Lee Bennett Hopkins (April 13, 1938 – August 8, 2019) was an American educator, poet, author, and anthologist. He authored or edited more than 100 books for children, as well as a number of books and articles for adults. Among his many honors and awards, he was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2017.
Early life and education Hopkins was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. When he was 13 his parents divorced and he moved with his mother and siblings to a low-income housing project in Newark, New Jersey. After high school he enrolled in Newark State Teachers College (now Kean University) in Union, New Jersey, where he majored in education. After graduating in 1960 he taught sixth grade at Westmoreland Elementary in Fair Lawn, New Jersey and pursued a master's degree at Bank Street College of Education in New York City. In 1967 he earned a degree in Administration from Hunter College of the City University of New York.
Career From 1966 to 1968 he served as a senior consultant to Bank Street College's Learning Resource Center in Harlem, New York, and from 1968 and 1976 he worked as a curriculum specialist for Scholastic Magazines, Inc. (now Scholastic Inc.). During those years he published a number of books including works for teachers, children's books, and anthologies of poetry, as well as articles that appeared in publications such as Horn Book and Language Arts (the professional journal of the National Council of Teachers of English).Serpiello, Dan. "Hopkins, Lee Bennett" . 2007. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
In 1976 Hopkins left Scholastic to become a full-time writer and education advocate. He believes that poetry has an important place in education,Leitich Smith, Cynthia. "Author Interview: Lee Bennett Hopkins on America at War" . February 23, 2009. Retrieved 14 February 2013. and much of his professional writing is devoted to advancing the thesis and suggesting ways to integrate poetry into the curriculum. His 1972 book Pass the Poetry, Please (revised in 1987 and 1998) outlines his views on teaching poetry and includes biographies of several poets whose work he feels will appeal to children, and is consistently popular with teachers.Temple, Charles, et al. ed. Children's Books in Children's Hands: An Introduction to Their Literature. Third Edition. Boston: Pearson Education Inc., 2006. p 298. His desire to match children to poems that will speak to them is also behind his prolific production of anthologies; he has been recognized as "the world’s most prolific anthologist of poetry for children" by Guinness World Records."Most prolific anthologist of poetry for children". Retrieved 14 February 2013.
Awards and honors Hopkins received many awards and honors over his career. He received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Kean University in 1980Lee Bennett Hopkins website. Retrieved 14 February 2013. and in 1989 was awarded the University of Southern Mississippi Medallion for "lasting contributions to children's literature."HarperCollins Children's Books - Kids Authors and Illustrators. His autobiographical poetry collection Been To Yesterdays was honored with the Christopher Award in 1995 and was Golden Kite Award honor book in 1996.Golden Kite Award recipients . Retrieved 14 February 2013. In 2009 Hopkins was awarded the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children for his lifetime body of work.http://www.ncte.org/awards/poetry "NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children". Retrieved 14 February 2013. In 2010, he was awarded a Florida Lifetime Achievement Award by the Southwest Florida Reading Festival, and in 2011 he received the Award for Excellence in Educational Leadership from the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA). In 2016, Hopkins received the prestigious Regina Medal award sponsored by the Catholic Library Association. In 2017, Hopkins was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame.
Personal life Hopkins lived in Cape Coral, Florida. His husband Charles announced his death on August 8, 2019.
Legacy
Namesake and founder, Lee Bennett Hopkins Award for Poetry. Established 1993 in cooperation with Pennsylvania Center for the Book. Namesake and founder, ILA Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award. Established 1995 in cooperation with the International Reading Association. Namesake and founder, Lee Bennett Hopkins SCBWI Poetry Award. Established 2015 in cooperation with the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Founder, Annual Lee Bennett Hopkins Writing Institute for Children. In cooperation with Florida Southwestern State College in Ft. Myers, Florida.
