Lee Bennett Hopkins facts for kids

Lee Bennett Hopkins (born April 13, 1938 – died August 8, 2019) was an American educator, poet, author, and anthologist. An anthologist is someone who collects and publishes poems or stories by different writers. He wrote or edited more than 100 books for children, and also wrote books and articles for adults. He was known for his passion for bringing poetry into the lives of young readers.

Early Life and School

Hopkins was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. When he was 13, his parents divorced. He then moved with his mother and siblings to an affordable housing community in Newark, New Jersey.

After finishing high school, he went to Newark State Teachers College (now Kean University) in Union, New Jersey. He studied education there. In 1960, after graduating, he became a sixth-grade teacher in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. He also continued his studies, earning a master's degree from Bank Street College of Education in New York City. Later, in 1967, he earned another degree in Administration from Hunter College in New York.

His Career and Love for Poetry

From 1966 to 1968, Lee Bennett Hopkins worked as a senior consultant for a learning center in Harlem, New York. After that, from 1968 to 1976, he was a specialist in school subjects for Scholastic Magazines, Inc. (now Scholastic Inc.). During these years, he published many books. These included books for teachers, children's books, and collections of poetry. He also wrote articles for well-known magazines like Horn Book.

In 1976, Hopkins decided to become a full-time writer and a champion for education. He strongly believed that poetry is very important in schools. Much of his writing focused on showing why poetry should be taught and how teachers could include it in their lessons.

His 1972 book, Pass the Poetry, Please, explained his ideas on teaching poetry. It also included information about poets whose work he thought children would enjoy. This book became very popular with teachers. Because he wanted to connect children with poems they would love, he created many poetry collections. He was even recognized by Guinness World Records as "the world’s most prolific anthologist of poetry for children." This means he collected and published more poetry for children than anyone else!

Awards and Special Honors

Lee Bennett Hopkins received many awards throughout his career.

• In 1980, he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Kean University.
• In 1989, he was given the University of Southern Mississippi Medallion for his "lasting contributions to children's literature."
• His poetry collection about his own life, Been To Yesterdays, won the Christopher Award in 1995. It was also an honor book for the Golden Kite Award in 1996.
• In 2009, he received the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. This award honored all the amazing work he did during his life.
• He also received a Florida Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 and an Award for Excellence in Educational Leadership in 2011.
• In 2016, Hopkins was given the important Regina Medal award.
• In 2017, he was added to the Florida Artists Hall of Fame.

Personal Life

Lee Bennett Hopkins lived in Cape Coral, Florida. His husband, Charles, announced that he passed away on August 8, 2019.

His Legacy

Lee Bennett Hopkins left a lasting impact on children's literature. Several awards and institutes were named after him to continue his work:

• Lee Bennett Hopkins Award for Poetry: This award was started in 1993. It helps recognize great poetry for children.
• ILA Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award: Started in 1995, this award helps new poets who write for children.
• Lee Bennett Hopkins SCBWI Poetry Award: This award began in 2015. It supports poets who are just starting out.
• Annual Lee Bennett Hopkins Writing Institute for Children: This is a special program that helps young writers.

Books He Wrote and Edited

Lee Bennett Hopkins was an incredibly busy writer and editor. He created over 100 books for young readers. These books included his own poems, novels for young adults, and many collections of poetry from different authors. He also wrote books to help teachers bring more poetry into their classrooms.

Some of his own children's books include:

• This Street's for Me (1970)
• Been to Yesterdays: Poems of a Life (1995)
• City I Love (2010)

He also edited many popular poetry anthologies, such as:

• I Think I Saw a Snail: Young Poems for City Seasons (1969)
• Don't You Turn Back: Poems by Langston Hughes (1969)
• Marvelous Math: A Book of Poems (1997)
• My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States (2000)
• Jumping Off Library Shelves (2015)