Janeczko, Paul (1945 - 2019)

Genre: General Fiction, Non-Fiction, Poetry

Paul Janeczko, was born in Passaic, NJ, graduated from St. Francis College in Biddeford (A.B., 1967) and John Carroll University (M.A. 1970) and is a resident of Hebron, Maine. Janeczko has taught for many years, including in Cleveland in the late 1960s and at Gray-New Gloucester High School from 1977-1990. He has also interviewed a number of writers, including children's writer M.E. Kerr (1975) and Maine's own Stephen King (1980).

Janeczko himself was interviewed for The ALAN Review in Spring 1997; he talked about teaching poetry and developing anthologies. He runs poetry workshops internationally, speaks at schools and libraries, and continues to turn out poetry anthologies designed primarily for kids and teens.

Janeczko also wrote Young Indiana Jones and the Pirates' Loot under the pen name J.N. Fox (paying homage to baseballer Jacob Nelson Fox).

Selected Bibliography

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 (1983) an ALA Best Book for Young Adults
  • Strings: A Gathering of Family Poems (1984)
  • Pocket Poems: Selected for a Journey (1985)
  • Going Over To Your Place: Poems for Each Other (1987)
  • This Delicious Day: 65 Poems (1987)
  • The Music of What Happens: Poems That Tell
  • The Place My Words Are Looking For: What Poets Say About and Through Their Work (1990) an ALA Notable Book
  • Preposterous: Poems of Youth (1991)
  • Looking For Your Name: A Collection of Contemporary Poems (1993)
  • Poetry from A to Z: A Guide to Young Writers (1994)
  • Wherever Home Begins: Ten Contemporary Poems (1995)
  • I Feel A Little Jumpy Around You: Paired Poems by Men and Women (1996) with Naomi Shihab Nye
  • Home on the Range: Cowboy Poetry (1997)
  • Very Best (Almost) Friends: Poems of Friendship (1998) with Christine Davenier
  • Stone Bench in an Empty Park (2000)
  • Dirty Laundry Pile: Poems in Different Voices (2000) illustrated by Maine illustrator Melissa Sweet
  • A Poke in the I (2001)
  • Blushing: Expressions Of Love In Poems And Letters (2004)
  • A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms (2005)

Teaching Books

  • Favorite Poetry Lessons (1998)
  • How To Write Poetry (1999)
  • 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)
  • How to Write Haiku and Other Short Poems (2004)

Janeczko's own books of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction

  • Loads of Codes and Secret Ciphers (1981)
  • Bridges to Cross (1986; YA fiction)
  • Brickyard Summer (1989; poetry) won the first Lupine Award)
  • Stardust Hotel (1993; poetry), sometimes listed as Stardust Otel)
  • That Sweet Diamond: Baseball Poems (1998)
  • Worlds Afire (2004; YA)
  • Top Secret: A Handbook of Codes, Ciphers and Secret Writing (2006)
  • The dark game : true spy stories (2010) Finalist Young Adult Library Services Association Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults

Selected Links