JonArno Lawson facts for kids

JonArno Lawson is a Canadian writer known for his many books for both children and adults. He was born in Hamilton, Ontario, and grew up in a nearby town called Dundas. Today, he lives in Toronto, Ontario, with his wife and three children.

About JonArno Lawson

JonArno Lawson is a talented author who writes different kinds of books. He is especially known for his unique "nonsense poetry." This type of poetry often uses playful language and ideas that don't always make logical sense, but are very fun to read!

His Education and Teaching

Lawson studied English Literature at McGill University. He also spent some time learning at other universities, including McMaster University. Besides writing, he has shared his knowledge with others. He taught children's poetry at Simmons University in Boston and at the University of British Columbia.

Awards and Special Recognition

JonArno Lawson has won several important awards for his writing. These awards show how much his work is appreciated.

Awards for Poetry

He has won The Lion And The Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Poetry four times! This is a big achievement for a poet. He won in 2007, 2009, 2013, and 2014 for his books:

• "Enjoy It While It Hurts"
• "A Voweller's Bestiary"
• "Black Stars In A White Night Sky"
• "Down In The Bottom Of The Bottom Of The Box"

Another one of his books, "The Man In The Moon-Fixer's Mask," was also a finalist for this award in 2005.

Awards for Picture Books

Lawson's picture book called "Sidewalk Flowers" is very special because it's a wordless book. This means it tells a story using only pictures, without any words. This book, illustrated by Sydney Smith (Illustrator), won the prestigious Governor General’s Award For Illustrated Children’s Books in 2015. It was also named one of the New York Times Best Illustrated Books that same year.

Books Written by JonArno Lawson

JonArno Lawson has written many books over the years. Here are some of his published works:

• Love Is An Observant Traveler (1997)
• Inklings (1999)
• The Man In The Moon Fixer's Mask (2004)
• Black Stars In A White Night Sky (2006)
• A Voweller's Bestiary (2008)
• This (And That Was That) (2009)
• Think Again (2010)
• There Devil, Eat That (2011)
• Down In The Bottom Of The Bottom Of The Box (2012)
• Old MacDonald Had Her Farm (2012)
• Enjoy It While It Hurts (2013)
• Aloud In My Head (2015)
• Sidewalk Flowers (2015)
• The Hobo's Crowbar (2016)
• I regret everything (2017)
• Uncle Holland (2017)
• Leap! (2017)
• But It's So Silly: A Cross-cultural Collage of Nonsense, Play, and Poetry (2017)
• Over the Rooftops, Under the Moon (2019)
• The Playgrounds of Babel (2019)
• Over the Shop (2021)
• A Day for Sandcastles (2022)
• Wise Up! Wise Down! (2024) (a collaboration with John Agard)

Other Works

Besides writing his own books, JonArno Lawson has also contributed to other projects.

As an Illustrator

He illustrated a book called A Vole on a Roll by Nelson Ball in 2016.

As a Contributor

He also contributed to a book titled The Chechens: A Handbook by Amjad Jaimoukha in 2005.