Jack Prelutsky:
           An Imagination of his own
                                         Written by: Diana Bloom

       Many critics wonder how Jack Prelutsky can have such a childish imagination. Jack Prelutsky has been writing children’s poetry for over twenty years.  He was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1940 and attended Hunter College located in Manhattan.  He originally studied arts in high school and in fact, at the High School of Music and Art in New York, he studied voice. 

            It’s hard to believe that once in Jack Prelutsky’s life he hated poetry.  His elementary school teacher gave him the impression that “ poetry was the literary equivalent of chopped liver!”[1] Then in his mid twenties he rediscovered poetry.  He told himself that he was only going to write about topics that young children could easily relate to. 

Before Shel Silverstein wrote children’s poetry, he was a close friend with Jack Prelutsky.  They were both living in Greenwich Village in the 50’s to early 60’s and were studying folk music.

 Jack Prelutsky has published over three-dozen books.  Some of his most popular books include: A Pizza the Size of the Sun, The New Kid on the block, and Something Big Has Been Here.

Jack prelutsky currently resides with his wife in Washington State.  Some his hobbies include: cooking, cycling, woodworking, and playing racquetball. He now tours many United States cities where he presents his newest poetry.

Published Work by:
 Jack Prelutsky

• The Queen of Eune (1976)

• Nightmares: Poems to Trouble Your Sleep (1978)

• The Random House Book of Children's Poetry (1983)

• The New Kid on the Block (1984)

• Something Big Has Been Here

• Beneath a Blue umbrella

• Its Christmas

• Its Halloween

• The Headless Horseman Rides Tonight

• Its Snowing, Its Snowing

• Its thanksgiving

• Its valentines day

• My Parents think I am sleeping

• Nightmares

• Ride a Purple Pelican

• Rolling Harvey Down the Hill

• The Sheriff of Rottenshoff

• Tyrannosaurus was a Beast

• Zoo Doings