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Jen Bryant writes picture books, novels, and poems for readers of all ages. Her biographical picture book, A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, received a Caldecott Honor award and her historical novel in verse, Ringside 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial, is an Oprah Recommended Book for ages 12 and up. Other titles include Pieces of Georgia (IRA Young Adult Choices Pick), The Trial (about the 1935 Lindbergh baby kidnapping trial), 1960s-era novel Kaleidoscope Eyes (a Jr. Library Guild selection), Georgia's Bones, celebrating the creative vision of artist Georgia O'Keeffe, Music for the End of Time, based on a true story about WWII, and 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, PA. |
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A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin written by Jen Bryant illustrated by Melissa Sweet Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2013 ages 5 and up, ISBN 978-0375867125 As a child in the late 1800s, Horace Pippin loved to draw: He loved the feel of the charcoal as it slid across the floor. He loved looking at something in the room and making it come alive again in front of him. He drew pictures for his sisters, his classmates, his co-workers. Even during WWI, Horace filled his notebooks with drawings from the trenches . . . until he was shot. Upon his return home, Horace couldn't lift his right arm, and couldn't make any art. Slowly, with lots of practice, he regained use of his arm, until once again, he was able to paint—and paint, and paint! Soon, people—including the famous painter N.C. Wyeth—started noticing Horace's art, and before long, his paintings were displayed in galleries and museums across the country. Awards & Recognition |
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The Fortune of Carmen Navarro written by Jen Bryant Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2010 young adult, ISBN 978-0375857591 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. A book trailer is available for this title. Awards & Recognition |
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Kaleidoscope Eyes written by Jen Bryant Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2009 ages 8 to 12, ISBN 978-0-375-84048-7 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. A book trailer is available for this title. Awards & Recognition |
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Abe’s Fish: a Boyhood Story of Abraham Lincoln illustrated by Amy June Bates Sterling Publishers, 2009 ages 7 to 10, ISBN 978-1402762529 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. Awards & Recognition |
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A River of Words illustrated by Melissa Sweet Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2008 ages 8 to 12, ISBN 978-0802853028 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 & Recognition |
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Ringside 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2008 young adult, ISBN 978-0375840470 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 & Recognition |
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Pieces of Georgia Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2006 young adult ISBN 978-0375832598 (hardcover) ISBN 978-0440420552 (paperback) 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 & Recognition |
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Call Me Marianne illustrated by David A. Johnson Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2006 ages 5 to 8, ISBN 978-0802852427 "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 & Recognition |
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Music for the End of Time illustrated by Beth Peck Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2005 ages 8 to 12, ISBN 978-0802852298 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 & Recognition |
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Georgia's Bones illustrated by Bethanne Andersen Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2005 ages 7 to 10, ISBN 978-0802852175 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 & Recognition |
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The Trial (verse novel) illustrated by Leigh Wells Knopf, 2004 ages 8 to 12 ISBN 978-0375827525 (hardcover) ISBN 978-0440419860 (paperback) 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 & Recognition |
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