Skip to main content
close
Font size options
Increase or decrease the font size for this website by clicking on the 'A's.
Contrast options
Choose a color combination to give the most comfortable contrast.

Virtual Author Talk

Jason Reynolds - "Coach"

2026-04-30 19:00:00 2026-04-30 20:00:00 America/New_York Virtual Author Talk Join us online. Streamed live. Westlake Porter Public Library - Online

Thursday, April 30
7:00pm - 8:00pm

Add to Calendar 2026-04-30 19:00:00 2026-04-30 20:00:00 America/New_York Virtual Author Talk Join us online. Streamed live. Westlake Porter Public Library - Online

Join us online. Streamed live.

Join us in conversation with bestselling author Jason Reynolds as we discuss his latest work, Coach, the fifth–and last–entry in the highly popular Track series. Following the immersive stories of Ghost, Lu, Patina, and Sunny, it’s finally time for Coach to shine in his own book as we discover: Who was Coach before he became an inspiring leader?

Before Coach was the man who gave caring yet firm-handed guidance to Ghost, Lu, Patina, and Sunny on the Defenders track team, he was little Otie Brody, who was obsessed with Mr. 9.99 (a.k.a. Carl Lewis) and Marty McFly from Back to the Future. Like Mr. 9.99—and his own dad—Otie is a sprinter. Sprint free or die is practically his motto.

Then his dad, who is always away on business trips, comes home with a pair of Jordans. JORDANS. Fine as fine can be. Otie puts them on and feels like he can leap to the moon…maybe even leap like Mr. 9.99 when he won the Olympic gold medal in the long jump. But one morning he wakes up to find his brand-new secret weapon kicks are missing—right off his feet! And Otie just might have a fuzzy memory of his dad easing them off as Otie was sleeping, but that can’t be right, can it?

Unless all the reasons for his dad’s “gone’s” are very different from what he’s been told… Because now, not only are the Jordans missing, but so is his father.

Register now to join in on the conversation about the final installment to Jason Reynold’s Track series! 

About the Author: Jason Reynolds is an award-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling author. Jason’s many books include Miles Morales: Spider Man, the Track series (Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu), Long Way Down, which received a Newbery Honor, a Printz Honor, and a Correta Scott King Honor, and Look Both Ways, which was a National Book Award Finalist. Recently named the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Jason has appeared on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and CBS This Morning. He is on faculty at Lesley University, for the Writing for Young People MFA Program and lives in Washington, DC. You can find his ramblings at JasonWritesBooks.com.


Brought to you in partnership with the Library Speakers Consortium. Visit our site to see all events, register and explore recordings of past events.

AGE GROUP: | Tweens | Teens | Elementary (K-4) |

EVENT TYPE: | Books and Authors |

TAGS: | LSC |

Westlake Porter Public Library

Phone: (440) 871-2600
Fax: (440) 871-6969

Hours
Skip Hours widget
We're closed Sunday April 05 due to Easter Sunday
Mon, Mar 30 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Tue, Mar 31 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Wed, Apr 01 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Thu, Apr 02 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Fri, Apr 03 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, Apr 04 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sun, Apr 05 Closed
(Easter Sunday)
Mon, Mar 30 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Tue, Mar 31 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Wed, Apr 01 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Thu, Apr 02 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Fri, Apr 03 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, Apr 04 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sun, Apr 05 Closed
(Easter Sunday)

About the branch

Westlake Porter Public Library is an independent public library serving the residents of the city of Westlake, western Cuyahoga County and eastern Lorain County. The library is located at 27333 Center Ridge Road in Westlake, Ohio. Anyone who lives, works, owns property, or goes to school in Ohio can register for a free library card.

Upcoming events

Skip Upcoming events widget
Tue, Mar 31, 9:30am - 10:00am
Storytime Room

Tue, Mar 31, 10:15am - 10:45am
Storytime Room

Wed, Apr 01, 10:30am - 11:15am
Storytime Room

Wed, Apr 01, 1:00pm - 1:30pm
Storytime Room

Wed, Apr 01, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Craft Room

Wed, Apr 01, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Study Room YS-Group

Wed, Apr 01, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Wed, Apr 01, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Dover Room

Wed, Apr 01, 6:30pm - 7:00pm
Storytime Room

Thu, Apr 02, 9:30am - 10:00am
Storytime Room

Thu, Apr 02, 10:15am - 10:45am
Storytime Room

Sat, Apr 04, 10:30am - 11:00am
Storytime Room

Sat, Apr 04, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Makerspace

Sat, Apr 04, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Storytime Room

Sat, Apr 04, 3:00pm - 3:45pm
Technology Training Lab

Mon, Apr 06, 9:00am - 9:00pm

Mon, Apr 06, 9:00am - 10:00am

Mon, Apr 06, 10:00am - 10:45am
Storytime Room

Mon, Apr 06, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Makerspace

Mon, Apr 06, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Dover Room
This event is full