Works
Professional books 2015 SKPU Students Creative Activities for Gifted Children. With Annette Frank Shaprio. Fearon, 1968. Books Are by People: interviews with 104 authors and illustrators of books for young children. Citation Press, 1969. Let Them Be Themselves: Language Arts Enrichment for Disadvantaged Children in Elementary Schools. Citation Press, 1969. Second edition (published as Let Them Be Themselves: Language Arts for Children in Elementary Schools), 1974. Third edition, Harper, 1992. Partners in Learning: A Child-Centered Approach to Teaching the Social Studies. With Misha Arenstein. Citation Press, 1971. Pass the Poetry, Please!: Bringing Poetry into the Minds and Hearts of Children. Citation Press, 1972. Third revised edition, HarperCollins, 1998. More Books by More People. Citation Press, 1974. Do You Know What Day Tomorrow Is?: A Teacher's Almanac. With Misha Arenstein. Citation Press, 1975. The Best of Book Bonanza. Holt, 1980 Pauses: Autobiographical Reflections on 101 Creators of Children's Books. HarperCollins, 1995.
Young-adult novels
Mama. Alfred A.Knopf. Dell Paperback. 1977. Reprinted by Boyds Mills Press, 2000. Wonder Wheels. Alfred A. Knopf. Dell Paperback, 1980. Mama and Her Boys. Harper, 1981. Reprinted by Boyds Mills Press, 2000.
Children's books
Important Dates in Afro-American History. F. Watts, 1969. This Street's for Me (poetry), Illustrated by Ann Grifalconi. Crown, 1970. Charlie's World: A Book of Poems. Illustrated by Charles Robinson. Bobbs-Merrill, 1972. Kim's Place and Other Poems. Illustrated by Lawrence DiFiori. Holt, 1974. I Loved Rose Ann. Illustrated by Ingrid Fetz. Knopf, 1976. The Writing Bug: An Autobiography. Richard C. Owen, 1994. Been to Yesterdays: Poems of a Life. Boyds Mills Press, 1995. Good Rhymes, Good Times!. Illustrated by Frané Lessac. HarperCollins, 1995. Alphathoughts: Alphabet Poems. Illustrated by Marla Baggetta. Boyds Mills Press/Wordsong, 2003. City I Love. Illustrated by Marcellus Hall. Abrams, 2010. Full Moon and Star. Illustrated by Marcellus Hall. Abrams, 2011. Mary's Song. Illustrated by Stephen Alcorn. Eerdmans, 2012.
Anthologies
I Think I Saw a Snail: Young Poems for City Seasons. Illustrated by Harold James. Crown, 1969. Don't You Turn Back: Poems by Langston Hughes. Illustrated by Ann Grifalconi, foreword by Arna Bontemps. Knopf, 1969. City Talk. Illustrated by Roy Arnella. Knopf, 1970. Faces and Places: Poems for You. With Misha Arenstein, illustrated by Lisl Weil. Scholastic, 1970. The City Spreads Its Wings. Illustrated by Moneta Barnett. Franklin Watts, 1970. Me!: A Book of Poems. Illustrated by Talavaldis Stubis. Seabury, 1970. Zoo!: A Book of Poems. Illustrated by Robert Frankenberg. Crown, 1971. Girls Can Too!: A Book of Poems. Illustrated by Emily McCully. Franklin Watts, 1972. Happy Birthday to Me!. Scholastic, 1972. When I Am All Alone: A Book of Poems. Scholastic, 1972. Time to Shout: Poems for You. With Misha Arenstein, illustrated by Lisl Weil. Scholastic, 1973. I Really Want to Feel Good about Myself: Poems by Former Addicts. With Sunna Rasch. Thomas Nelson, 1974. On Our Way: Poems of Pride and Love. Illustrated by David Parks. Knopf, 1974. Hey-How for Halloween. Illustrated by Janet McCaffery. Harcourt, 1974. Take Hold!: An Anthology of Pulitzer Prize-Winning Poems. Thomas Nelson, 1974. Poetry on Wheels. Illustrated by Frank Aloise. Garrard, 1974. Sing Hey for Christmas Day. Illustrated by Laura Jean Allen. Harcourt, 1975. A Haunting We Will Go: Ghostly Stories and Poems. Illustrated by Vera Rosenberry. Albert Whitman, 1976. Witching Time: Mischievous Stories and Poems. Illustrated by Vera Rosenberry. Albert Whitman, 