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A video interview with

Janet Wong

Janet Wong's career switch was so dramatic that she was featured on a segment of The Oprah Winfrey Show. When Wong left her job as Director of Labor Relations at Universal Studios in Hollywood, she dreamed of becoming a children's book author. Over the next two years, she took a writing class, submitted manuscripts, and piled up more than two dozen rejection letters. Through a combination of practice, persistence, and talent, Janet Wong quickly became a successful writer of poetry and picture books for young people. In 2003, Wong was invited to speak at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.

Click on the links below‡ to watch this interview online. You can also read the interview transcript or a short biography of Janet Wong, or see a selected list of her children's books.

View online

Burritos, pizza, and chopsticks (1:25)
In this video clip, Janet Wong talks about her "pretty regular" childhood in multicultural Los Angeles.
The Trip Back Home (2:31)
Janet Wong explains how her childhood visit to her mother's village in Korea provided the storyline for this picture book.
The great career switch (2:04)
In this video clip, Wong describes how and why she left law for children's books.
The power of poetry (2:16)
Janet Wong used to hate poetry. Today she makes her living writing it. Watch this video clip to find out why she had a change of heart.
The poetry suitcase (2:19)
Attention teachers: Here's a quick and easy way to read more poetry in your classroom.
Twist (1:51)
While discussing her book about yoga, Janet Wong personally demonstrates the fierce exhale of the lion.
Dumpster diving, anyone? (3:00)
Even though Janet Wong has never dived into a dumpster herself, she did find a fun (and safe) way to write about it for kids.
Apple Pie Fourth of July (2:51)
Watch this video clip to find out why this book is actually Janet Wong's public apology to her parents.

‡ This video clip will appear in Windows Media Player, which most computers already have installed, or you can download it now. Macintosh users can download the free Flip4Mac playback file, which allows you to play Windows Media files in your Quicktime player.

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