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Jen Bryant writes biographies, nonfiction, poetry, contemporary and historical fiction. Her recent novels include RINGSIDE 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial (An Oprah Recommended Book for ages 12 & up), Pieces of Georgia (IRA Young Adult Choices Pick), The Trial (about the 1935 Lindbergh baby kidnapping trial which took place in the town where Jen grew up) and biographical picture books about the poet William Carlos Williams (A River of Words), artist Georgia O’Keefe: (Georgia’s Bones), The WWII French composer Olivier Messiaen (Music for the End of Time), and the poet Marianne Moore (Call Me Marianne). Forthcoming in 2009 is her 1960’s novel Kaleidoscope Eyes and a picture book Abe’s Fish: A Boyhood Tale of Abraham Lincoln. Jen has taught writing and Children’s Literature at West Chester University and Bryn Mawr College and gives lectures, workshops and school presentations throughout the year. She lives with husband, daughter and their Springer Spaniel in Chester County, Pennsylvania. |
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The Fortune of Carmen Navarro Carmen rings up customers at the Quikmart, bored to tears. She needs the job, but her true love is music: she dropped out of high school to sing with the Gypsy Lovers. Just a few miles away, Ryan is a studious cadet with his eye on West Point. There’s not a single girl at the Valley Forge Military Academy, and that’s fine by him. But when Ryan spots Carmen, with her shining black hair and snake tattoo, his pulse quickens. Carmen slips him a note: “Come hear my band.” A romance begins, unlikely, passionate . . . and quickly imbalanced. In an enthralling narrative of obsessive love, the novel builds to a stunning close. |
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Kaleidoscope Eyes Will Lyza’s 1968 summer mystery lead to...pirate treasure? When Lyza helps her dad clean out her late grandfather’s house, a mysterious surprise brightens the sad task. In Gramps’s dusty attic, Lyza discovers three maps, carefully folded and stacked, bound by a single rubber band. On top, an envelope says “For Lyza ONLY.” What could this possibly be? It takes the help of her two best friends, Malcolm and Carolann, to figure out that the maps reveal three possible spots in their own New Jersey town where Captain Kidd (the Captain Kidd, seventeenth-century pirate) may have buried a treasure. Can three thirteen-year-olds actually conduct a secret treasure hunt? And what will they find? In a tale inspired by a true story of buried treasure, Jen Bryant weaves an emotional and suspenseful novel in poems, all set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War during a pivotal year in U.S. history. |
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Abe’s Fish: a Boyhood Story of Abraham Lincoln Here is the perfect book for celebrating Lincoln’s 200th birthday—and a unique way to illuminate our 16th president for today’s young readers. Based on an actual incident that occurred when Lincoln was just a boy, it shows that he, like so many children, wished he were taller (and it came true!); that he had a mischievous streak; that he loved words; and—most important—that even as a small child he puzzled deeply over the concept of freedom. Amy June Bates’s superb illustrations capture young Abe’s personality, the warmth of his home life, and the enduring power of his one-time chance meeting with a soldier from the War of 1812. |
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A River of Words In this picture book biography of William Carlos Williams, Bryant's engaging prose and Sweet's stunning mixed-media illustrations celebrate the amazing man who found a way to earn a living and to honor his calling to be a poet. Awards and Recognition |
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Ringside 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial The year is 1925, and the students of Dayton, Tennessee, are ready for a summer of fishing, swimming, some working, and drinking root beer floats at Robinson’s Drugstore. But when their science teacher, J. T. Scopes, is arrested for having taught Darwin’s theory of evolution in class, it seems it won’t be just any ordinary summer in Dayton. As Scopes’ trial proceeds, the small town is faced with astonishing, nationwide publicity: reporters, lawyers, scientists, religious leaders, and tourists. But amidst the circus-like atmosphere is a threatening sense of tension—not only in the courtroom, but among even the strongest of friends. This compelling novel in poems chronicles a controversy with a profound impact on science and culture in America—and one that continues to this day. Awards and Recognition |
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Pieces of Georgia Like her mother, Georgia McCoy is an artist, but her dad looks away whenever he sees her with a sketchbook. Sometimes it’s hard to remember what it was like when her mother was still alive...when they were a family...when they were happy. But then a few days after her 13th birthday, Georgia receives an unexpected gift—a strange, formal letter, all typed up and signed anonymous—granting her free admission to the Brandywine River Museum for a whole year. And things begin to change. An accessible novel in poems, Pieces of Georgia offers an endearing protagonist—an aspiring artist, a grieving daughter, a struggling student, a genuine friend—and the poignant story of a broken family coming together. Awards and Recognition |
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Call Me Marianne "Are you a scientist?" I ask. Marianne stops writing and looks up. "No, I’m not a scientist — I’m a poet." "Oh," I reply. I’ve never met a poet before. "What, exactly, does a poet do?" I ask her. "For me, being a poet begins with watching." On a trip to the zoo, young Jonathan returns a lost hat to Marianne, a woman who wears all black and scribbles notes in a little book. When Marianne invites him to tour the zoo with her, Jonathan makes a new friend and learns that he too can write poetry. With lighthearted illustrations and a poetically told story, this picture book about poet Marianne Moore offers readers a glimpse of the writing process and encourages them to become writers too. Awards and Recognition |
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Music for the End of Time Detained in a German prison camp, Olivier misses his family, his friends, and his home—but most of all he misses music. A chance encounter with a nightingale and a German officer, however, provides Olivier with a small miracle—the opportunity to write music again. Jen Bryant’s poetic biography of French composer Olivier Messiaen, coupled with Beth Peck’s evocative pastel illustrations, captures both the desolation of a World War II prison camp and the transforming power of music. This book will stir readers of all ages to seek hope in the things that inspire them. Awards and Recognition |
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Georgia's Bones As a child, shapes often drifted Growing up on a Wisconsin farm, Georgia began gathering all sorts of objects — sticks and stones, flowers and bones. Although she was teased for her interest in unique shapes and sizes, young Georgia declared: “Someday, I’m going to be an artist” — and that is exactly what she became. Jen Bryant’s story of Georgia O’Keeffe celebrates the famous artist’s fascination with natural shapes, “common objects,” and her unusual way of looking at the world. Bethanne Andersen’s fluid, graceful illustrations capture the beauty of O’Keeffe’s work and spirit. Awards and Recognition |
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The Trial Imagine you are Bruno Richard Hauptmann, accused of murdering the son of the most famous man in America. In a compelling, immediate voice, 12-year-old Katie Leigh Flynn takes us inside the courtroom of the most widely publicized criminal case of the 20th century: the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh’s baby son. And in doing so, she reveals the real-life figures of the trial—the accused, the lawyers, the grieving parents—and the many faces of justice. Awards and Recognition |
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