Paul Bryan Janeczko (July 27, 1945 - February 19, 2019) was an American poet and
anthologist. He published 40 books beginning in the 1980s, including poetry compilations, non-fiction guides for young writers, and books for teachers.
Early life
Janeczko was born on July 27, 1945, in
Passaic, New Jersey
Passaic ( or ) is a city in Passaic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city had a total population of 70,537, ranking as the 16th largest municipality in New Jersey and an increase of 656 from the 69,7 ...
. He was the son of Frank John and Verna (Smolak) Janeczko.
Janeczko was not a serious student when he was young. When he enrolled at
St. Francis College
, mottoeng = My God, My All
, established =
, type = Private college
, chancellor =
, president = Miguel Martinez-Saenz
, provost = Jennifer Lancas ...
in
Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
he realized what he had missed. To quote Janeczko, “That's when it dawned on me that it was time for me to start learning.”
Janeczko attended graduate school at
John Carroll University
John Carroll University is a private Jesuit university in University Heights, Ohio. It is primarily an undergraduate, liberal arts institution accompanied by the John M. and Mary Jo Boler College of Business. John Carroll has an enrollment of 3, ...
in
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
and then began teaching.
Career
He taught high school English for 22 years in
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
,
, and
Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
. In 1990, Janeczko decided to leave the classroom in order to focus on
poetry
Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings i ...
and his newborn daughter, Emma.
He issued a new poetry anthology in 2015, ''The Death of the Hat: A Brief History of Poetry in 50 Objects.''
Personal life
At the time of his death, Janeczko lived in western Maine with his wife and daughter. He visited schools in the United States and Europe, providing workshops for teachers and students. At home he continued to write books.
Janeczko was a member of the
National Council of Teachers of English
The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) is a United States professional organization dedicated to "improving the teaching and learning of English and the language arts at all levels of education. Since 1911, NCTE has provided a forum ...
, Educators for Social Responsibility, New England Association of Teachers of English, and Maine Teachers of Language Arts.
Janeczko died on February 19, 2019, at the age of 73.
Recognition
He received several awards, including
*
American Library Association
The American Library Association (ALA) is a nonprofit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with 49,727 members a ...
Books for Young Adults,
* American Library Association Notable Books,
*
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library (NYPL) is a public library system in New York City. With nearly 53 million items and 92 locations, the New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States (behind the Library of Congress ...
Best Books
* School Library Journal Best Young Adult Books of the Year
Works
Poetry
*''Brickyard Summer'' (1999
*''Stardust Hotel'' (1993)
*''That Sweet Diamond: Baseball Poems'' (1998)
*''Worlds Afire'' (2004)
*''Wing Nuts: Screwy Haiku''
ith J. Patrick Lewis(2006)
* ''Birds on a Wire, or, a Jewel Tray of Stars''
ith J. Patrick Lewis(2007)
Novels
*''Bridges to Cross'' (1986)
*''Young Indiana Jones and the Pirates' Loot'' (1994)
Nonfiction and Professional Books
* ''Loads of Codes and Secret Ciphers'' (1988)
* ''Favorite Poetry Lessons''
ith Judy Lynch(1998)
* ''Teaching 10 Fabulous Forms of Poetry''
ith Judy Lynch(2000)
* ''How to Write Poetry'' (2001)
* ''Writing Funny Bone Poems'' (2001)
* ''Seeing the Blue Between: Advice and Inspiration for Young Poets'' (2002)
* ''Good for a Laugh: A Guide to Writing Amusing, Clever, and Downright Funny Poems'' (2003)
* ''Writing Winning Reports and Essays'' (2003)
* ''Opening a Door: Reading Poetry in the Middle School Classroom'' (2003)
* ''Top Secret: A Handbook of Codes, Ciphers, and Secret Writing'' (2004)
* ''How to Write Haiku and Other Short Poems'' (2004)
* ''Rhyming Dictionary''
ith Sun Young(2006)
* ''The Dark Game'' (2010)
Anthologies
* ''The Crystal Image'' (1977)
* ''Postcard Poems: A Collection of Poetry for Sharing'' (1979)
* ''Don't Forget to Fly: A Cycle of Modern Poems'' (1981)
* ''Poetspeak: In Their Work, About Their Work, A Special Kind of Poetry Anthology'' (1983)
* ''Strings: A Gathering of Family Poems'' (1984)
* ''Pocket Poems: Poems Selected for a Journey'' (1985)
* ''This Delicious Day: 65 Poems'' (1987)
* ''Going Over to Your Place: Poems for Each Other'' (1987)
* ''The Music of What Happens: Poems That Tell Stories'' (1988)
* ''The Place My Words Are Looking For: What Poets Say About and Through Their Work'' (1990)
* ''Preposterous: Poems of Youth'' (1991)
* ''Looking for Your Name: A Collection of Contemporary Poems'' (1993)
* ''Poetry from A to Z: A Guide for Young Writers'' (1994)
* ''Wherever Home Begins: 100 Contemporary Poems'' (1995)
* ''I Feel a Little Jumpy Around You: A Book of Her Poems & His Poems Presented in Pairs''
ith Naomi Shihab Nye(1996)
* ''Home on the Range: Cowboy Poetry'' (1997)
* ''Very Best (Almost) Friends: Poems of Friendship'' (1999)
* ''Stone Bench In An Empty Park'' (2000)
* ''A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poems'' (2001)
* ''Dirty Laundry Pile: Poems in Different Voices'' (2001)
* ''Blushing: Expressions of Love in Poems and Letters'' (2004)
* ''A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms'' (2005)
* ''Hey, You! Poems to Skyscrapers, Mosquitoes, and Other Fun Things'' (2007)
* ''The Death of the Hat: A Brief History of Poetry in 50 Objects'' (2015)
References
External links
*
Literary profileat Schoolwide.com
* ''Contemporary Authors Online'', Gale Literature Resource Center, 2002
* Lesesne, T. S. (1996). "Paul Janeczko". ''Emergency Librarian'', 23(3), 61-64.
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Janeczko, Paul
1945 births
2019 deaths
Writers from Passaic, New Jersey
University of New England (United States) alumni