Olympia Reads!!
Olympia Reads!! is a community reading initiative designed to encourage our students to be lifelong readers and learners. The mission of Olympia Reads!! is to excite readers of all ages by connecting them with published authors and illustrators. The Olympia Reads!! committee is made up of teacher-librarians from all levels in OSD. Our valued partners are Timberland Regional Library, Olympia Education Foundation, and Browsers Books. This year we are teaming with Lacey Loves to Read to bring author Varian Johnson to the Olympia and North Thurston school districts.
2024-2025 Featured Author
Olympia Reads Varian Johnson!!
February 13, 2025
Varian Johnson is the author of several novels for children and young adults, including The Parker Inheritance, which won both Coretta Scott King Author Honor and Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor awards; The Great Greene Heist, an ALA Notable Children's Book and Kirkus Reviews Best Book; and the graphic novel Twins, illustrated by Shannon Wright, an NPR Best Book.
Varian was born in Florence, South Carolina, and attended the University of Oklahoma, where he received a BS in Civil Engineering. He later received an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and is honored to now be a member of the faculty. Varian lives outside of Austin, TX with his family. https://varianjohnson.com/