1976. Good Morning to You, Valentine. Illustrated by Tomie dePaola. Harcourt, 1976. Merrily Comes Our Harvest In. Illustrated by Ben Shecter. Harcourt, 1976. Thread One to a Star. With Misha Arenstein. Four Winds, 1976. Potato Chips and a Slice of Moon: Poems You'll Like. With Misha Arenstein, illustrated by Wayne Blickenstaff. Scholastic, 1976. Beat the Drum! Independence Day Has Come. Illustrated by Tomie dePaola. Harcourt, 1977. Monsters, Ghoulies, and Creepy Creatures: Fantastic Stories and Poems. Illustrated by Vera Rosenberry. Albert Whitman. 1977. To Look at Any Thing. Illustrated by John Earl. Harcourt, 1978. Pups, Dogs, Foxes, and Wolves: Stories, Poems, and Verse. Illustrated by Vera Rosenberry. Albert Whitman, 1979. Kits, Cats, Lions, and Tigers: Stories, Poems, and Verse. Illustrated by Vera Rosenberry. Albert Whitman, 1979. Go to Bed: A Book of Bedtime Poems. Illustrated by Rosekrans Hoffman. Knopf, 1979. Easter Buds Are Springing: Poems for Easter. Illustrated by Tomie dePaola. Harcourt, 1979. Merely Players: An Anthology of Life Poems. Thomas Nelson, 1979. My Mane Catches the Wind: Poems about Horses. Illustrated by Sam Savitt. Harcourt, 1979. By Myself. Illustrated by Glo Coalson. Crowell, 1980. Elves, Fairies, and Gnomes. Illustrated by Rosekrans Hoffman. Knopf, 1980. Moments: Poems about the Seasons. Illustrated by Michael Hague. Harcourt, 1980. Morning, Noon, and Nighttime, Too!. Illustrated by Nancy Hannans. Harper, 1980. I Am the Cat. Illustrated by Linda Rochester Richards. Harcourt, 1981. And God Bless Me: Prayers, Lullabies and Dream-Poems. Illustrated by Patricia Henderson Lincoln. Knopf, 1982. Circus! Circus!. Illustrated by John O'Brien. Knopf, 1982. Rainbows Are Made: Poems by Carl Sandburg. Illustrated by Fritz Eichenberg. Harcourt, 1982. A Dog's Life. Illustrated by Linda Rochester Richards. Harcourt, 1983. How Do You Make an Elephant Float?, and Other Delicious Food Riddles. Illustrated by Rosekrans Hoffman. Albert Whitman, 1983. Animals from Mother Goose. Illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt. Harcourt, 1983. People from Mother Goose. Illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt. Harcourt, 1983. The Sky Is Full of Song. Illustrated by Dirk Zimmer. Harper, 1983. A Song in Stone: City Poems. Illustrated by Anna Held Audette. Crowell, 1983. Crickets and Bullfrogs and Whispers of Thunder: Poems and Pictures by Harry Behn. Harcourt, 1984. Love and Kisses. Illustrated by Kris Boyd. Houghton, 1984. Surprises: An I-Can-Read Book of Poems. Illustrated by Meagan Lloyd. Harper, 1984. Creatures. Illustrated by Stella Ormai. Harcourt, 1985. Munching: Poems about Eating. Illustrated by Nelle Davis. Little, Brown, and Co., 1985. Best Friends. Illustrated by James Watts. Harper, 1986. The Sea Is Calling Me. Illustrated by Walter Gaffney-Kessel. Harcourt, 1986. Click, Rumble, Roar: Poems about Machines. Illustrated by Anna Held Audette. Crowell, 1987. Dinosaurs. Illustrated by Murray Tinkelman. Harcourt, 1987. More Surprises: An I-Can-Read Book. Illustrated by Meagan Lloyd. Harper, 1987. Voyages: Poems by Walt Whitman. Illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak. Harcourt, 1988. Side by Side: Poems to Read Together. Illustrated by Hilary Knight. Simon & Schuster, 1988. Still as a Star: Nighttime Poems. Illustrated by Karen Malone. Little, Brown, and Co., 1988. Good Books, Good Times!. Illustrated by Harvey Stevenson. Harper, 1990. On the Farm. Illustrated by Laurel Molk. Little, Brown, and Co., 1991. Happy Birthday. IIus. by Hilary Knight. Simon & Schuster, 1991. Questions: An I-Can-Read Book. Illustrated by Carolyn Croll. HarperCollins, 1992.