Lee Bennett Hopkins 

Lee Bennett Hopkins has written and edited numerous award-winning books for children and young adults, as well as professional texts and curriculum materials. He has taught elementary school and served as a consultant to school systems throughout the country. Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Hopkins graduated from Kean College and Bank Street College of Education, and holds a Professional Diploma in Educational Supervision and Administration from Hunter College. In 1980 he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree from Kean College. In 1989 he received the University of Southern Mississippi Medallion for “outstanding contributions to the field of children's literature” in recognition of his work.

His creativity is the result of his passion for poetry and his unflagging belief that poetry is a necessity for children, at home and in the classroom.

At the heart of all his writing is the dedication to bring children and books together. “You must teach children to love books,” he insists. “We spend too much time teaching children to read and not enough time teaching them to love to read.”

 Hopkins’ trilogy of American History in Poetry for Children and Young Adults include the award-winning titles: Hand in Hand: An American History Through Poetry, My America: A Poetry Atlas, and the forthcoming America at War (all Simon & Schuster).

 To encourage the recognition of poetry, he has established two major awards: the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, presented annually by Penn State University for a single volume of poetry, and the Lee Bennett Hopkins/International Reading Association Promising Poet Award, presented every three years by IRA.

One of the nation's most sought-after speakers on the subject of children's literature, Mr. Hopkins lives in Cape Coral, Florida.

www.leebennetthopkinsbooks.com