Jay Coles
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Articles by Jay Coles
Music That Opens Ears and Broadens Worlds: New MULTICULTURAL Titles for Orchestra
recommended by Ken Tilger and Schylar Maag, Instrumental Education Specialists Great programming doesn’t just teach technique, it tells stories, sparks conversations, and connects students to something bigger than themselves. This collection brings voices and traditions from across the globe into the string orchestra classroom, with pieces that are as musically rewarding as they are culturally rich.
Your Final Moments
A grieving high schooler must uncover the circumstances of his best friend’s death in this haunting speculative novel by Coles (Things We Couldn’t Say). Nothing seems to matter to Hakeem after his best friend Miles dies by suicide. Grief over Miles’s death—and internalized guilt around Hakeem’s belief that he should have been able to prevent it—impacts Hakeem’s ability to manage a substance dependency.
Outer Banks: Dead Break
The Pogues hit the beach in another action–packed original YA novel based on the hit Netflix show Outer Banks—now in paperback The waves are off the hook, and Pope and the other Pogues are betting big on Kiara blowing the Kook competition out of the water. What could possibly go wrong? It’s summer in the OBX, and a big surfing competition is bringing in pro surfers from around the world to Kildare Island, along with plenty of Kooks and tourists.
OUTER BANKS | Kirkus Reviews
A summery, surf-filled mystery sure to entertain fans of the show. Surfing and sleuthing keep the Outer Banks teens on their toes. A big surfing competition is happening on the Outer Banks, thrilling Kie but putting her at odds with her parents, who’d prefer she spend time with the wealthy Kooks. Kie befriends the professional surfers who are in town for the big event, including one particularly cute competitor.
Celebrate Pride Month with These 19 Titles Featuring LGBTQIA+ Characters
Celebrate Pride Month with These 19 Titles Featuring LGBTQIA+ Characters In honor of Pride Month this June, we’re encouraging everyone to #ReadWithPride! Readers of all ages need to read books that reflect their identities and the world around them, and that includes queer identities. All month long, we’ll be spotlighting some incredible titles for all ages that feature LGBTQIA+ characters, stories, and creators.
Boys Come First
What listeners say about Boys Come First Average Customer Ratings Overall 4.5 out of 5 stars 4.7 out of 5.0 5 Stars 94 4 Stars 14 3 Stars 8 2 Stars 2 1 Stars 1 Performance 4.5 out of 5 stars 4.7 out of 5.0 5 Stars 90 4 Stars 15 3 Stars 5 2 Stars 1 1 Stars 1 Story 4.5 out of 5 stars 4.5 out of 5.0 5 Stars 78 4 Stars 20 3 Stars 10 2 Stars 3 1 Stars 1 Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
Things We Couldn't Say
Description There's always been a hole in Gio's life. Not because he's into both guys and girls. Not because his father has some drinking issues. Not because his friends are always bringing him their drama. No, the hole in Gio's life takes the shape of his birth mom, who left Gio, his brother, and his father when Gio was nine years old. For eight years, he never heard a word from her… and now, just as he's started to get his life together, she's back. It's hard for Gio to know what to do.
BOOK REVIEW: A lot of pleasant surprises inside ‘Things We Couldn't Say’
"Things We Couldn't Say" author Jay Coles (left) gives his main character, Giovanni Zucker, a great support system -- people who want the best for him. Even the ones who are villains do heroic things. (Jay Coles (left) by Victoria Ruth Photography) by Terri Schlichenmeyer — You’d like an explanation, please. Why something is done or not, why permission is denied, you’d like to hear a simple reason.
A bisexual coming-of-age tale with heart
‘All In: An Autobiography’ By Billie Jean King with Johnette Howard and Maryanne Vollers c.2020, Alfred A. Knopf $30/482 pages I know nothing about tennis except that I love Hitchcock’s thriller “Strangers on a Train,” in which a charming, sociopathic murderer enlivens the game. There are no murders in “All In,” Billie Jean King’s memoir, co-authored with journalists Johnette Howard and Maryanne Vollers. But King’s candid autobiography is as exciting, as suspenseful, as a Hitchcock flick.
Things We Couldn't Say
Description From one of the brightest and most acclaimed new lights in YA fiction, a fantastic new novel about a bi Black boy finding first love . . . and facing the return of the mother who abandoned his preacher family when he was nine. There's always been a hole in Gio's life. Not because he's into both guys and girls. Not because his father has some drinking issues. Not because his friends are always bringing him their drama.
Author Chat with Jay Coles (Things We Couldn't Say), Plus Giveaway! ~ (US Only)
Today we are chatting with Jay Coles, author of Things We Couldn't Say! Read on for more about Jay, his book, and giveaway! Meet Jay Coles! Jay Coles is a graduate of Vincennes University and Ball State University. When he’s not writing diverse books, he’s advocating for them, teaching middle school students, and composing for various music publishers. His debut novel Tyler Johnson Was Here is based on true events in his life and inspired by police brutality in America.
3 on a YA Theme: Must-Read June YA Releases
This list of June 2019 YA releases is sponsored by This Time Will Be Different by Misa Sugiura, from Epic Reads. CJ’s never lived up to her mom’s ambition, and she’s perfectly happy just helping her aunt, Hannah, at their family’s flower shop. She doesn’t buy into Hannah’s ideas about flowers and their hidden meanings, but when it comes to floral arrangement, CJ discovers a skill she can be proud of.
Tyler Johnson Was Here
TYLER JOHNSON WAS HERE by Jay Coles is a novel that introduces readers to teenaged Marvin Johnson. When his twin brother, Tyler, goes to a party, Marvin decides to go to the party with him. The party doesn’t go as planned, though, because a shooting starts and soon after a police raid takes place where the party was. The day after the shooting and police raid, Tyler is missing, only to be found dead a few days later.
Tyler Johnson Was Here
I don’t usually talk about covers in my review, as they don’t affe ... I don’t usually talk about covers in my review, as they don’t affect my enjoyment, but I just have to say that this might be my most favorite cover.
Jay Coles - Interview
Headlines about the shooting deaths of unarmed civilians at the hands of police are seemingly never-ending, and Jay Coles is engaging with this subject matter in his powerful, necessary and hype-worthy YA debut, Tyler Johnson Was Here. We asked Coles a few questions about his personal experiences with police brutality, connecting with his teen readers, his specially curated playlist and more. Does it feel a bit unreal to have your first book published at such a young age?
Tyler Johnson Was Here
An Entertainment Weekly Most Anticipated Book of the Year "Exploring the current climate of police brutality and viral culture, this harrowing YA effort is based on its author's own experiences with tragedy and loss, a personal touch felt across every page."Entertainment Weekly "An unflinching look at police brutality and systemic racism in America."Bustle * "This well-written, fast-paced story eloquently addresses how to grieve, plan, and participate in the burial of a loved one....[A]...
Black History Month Introduction
Today we mark the beginning of Black History Month. Here at YAWednesdays, we love to celebrate, especially we can uplift marginalized voices in the community. In that spirit, we are devoting the month of February to black YA authors. Just like we did last year, we asked authors to help us do our favorite thing–stack up our TBR’s with diverse recommendations. Specifically, we asked them all to answer one question: what books inspired them before or as they wrote their books?
Raise Your Voice 2016 with Jay Coles
(You can add The Boy In The Black Suit to your Goodreads shelves Here!) When I was in middle school, my 8th grade teacher made us read several books over the entire school year. She had passed around a list to all of us — a list of roughly 30 or so young adult books that we could choose from. Of course, being a huge book nerd, I was cheerful and all grabby-hands at all the options. I had read almost every book on the list by the end of the school year.
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