Jen Bryant (born 1960) is an American poet, novelist, and children's writer.
Bryant has won several awards for her work, including the Robert F. Sibert International Book Medal for ''The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus'', the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award, and the Charlotte Zolotow Honor Award for ''A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams'', and the Schneider Family Book Award for ''Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille''.
Two of her books, ''The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus'' and ''A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams'', have been awarded Caldecott Honors for
Melissa Sweet Melissa Sweet may refer to:
* Melissa Sweet (writer), Australian journalist and non-fiction writer
*Melissa Sweet (illustrator)
Melissa Sweet (born January 1, 1956) is an American illustrator and writer of nearly 100 books for children and young ...
's artwork.
Early life and education
Bryant (née Jennifer Fisher) was born in
Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in and the county seat of Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city's population was 28,127 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Easton is located at the confluence of the Lehigh River and the Delawa ...
Hunterdon County Democrat
The ''Hunterdon County Democrat'' is a weekly newspaper that serves Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Currently owned by Penn Jersey Advance, Inc., its offices are in Raritan Township. It is one of the largest paid weekly newspapers in New Jerse ...
'', February 6, 2015. Accessed September 5, 2022. "The author is the former Jennifer Fisher of Flemington, a 1978 graduate of Hunterdon Central High School." Bryant grew up next to a funeral home, where her father and grandfather were undertakers. She was fascinated by the manual typewriter her father used and would "try and copy whatever material happened to be lying around: drafts of obituaries. And what are obituaries, really, but one's life summed up in a paragraph or two? Good ones leave an impression of the person as an individual. I suppose as I practiced typing them, I must have absorbed some of the craft behind the writing of these little ‘biographies'."
She graduated from
Hunterdon Central Regional High School
Hunterdon Central Regional High School is a comprehensive high school, comprehensive, four-year state school, public Secondary education in the United States, high school, and regional school district that serves students from five municipaliti ...
in
Flemington, New Jersey
Flemington is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in and the county seat of Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Gettysburg College
Gettysburg College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1832, the campus is adjacent to the Gettysburg Battlefield. Gettysburg College has about ...
in
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg (; ) is a borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Adams County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the borough had a population of 7,106 people.
Gettysburg was the site of ...
, where she received her bachelor's degree in
French
French may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France
** French people, a nation and ethnic group
** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices
Arts and media
* The French (band), ...
and minored in
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
and secondary education.
Career
After graduating from Gettysburg College, Bryant taught
French
French may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France
** French people, a nation and ethnic group
** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices
Arts and media
* The French (band), ...
and
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
at
Paul VI Catholic High School
St. Paul VI Catholic High School (known as PVI or Paul VI) is a four-year private, catholic & college preparatory school in Chantilly, Virginia
Chantilly is a census-designated place (CDP) in western Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. T ...
in
Chantilly, Virginia
Chantilly is a census-designated place (CDP) in western Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 24,301 as of the 2020 census. Chantilly is named after an early-19th-century mansion and farm, which in turn took the name of an ...
, where she also coached their cross country teams.
After moving with her family to
Chester County, Pennsylvania
Chester County (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Tscheschter Kaundi''), colloquially referred to as Chesco, is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in ...
, Bryant began to write poetry, to study independently with poet Tina Barr, and to host poetry readings in local independent bookstores. Encouraged and mentored by authors Eileen Spinelli and
Jerry Spinelli
Jerry Spinelli (born February 1, 1941) is an American writer of children's novels that feature adolescence and early adulthood. His novels include ''Maniac Magee'', '' Stargirl'', and '' Wringer''.
Biography
Spinelli was born in Norristown, ...
, she began to write picture books and novels in verse and to submit them to publishers. She continued to teach and to write while obtaining a
M.A.
A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...
in English from
Arcadia University
Arcadia University is a private university in Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania, with a Glenside mailing address. The university enrolls approximately 3,200 undergraduate, master's, and doctoral students. The 94-acre (380,000 m2) Glenside cam ...
in 1999, where she was mentored by poet David Keplinger.
In 1999, Bryant taught writing and children's literature at
West Chester University
West Chester University (also known as West Chester, WCU, or WCUPA, and officially as West Chester University of Pennsylvania) is a public research university located in and around West Chester, Pennsylvania. The university is accredited by the ...
in
West Chester, Pennsylvania
West Chester is a borough (Pennsylvania), borough and the county seat of Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located in the Delaware Valley, Philadelphia metropolitan area, the borough had a population of 18,671 at the 2020 census. West ...
