Dennis Lee (author) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dennis Lee
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Lee at the Eden Mills Writers' Festival in 2018
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| Born | Dennis Beynon Lee August 31, 1939 Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Education | Master of Arts, English |
| Alma mater | University of Toronto |
| Genre | Poetry, essays |
| Notable works | Civil Elegies, The Gods, The Ice Cream Store, Alligator Pie |
| Notable awards | Governor General's Award, Order of Canada |
| Spouse | Susan Perly |
Dennis Beynon Lee, also known as Dennis Lee, is a famous Canadian poet, teacher, and editor. He was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on August 31, 1939. He is especially well-known for his fun children's rhymes, like those in his popular book, Alligator Pie.
Contents
Dennis Lee's Life Story
Dennis Lee grew up in Toronto. He went to high school at the University of Toronto Schools. After that, he studied English at the University of Toronto, where he earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees.
Early Career and Publishing
From 1963 to 1967, Dennis Lee taught English at Victoria College at the University of Toronto. In 1967, he helped start a publishing company called House of Anansi Press with Dave Godfrey. He worked there as an editorial director until 1972. Later, from 1974 to 1979, he was a consulting editor for Macmillan of Canada, another publishing company.
Working with Writers
Dennis Lee also spent time as a "writer in residence" at universities. This means he worked at the university, helping and guiding other writers. He did this at Trent University in 1975 and at the University of Toronto in 1978-1979.
Family Life
Dennis Lee is married to Susan Perly. She is also a writer and used to be a journalist for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Dennis Lee's Creative Works
Dennis Lee has written many different kinds of books and songs. He is known for both his poetry for adults and his beloved books for children.
Poetry for Adults
In 1967, House of Anansi Press published Lee's first book of poetry, Kingdom of Absence. It was a collection of 43 sonnets, which are special kinds of poems. The next year, he released a longer poem called "Civil Elegies." A revised version of this work, Civil Elegies and Other Poems, won him the prestigious Governor General's Award in 1972.
Writing for Children
Dennis Lee started writing for children because he wanted to make language fun and help kids use their imaginations. His poems often talk about the everyday things children do, but they also turn these things into exciting imaginary games and fantasies. His most famous children's book is the rhyming book Alligator Pie, published in 1974.
Music and Movies
Dennis Lee also wrote the words for the theme song of the 1980s TV show Fraggle Rock. He worked with composer Philip Balsam to write many other songs for that show. Some of these songs were released on albums. One album, Jim Henson's Muppets present Fraggle Rock, even won a Grammy Award in 1984. Lee and Balsam also wrote songs for the TV special The Tale of the Bunny Picnic. Dennis Lee also helped write the story for the movie Labyrinth.
Other Writings
Lee also co-edited a book called The University Game (1968). He also wrote Savage Fields: An Essay in Literature and Cosmology (1977). This book explored how nature and civilization connect in the works of other writers like Michael Ondaatje and Leonard Cohen.
Awards and Recognition
Dennis Lee has received many awards for his writing. These awards show how much his work is appreciated.
Major Awards
Besides the 1972 Governor General's Award, Dennis Lee won the CACL Bronze Medal for children's books twice. He won it in 1974 for Alligator Pie and again in 1977 for Garbage Delight. In 1986, he received the Vicky Metcalf Award for all his work for children. He also won the Mr. Christie's Book Award in 1991 for his book The Ice Cream Store.
Honors and Laureateship
In 1993, Dennis Lee was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. This is one of the highest honors a Canadian citizen can receive. In 1995, he received an honorary doctorate from Trent University. He also won a Toronto Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement that year. From 2001 to 2004, Dennis Lee was Toronto's first Poet Laureate. This means he was the official poet for the city of Toronto. In 2009, he received another honorary doctorate from Victoria College at the University of Toronto.
Local Recognition
In 2011, the City of Toronto named a playground in the Seaton Village neighborhood after Dennis Lee. This was to honor him, as he lives in that area.
Recordings of Dennis Lee's Work
You can also listen to recordings of Dennis Lee reading his poems.
- Dennis Lee [selections]. Toronto: High Barnet, 1970.
- Alligator Pie and Other Poems. New York: Caedmon, 1978.