Mon, Apr 06, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Tue, Apr 07, 9:30am - 10:00am
Storytime Room

Tue, Apr 07, 10:15am - 10:45am
Storytime Room

Tue, Apr 07, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Craft Room
Registration opens Tuesday, March 31 2026 at 9:00am

Tue, Apr 07, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Teen Lounge

Tue, Apr 07, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Makerspace
This event is full

Tue, Apr 07, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Porter Room

Wed, Apr 08, 1:00pm - 1:30pm
Storytime Room

Wed, Apr 08, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Makerspace
Registration opens Wednesday, April 1 2026 at 9:00am

Wed, Apr 08, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Study Room YS-Group

Wed, Apr 08, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Wed, Apr 08, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Dover Room,Zoom Programming 1

Thu, Apr 09, 9:30am - 10:00am
Storytime Room

Thu, Apr 09, 10:15am - 10:45am
Storytime Room

Thu, Apr 09, 1:00pm - 7:00pm
Porter Room

Thu, Apr 09, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Technology Training Lab

Thu, Apr 09, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Craft Room,Teen Lounge

Thu, Apr 09, 7:00pm - 8:15pm
Westlake Room

Sat, Apr 11, 9:00am - 12:00pm
Registration opens Saturday, April 4 2026 at 9:00am

Sat, Apr 11, 10:30am - 11:00am
Storytime Room

Sat, Apr 11, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Storytime Room

Mon, Apr 13, 10:30am - 11:00am
Porter Room
Registration opens Monday, April 6 2026 at 9:00am

Mon, Apr 13, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Craft Room,Teen Lounge

Mon, Apr 13, 4:30pm - 5:15pm
Technology Training Lab
Registration opens Monday, April 6 2026 at 4:30pm

Mon, Apr 13, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Tue, Apr 14, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Porter Room

Tue, Apr 14, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Porter Room,Zoom Programming 2

Wed, Apr 15, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Craft Room

Wed, Apr 15, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Study Room YS-Group

Wed, Apr 15, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Wed, Apr 15, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Thomas A. Fox Board Room

Wed, Apr 15, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Porter Room

Thu, Apr 16, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Technology Training Lab

Thu, Apr 16, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Dover Room

Fri, Apr 17, 10:30am - 11:30am
Dover Room

Sat, Apr 18, 10:30am - 11:00am
Storytime Room

Sat, Apr 18, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Storytime Room
Registration opens Saturday, April 11 2026 at 9:00am

Sun, Apr 19, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Storytime Room

Sun, Apr 19, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Dover Room,Porter Room

Mon, Apr 20, 9:00am - 9:00pm
Registration opens Monday, April 13 2026 at 9:00am

Mon, Apr 20, 11:00am - 11:45am
Storytime Room
Registration opens Monday, April 13 2026 at 9:00am

Mon, Apr 20, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Dover Room

Mon, Apr 20, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Craft Room,Teen Lounge

Mon, Apr 20, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Mon, Apr 20, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Technology Training Lab

Tue, Apr 21, 10:00am - 11:30am
Dover Room

Tue, Apr 21, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Craft Room
Registration opens Tuesday, April 14 2026 at 9:00am

Tue, Apr 21, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Makerspace

Wed, Apr 22, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Craft Room,Teen Lounge

Wed, Apr 22, 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Dover Room

Wed, Apr 22, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Study Room YS-Group

Wed, Apr 22, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Wed, Apr 22, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Technology Training Lab
Registration opens Wednesday, April 1 2026 at 9:00am

Wed, Apr 22, 6:00pm - 6:30pm
Makerspace
Registration opens Wednesday, April 15 2026 at 9:00am

Wed, Apr 22, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Porter Room,Zoom Programming 1

Thu, Apr 23, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Thomas A. Fox Board Room

Thu, Apr 23, 6:30pm - 7:00pm
Storytime Room

Sat, Apr 25, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Porter Room

Sat, Apr 25, 11:00am - 11:45am
Storytime Room
Registration opens Saturday, April 18 2026 at 9:00am

Sat, Apr 25, 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Sat, Apr 25, 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Makerspace
Registration opens Saturday, April 18 2026 at 9:00am

Sat, Apr 25, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Youth Services

Rescheduled
Sat, Apr 25, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
New date Saturday, April 25, 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Mon, Apr 27, 10:00am - 10:30am
Storytime Room

Mon, Apr 27, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Craft Room,Teen Lounge

Mon, Apr 27, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Mon, Apr 27, 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Porter Room

Tue, Apr 28, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Craft Room
Registration opens Tuesday, April 21 2026 at 9:00am

Wed, Apr 29, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Craft Room

Wed, Apr 29, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Study Room YS-Group

Wed, Apr 29, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Wed, Apr 29, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Technology Training Lab

Wed, Apr 29, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Dover Room

Thu, Apr 30, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Online