Author recommendation

[Jean Hatfield <Hatfield@JCL.LIB.KS.US>]

Last week our library had the privilege to host author/poet Janet Wong.  We
received a grant from a local arts organization that is meant to introduce
the arts to new audiences.  We wanted to introduce the arts to our adult ESL
classes that are part of our Adult Basic Education/Literacy partnership with
our local community college.  The classes are taught in one of our branch
libraries so we focused on inviting 3 classes to hear Janet speak.  We also
invited a class of 7th. graders from a nearby Lutheran school and the teens
who are involved in our teen poetry group (mostly middle schoolers).  In
addition we took her to visit 2 classes at our Juvenile Detention Center.

We selected Janet based on her book "A Suitcase of Seaweed" which was on our
William Allen White list (our state reading award) last year.  I was
impressed with the simplicity of Janet's poems and with the depth of them as
well.  Janet described growing up in three cultures (she is half Chinese,
half Korean and born in Los Angeles) and I thought the adult ESL students
would identify with this aspect of her poems.  Her newest book "Behind the
Wheel: Poems About Driving" is geared to YA's and really struck a note with
the teens in the detention facility.

Janet was easy to work with, gracious at all times and an enthusiastic
speaker!  We presented her with a grueling 24 hour schedule that she fit
into her travel plans as she traveled from Seattle to Birmingham for an
appearance at AASL.  She easily worked with the different age levels and
special needs in the three sessions we had set up for her.  She enthused the
groups about writing poetry and the importance of re-writing and looking at
your poetry ideas in many ways.  And she was entertaining to boot!

I will be happy to give anyone contact information if they would email me
separately.  Or you can contact Jennifer Dorn at Simon & Schuster,Children's
Publishing Division, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020
212-698-2805

Jean Hatfield
Johnson County Library
Box 2933
Shawnee Mission KS  66201-1333
913-261-2345
913-261-2325 fax
hatfield@jcl.lib.ks.us

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