, and delivered lectures and workshops for schools and colleges. She continued writing poetry for adults and novels and picture books for children, eventually focusing on children's literature. Bryant's writing for children has been recognized with the Robert F. Sibert International Book Medal, the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award, the Charlotte Zolotow Honor Award, and the Schneider Family Book Award.
In May 2013, along with
Julia Chang Bloch
Julia Chang Bloch (; born 1942) is a Chinese American businessperson and diplomat, who was the first U.S. ambassador of Asian descent. She is the founder and executive chair of the US-China Education Trust.
Life and political career
Bloch was ...
and
David Gergen
David Richmond Gergen (born May 9, 1942) is an American political commentator and former presidential adviser who served during the administrations of Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. He is currently a senior political ...
, Bryant received an honorary doctorate degree from
Gettysburg College
Gettysburg College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1832, the campus is adjacent to the Gettysburg Battlefield. Gettysburg College has about ...
, her alma mater. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Gettysburg College.
Personal life
Bryant lives with her family in
Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Allegheny County ( ) is a County (United States), county in Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,250,578, making it the List of counties in Pennsylvania, state's second-most populous county, after Philadelp ...
.
Published works
Non-fiction picture book biographies
* ''Working Moms: A Portrait of their Lives'' (six of seven books in the career series from 1990 to 1991)
* ''Georgia's Bones'', illustrated by Bethanne Andersen (about
Georgia O'Keeffe
Georgia Totto O'Keeffe (November 15, 1887 March 6, 1986) was an American Modernism, modernist painter and drafter, draftswoman whose career spanned seven decades and whose work remained largely independent of major art movements. Called the "M ...
), 2005
* ''Music for the End of Time'' (about
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen (, ; ; 10 December 1908 – 27 April 1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithology, ornithologist. One of the major composers of the 20th-century classical music, 20th century, he was also an ou ...
), 2005)
* ''Call Me Marianne'', illustrated by David A. Johnson (about
Marianne Moore
Marianne Craig Moore (November 15, 1887 – February 5, 1972) was an American Modernism, modernist poet, critic, translator, and editor. Her poetry is noted for its formal innovation, precise diction, irony, and wit. In 1968 Nobel Prize in Li ...
), 2006
* ''A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams'', illustrated by Melissa Sweet (2008)
* ''A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin'', illustrated by Melissa Sweet (2013)
* ''The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus'', illustrated by Melissa Sweet (2014)
* ''Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille'', illustrated by Boris Kulikov (2016)
* ''Feed Your Mind: A Story of August Wilson'', illustrated by Cannaday Chapman (2019)
* ''Above the Rim: How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball'', illustrated by Frank Morrison (2020)
* ''Fall Down Seven Times, Stand Up Eight: Patsy Takemoto Mink and the Fight for Title IX'', illustrated by Toshiki Nakamura (2022)
Middle-grade and young adult biographies
* ''Marjory Stoneman Douglas: Voice of the Everglades'', illustrated by Larry Raymond (1992)
* ''Margaret Murie: A Wilderness Life'', illustrated by Antonio Castro (1993)
* ''Louis Braille, Inventor'' (1994)
* ''Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec: Artist'' (1995)
* ''Lucretia Mott: A Guiding Light'' (1996)
* ''Thomas Merton: Poet, Prophet, Priest'' (1997)
Novels in verse
* ''The Trial'' (2004)
* ''Pieces of Georgia'' (2006)
* ''Ringside, 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial'' (2008)
* ''Kaleidoscope Eyes'' (2009)
Novels in prose
* ''The Fortune of Carmen Navarro'' (2010)
Poetry
* ''The Whole Measure'' (chapbook), Greyhounds Press, 2006
* ''Hand Crafted'' (chapbook), Nova House Press, 2001
* Individual poems published in ''
American Literary Review
The ''American Literary Review'' is an American national biannual literary magazine of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Since its Fall 2013 issue, ''ALR'' has been an online digital publication. Print publications are cataloged under .
Hist ...
Poet Lore
''Poet Lore'' is an English-language literary magazine based in Bethesda, Maryland.
Established in 1889 by Charlotte Porter and Helen Archibald Clarke, two progressive young Shakespeare scholars who believed in the evolutionary nature of lite ...
'', ''
Smartish Pace
''Smartish Pace'' is a non-profit, independent literary journal based in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The magazine was founded in 1999 by Stephen Reichert (authored by member of journal's staff, published in an alumni magazine) who was a Universit ...
