Jack Prelutsky facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jack Prelutsky
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at the Library of Congress in 2007
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| Born | September 8, 1940 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Language | English |
| Education | The High School of Music & Art Hunter College |
| Genre | Children's poetry |
| Notable awards | U.S. Children's Poet Laureate (2006) (Poetry Foundation) Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award (2007) (Washington State Book Award) |
| Spouse | Carolynn Prelutsky |
Jack Prelutsky (born September 8, 1940) is a famous American writer. He writes poetry especially for children. He has published more than 50 collections of his poems.
From 2006 to 2008, Jack Prelutsky was the first U.S. Children's Poet Laureate. This special award was created by the Poetry Foundation. Today, it is called the Young People's Poet Laureate.
Contents
Early Life and First Poems
Jack Prelutsky was born in Brooklyn, New York, on September 8, 1940. His father, Charles, was an electrician, and his mother, Dorothea, was a homemaker.
He went to public schools in the Bronx. Jack often felt bored in class and didn't enjoy school much. He even said he used to dislike poetry when he was younger. He explained that a teacher who didn't like poetry taught him not to like it either.
Discovering Talents
Teachers noticed Jack had musical talents. They suggested he attend The High School of Music & Art. He graduated from there in 1958. After high school, he went to Hunter College for two years. However, he struggled with English and eventually left college.
Before becoming a writer, Jack worked many different jobs. He was a cab driver, a furniture mover, and even a door-to-door salesman. In the late 1960s, he worked in a bookstore. He also sang in coffeehouses under the name Jack Ballard. During this time, he met and became friends with the famous musician Bob Dylan.
How He Started Writing Poetry
Jack Prelutsky loved to draw imaginary turtle animals. A friend encouraged him to send his drawings to a publisher in New York. At the last minute, he decided to write some poems to go with his drawings.
He met with an editor named Susan Hirschman. To his surprise, the publisher was interested in his work. But they didn't want the drawings, which had taken him six months to create! They wanted the poems, which he had written in just two hours.
Jack was 24 years old at the time. These poems became his first book, A Gopher in the Garden and Other Animal Poems, published in 1967. Susan Hirschman told him he was a natural poet. She remained his editor for 37 years until she retired.
Jack Prelutsky's Poetry
Jack Prelutsky has written over 50 books of poetry. Some of his well-known collections include Nightmares: Poems to Trouble Your Sleep (1976) and Something BIG Has Been Here (1990). He has also put together many books of poems by other writers.
Music and Television
Jack often sets his poems to music. He sings and plays guitar on the audio versions of his poetry collections.
In 1996, he appeared on the popular animated TV show Arthur. He was in an episode called "I'm a Poet."
Awards and Recognition
In 2006, the Poetry Foundation chose Jack Prelutsky as the first Children's Poet Laureate. This was a big honor for him. The next year, the Washington Poets Association gave him a Lifetime Achievement Award.
His book Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant and Other Poems won the 2007 Scandiuzzi Children's Book Award. This award is part of the Washington State Book Awards.
In 1993, his poetry book The New Kid on the Block was turned into an interactive storybook. It was part of the Living Books series by Brøderbund.
Jack Prelutsky has received many awards throughout his career. These include being named a New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year and a Parents' Choice Award winner. His books have sold over a million copies and have been translated into many languages.
In 2018, his poem "Homework! Oh, Homework!" was even featured in a national commercial for Apple's iPad.
