell so we should GRAB THE MIC. What a gift!!
Honestly, I admit, I looked at my phone this morning and noticed
T-U-E-S-D-A-Y. And I sighed. I felt I had nothing. Nothing to write about and post to the Tuesday SOL. And then I remembered how I emailed two students yesterday, all excited about Jason. Maybe I needed him to inspire my writing today. So I typed “Jason Grab the mic” into my Google search and saw a video ready for me to watch. Wait. It is only 1:54 seconds long. What can he do to inspire in just 2 seconds? Boy, did he show me!
I jotted these notes as he talked: Make up an award. An Honor for Yourself. Design the metal, Can’t already be an award (like Nobel Peace Prize). Name it. Write criterion. Tell why you should win.
Here goes…..
GOAT Book Champion – a lapel pin in the shape of an open book imposed with a goat symbol on one side of the open book and a heart on the other.
Criterion – someone who stays current in the field of children’s literature in order to share books and book recommendations with others with the goal to keep all reading the greatest books of all times.
I believe I should win the GOAT BOOK CHAPMPION AWARD because I spend so much time among books. First, I follow 100s of authors on twitter. In an instant and in under 140 characters, I learn about the next great book being published. I attend book festivals and bookstore signings to meet authors in person. I now spend time watching Instagram LIVE author events. My kindle is busy storing books and amazon prime smiley boxes arrive at my doorstep.
With these books in hand, I then spend time talking up these literacy gifts. You like sports? You got to read Gene Luen Yang’s newest book, Dragon Hoops. You like adventure? Definitely try Pam Munos Ryan’s Mananaland. You like nonfiction? Try the Two Truths and a Lie series. I read and immediately think, Who needs this book??!!! Then I drab my phone to send a tweet. Or send an email. Or send a text message. I am the Greatest of all times Book Champ! I am devoted to discovering books, reading them and telling others they just have to read it too. I will wear the lapel pin award proudly!!
Writing Stories by Sally 
Thanks for pushing my to this new prompt with Jason Reynolds. I’m a fan! I’ve put it into the resource file my supervisor opened so we can share.
What a great medal of honor for you! A champion for books.
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Love this! I aim to be a book champion too. I love sharing my favorite books with students! So glad you came to Tuesday Slice.
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This is awesome! I had totally forgotten about his new project, and I like this prompt (and will probably write to it later.) Book Champion is a great idea for a medal. #bookpusher4life!! Book Matchmaker is definitely an award I could win!
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Thanks for writing this. Now I know about Jason Reynold’s writing prompts–which I’m definitely going to use and I loved reading about your award. The name is of your award is a winner in itself!
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I would vote for you. I love the examples you shared of matching books and readers.
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Creative. This was entertaining to read. Inspiration can come in less than two minutes and result in more than two paragraphs of pure fun and energy.
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You’ve convinced me that you deserve this award! I love the name of the award, and enjoyed how you waited until the end to tell us what it stood for. I was imagining GOAT for goats’ voracious appetite or willingness to eat anything. So many reasons you should have this award!
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