Sonnet L'Abbé facts for kids

Sonnet L'Abbé is a talented Canadian poet, editor, professor, and critic. As a poet, Sonnet writes about important topics like what it means to be Canadian, different cultures, and how we use language. They explore ideas about who we are and where we come from through their writing.

Sonnet L'Abbé's Journey and Work

Sonnet L'Abbé has studied a lot to become who they are today. They earned a special degree called a PhD in English literature from the University of British Columbia. They also have a master's degree from the University of Guelph and a degree in film and video from York University.

Teaching and Sharing Knowledge

Sonnet has taught English in South Korea and creative writing at the University of Toronto. From 2012 to 2014, they taught at the University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus. Today, they teach at Vancouver Island University. In 2015, they were a special writer-in-residence at Wilfrid Laurier University, which means they helped students with their writing.

Writing and Editing

Besides teaching, Sonnet L'Abbé is also a critic. They used to review books and poems for The Globe and Mail newspaper. They have also written articles about Canadian poetry. Sonnet helped edit poetry for Canadian Literature magazine. They also shared their thoughts on CBC Radio One and in the National Post newspaper. In 2014, Sonnet was the guest editor for the Best Canadian Poetry book. They are now on the team that decides which books to publish for Brick Books and which poems to feature in The Malahat Review.

Published Works and Recognition

Sonnet L'Abbé's poems have appeared in many literary magazines. Their work is also in several collections of poems, called anthologies. Some of these include Rising Tides and Best Canadian Poetry 2009. In 2010, they were a finalist for the CBC Literary Award for poetry. They also won the Bronwen Wallace Memorial Award, which is given to promising young writers. In 2013, Sonnet was part of a special project called 2017StartsNow!. This project brought Canadians together to talk about how to celebrate Canada's 150th birthday.

Sonnet L'Abbé's Family Background

Sonnet L'Abbé was born in Toronto, Ontario. Their father, Jason L'Abbé, is an artist who works with ceramics and is from a French-speaking background in Ontario. Their mother, Janet L'Abbé, is also an artist. She is of Guyanese Dougla descent, which means she has both South Asian and African roots from Guyana. Sonnet's unique first name, Sonnet, is a mix of parts of their parents' first names.

Books by Sonnet L'Abbé

• A Strange Relief (2001)
• Killarnoe (2007)
• Best Canadian Poetry in English 2014 (guest editor, 2014)
• Anima Canadensis (a short collection of poems, 2016)
• Sonnet's Shakespeare (2019)

Awards and Achievements

• Malahat Review Long Poem Prize, 1999
• Bronwen Wallace Memorial Award, 2000
• Shortlist, CBC Literary Award (Poetry), 2010
• bpNichol Chapbook Award, 2017
• Shortlist, Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize, 2020