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Janet S. Wong
By Lee Bennett Hopkins
This remarkable poet gave up a successful career in law in order to write for children
Two poetry must-haves – Janet's book The Rainbow Hand (above) and her latest, Twist: Yoga Poems (below).
Four years after graduating from Yale University Law School, Janet S. Wong became Director of Labor Relations at Universal Studios in Hollywood, CA. "I should have been happy," she said. "I had a private parking space, wore Donna Karan suits and charged expensive sushi lunches to my expense account."
However, something was missing in her life. She decided to give up law practice to write for children.
"In just one year's time I submitted more than 20 manuscripts; I also collected a pile of rejection letters. After a period of 18 months, my first book, Good Luck Gold and Other Poems (McElderry Books, 1994) sold."
A much-needed voice
Janet was born on January 30, 1962, in Los Angeles, CA. Her father was a Chinese immigrant and her mother was from Korea. Janet's diverse background brings a much-needed voice to the world of children's poetry. From "Bound Feet" to "Chinese Valentine," her poetry reflects an often-overlooked aspect of our multifaceted American culture.
Janet's career continued to flourish after her first book. She published several picture books as well as other poetry collections, including The Rainbow Hand: Poems About Mothers and Children (McElderry, 1999), Night Garden: Poems from the World of Dreams (McElderry, 2000) and her latest, Twist: Yoga Poems (McElderry, 2007), featuring 16 poems to inspire young yogis.
What we are inside
According to Janet, "Poetry shows us what we are inside, what is on your mind or in your heart when you might not even know it."
A frequent speaker at major conventions, Janet also visits schools throughout the country to talk with students about her love of poetry.
Janet lives with husband, Glenn, and son, Andrew, in Princeton, NJ. Visit her website at www.janetwong.com
Lee Bennett Hopkins is a distinguished poet and anthologist. A recent collection is Behind the Museum Door: Poems to Celebrate the Wonders of Museums (Abrams, 2007).
January, 2007, Vol.37, No.4