'', ''Comstock Review'', ''
The Pittsburgh Quarterly
''Pittsburgh Quarterly'' is a commerce and culture magazine in Western Pennsylvania, published four times per year with more than 30 distinctive stories every quarter. Topics range from regional indicators, timely issues in Greater Pittsburgh, b ...
'', ''Journal of NJ Poets'', ''Northeast Corridor'', ''Schuylkill Valley Journal'', and others.
Magazines and anthologies
Bryant's poems and articles have appeared in '' Highlights'' magazine and ''
Image
An image or picture is a visual representation. An image can be Two-dimensional space, two-dimensional, such as a drawing, painting, or photograph, or Three-dimensional space, three-dimensional, such as a carving or sculpture. Images may be di ...
'', and others. Her work is anthologized in ''Rush Hour: A Journal of Contemporary Voices'' (Delacorte Press); ''You Just Wait'', ''The Poetry Friday Anthology''; ''The Poetry Anthology for Middle School'' (all Pomelo Press); and ''One Minute Till Bedtime'' (
Little, Brown
Little, Brown and Company is an American publishing company founded in 1837 by Charles Coffin Little and James Brown in Boston. For close to two centuries, it has published fiction and nonfiction by American authors. Early lists featured Emil ...
).
Translations and adaptations
Several children's books by Bryant have been translated into Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and Hebrew. ''Six Dots'', her biography of inventor
Louis Braille
Louis Braille ( ; ; 4 January 1809 – 6 January 1852) was a French educator and the inventor of a reading and writing system named after him, braille, intended for use by visually impaired people. His system is used worldwide and remains virt ...
, is available in a print braille edition.
''A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin'' was adapted for the stage by the
Seattle Repertory Theatre
Seattle Rep (Seattle Repertory Theatre) is a major regional theater located in Seattle, Washington, at the Seattle Center. Founded in 1963, it is led by Artistic Director Dámaso Rodríguez and Managing Director Jeffrey Herrmann.NCTE Orbis Pictus Award, 2021
*''Call Me Marianne''
**
Society of Illustrators
The Society of Illustrators (SoI) is a professional society based in New York City. It was founded in 1901 to promote the art of illustration and, since 1959, has held an annual exhibition.
Since absorbing the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (M ...
, Original Art annual exhibition, 2006
*''Feed Your Mind: A Story of August Wilson''
**Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Books, 2019
**
National Book Festival
The National Book Festival is an annual literary festival held in Washington, D.C. in the United States; it is organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress, and was founded by Laura Bush and James H. Billington in 2001.
Background
In 19 ...
Choice for Pennsylvania
**NCTE Notable Children's Book in Language Arts, 2019
**Norman A. Sugarman Children's Biography Honor Book, 2020
**Society of Illustrators The Original Art annual exhibition, 2019
*''The Fortune of Carmen Navarro''
**Paterson Prize for Young People, 2011
*''The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus''
** Caldecott Honor Book, 2015
**''
The Horn Book Magazine
''The Horn Book Magazine'', founded in Boston in 1924, is the oldest bimonthly magazine dedicated to reviewing children's literature. It began as a "suggestive purchase list" prepared by Bertha Mahony and Elinor Whitney Field, proprietors of t ...
''‘s Best Books of 2014
**Maine Lupine Book Award, 2015
**Orbis Pictus Honor Book, 2015
**
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal
The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal established by the Association for Library Service to Children in 2001 with support from Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc., is awarded annually to the writer and illustrator of the most distinguished in ...
, 2015
**Society of Illustrators: The Original Art annual exhibition, 2014
*''River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, A''
**Caldecott Honor Book, 2009
**''
Christian Science Monitor
''The Christian Science Monitor'' (''CSM''), commonly known as ''The Monitor'', is a nonprofit news organization that publishes daily articles both in electronic format and a weekly print edition. It was founded in 1908 as a daily newspaper b ...
''s "Best Children's Books, 2008"
**Cooperative Children's Book Center Charlotte Zolotow Honor Award, 2009
**NCTE Orbis Pictus Award, 2009
**''
New York Times Book Review
''The New York Times Book Review'' (''NYTBR'') is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times'' in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely rea ...
'' "Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2008"
*''Six Dots: A Story of Young Louis Braille''
** ALA Schneider Family Book Award for Young Children, 2017
**Society of Illustrators: The Original Art annual exhibition, 2016
*''Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin, A''
** IBBY Outstanding Books for Children with Disabilities, 2015
**NCTE Orbis Pictus Award, 2014
**Robert F. Sibert Honor Book, 2014
**Schneider Family Book Award: Ages 0–10, 2014
**Society of Illustrators: The Original Art annual exhibition, 2015