Robert Priest facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Priest
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Robert Priest in 2007
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| Born | 10 July 1951 Walton-on-Thames, England |
| Occupation | Author |
| Genre | Children's literature |
Robert Priest, born on July 10, 1951, in Walton-on-Thames, England, is a talented Canadian writer and musician. He is known for his poetry, books for children, and songs. Robert Priest has written many books, including eighteen poetry collections and four novels for young readers.
He has also released several music albums, including four for children. Sometimes, he is known as "Dr. Poetry" and has shared his poems on CBC Radio. He is also famous for his short, wise sayings called aphorisms. One of his songs, "Song Instead of a Kiss", became a number one hit for Alannah Myles.
Critics have praised Robert Priest's writing, especially his children's poetry. One critic, Michele Landsberg, said his children's poems are "almost miraculous" and full of joy. His works have won awards and are enjoyed by many readers around the world.
Contents
Robert Priest's Life Story
Early Years and Family
Robert Priest was born in England in 1951. When he was four years old, his family moved to Toronto, Canada. His father served in the British Navy for seven years. His mother was a part-time comedian and was part of the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS), also known as the Wrens.
Growing up in Scarborough, Robert loved stories. His mother often told him imaginative tales before bed. He also enjoyed books from the bookmobile, which was like a library on wheels. By the age of eight, Robert knew he wanted to be a writer.
Education and Writing Career
In 1970, Robert Priest started studying mathematics at the University of Waterloo. However, he felt a stronger pull towards writing poetry. He left university after just one semester to follow his passion.
His first book of poetry, The Visible Man, was published in 1979. Since then, he has published many more books. These include eighteen poetry collections, four plays, and four novels for children and young adults. He also wrote many articles for Toronto's Now Magazine.
Music and Television Work
Robert Priest is also a successful singer-songwriter. He has released six rock albums for adults. He also created three collections of music for children.
He wrote and performed many children's songs for CBC radio's Is Anybody Home. His songs were also featured on the popular television show Sesame Street. A song he co-wrote with Nancy Simmonds and Alannah Myles became a number one hit in Canada. This song is still played worldwide today. Robert Priest lives in Toronto with Marsha Kirzner.
Awards and Special Recognition
Literary Achievements
Robert Priest has written 23 books of poetry and prose. He won the Milton Acorn Memorial People's Poetry Award for his book The Mad Hand in 1988. As "Dr. Poetry," he wrote and performed thirteen segments for CBC radio's Wordbeat show.
His song "Song Instead of a Kiss", which he co-wrote, was a number one hit in Canada for two weeks. It stayed at the top for six weeks in Quebec. This earned Robert a SOCAN airplay award, and the song is still played often around the world.
Plays and Novels
Robert Priest's wise sayings, called aphorisms, have appeared in the Farmers' Almanac. They are also in Colombo's Canadian Quotations. He has written four plays, including The Coming, which he wrote with Leon Rooke.
His musical play Minibugs and Microchips received a Chalmers Award. His novel, Knights of the Endless Day (1993), won an Our Choice Award from the Canadian Children's Book Centre.
Children's Books and Recent Works
Two of his children's poetry books, Daysongs Nightsongs and The Secret Invasion of Bananas and Other Poems (2002), are on a recommended reading list by the CBC. His book of poems Reading the Bible Backwards (2008) reached number 2 on the Canadian poetry charts.
His 2013 book of poems for children and young adults, Rosa Rose, won a Silver Moonbeam Award. It was also an honor book in the Lion and the Unicorn award for poetry. Its sequel, The Wolf is Back, won the Gold Moonbeam Award for best children's poetry book in the Americas.
His fantasy trilogy Spell Crossed won an Our Choice Award and is considered a modern classic. A collection of songs called Love is Hard, produced by Bob Wiseman, was released in 2020. It is available on streaming services. In 2022, Robert co-wrote "S.E.E.D.S." for Julian Taylor's album, which was a top 5 hit on CBC's Music Chart.
Robert's most recent book of adult poetry, If I Didn't Love the River, was published in the fall of 2022. In 2024, the collection People Like You and Me was released. It features poems and songs with jazz musicians. A new poetry book, Accidents After Happening, is planned for publication in the fall of 2025.
