Poet and author J. Patrick Lewis was 56 years old when, in 1998, he retired early from his position as professor of economics at Otterbein College in Ohio to become a full-time writer. During his career, he has written over 80 books and has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2011 Poetry Award from the National Council of Teachers of English. That same year, Pat was named 2011-13 U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate by the Poetry Foundation.
I recently wrapped up an interview with Pat for Poetry Advocates for Children and Young Adults (PACYA), which you can find HERE. On their www.PoetryAtPlay.Org blog, PACYA is featuring all the recipients of the prestigious National Council of Teachers of English Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children (NCTE). A couple of weeks ago, I interviewed poet and anthologist Lee Bennett Hopkins, who had also received this honour; in addition to Pat and Lee, you can read biographies and interviews with other NCTE Award-winning children’s poets like Nikki Grimes, Mary Ann Hoberman, David McCord, and more. (See the complete list of all the featured poets along with links to their pages HERE)
So please visit PACYA’s blog and see how they are promoting children’s poetry! And my thanks again to PACYA for giving me the opportunity to share Pat’s informative and inspiring thoughts!
Radio, Rhythm & Rhyme 