When Jason Reynolds was a kid, one of his favorite things to do was pour himself a huge bowl of Rice Crispies for breakfast. Then, after six or seven scoops of sugar, he’d lean over with his ear close enough to the bowl to hear the cereal crackle in the milk. He’d pretend the crispies were begging and pleading for him not to eat them. And then…he would…well… eat them. So it comes as no surprise that now as a writer he sprinkles six or seven scoops of sugar on his characters, and right when they become sweet and lovable — CHOMP! He swears they beg him to not do it, to not chew them up, but Jason uncontrollably nibbles on his computer screen anyway. He literally bites the screen. Like…bites it. Kidding, kidding. That would be so weird. He doesn’t really do that (he totally does.)