Brod Bagert

Brod Bagert (born 1947) is a children's poet from New Orleans. He has written 19 books of poetry for children, young-adults, and adults.[1] His work has received numerous awards including the International Reading Association's prestigious Young Adults Choices award, the Association of Educational Publishers Distinguished Achievement Award, the Independent Publisher Gold Book Award, and Mom's Choices Gold Medal.[1] He lives in New Orleans with his wife Debby; they have four children..[1]

History

Bagert was born and raised in New Orleans. In high school, he studied classical literature in the original Latin and Greek, wrestled and boxed.[1] Bagert attended Loyola University in New Orleans for both undergraduate and Law School, from which, in 1971, he received his Juris Doctorate.

Bagert practiced as a trial attorney in Louisiana from 1971-1992, and served as an elected official from 1976-1980. In the summer of 1992, Bagert decided to leave his law practice to become a full-time, professional poet.[1]

Early career

Bagert was elected to the New Orleans City Council in 1976 for a partial term representing District D, and was subsequently re-elected to a full term in 1977. While serving as Councilman, Bagert introduced legislation to designate Esplanade Avenue and a large portion of the New Orleans area referred to as the Treme as a historic district.[2] As Councilman, Bagert helped create the New Orleans Home Mortgage Authority and shepherded the issuance of $85-million in single-family mortgage revenue bonds to fund loans for low to moderate income, first-time home owners.[3]

In October 1980 Bagert left the City Council to accept an appointment to the Louisiana Public Service Commission.ref>Lynch, Bill and DuBos, Clancy. “Bagert Appointed to PSC; Hellmers Eyed for Council.” The Times Picayune. New Orleans, LA. 27 Oct 1980.</ref>

After leaving political office, Bagert remained active in utility-related consumer issues. He pursued litigation against Louisiana Power & Light (LP&L) for the return of $1.9 billion dollars in fuel cost adjustment overpayments.[4] He also became one of the lead proponents for the acquisition by the City of New Orleans Public Service Inc. (NOPSI), in a long dispute over the introduction of the cost of the Grand Gulf Nuclear Station into the rate structure applicable to New Orleans rate payers.[5]

Poetry career

Bagert's life as a children's author began when his eight-year-old daughter asked him to write a poem for her to perform in her school elocution program.[6] To make the poem more performance friendly he wrote it in his daughter's voice, the voice of an eight-year-old girl. That was the beginning of what would eventually become one of the identifying characteristics of Bagert's poetry: poems are written in the voice of the audience for whom the poetry is intended.[1] In a poem for kindergartners, he writes in the voice of a kindergartner. In a poem for sixth-graders, he writes in the voice of a sixth-grader. The result is a body of performance-friendly poetry in which children hear their own voices, engage their own thoughts, and discover their own innermost feelings.[1]

Books

TitleYear PublishedISBNPublisher
If Only I Could Fly: Poems for Kids to Read Out Loud1984ISBN 978-0961422806Juliahouse Publishing Company
Alaska: Twenty Poems and a Journal1988ISBN 978-0961422837Juliahouse Publishing Company
Chicken Socks: And Other Contagious Poems1993ISBN 978-1563978616Boyds Mill Press
Helping Your Child Learn to Read: With Activities for Children from Infancy Through Age 101993ISBN 978-0669376722U.S. Department of Education, Office of Education Research and Improvement
Let Me Be... The Boss1995ISBN 978-1563975240Boyds Mills Press
Poetry for Young People: Edgar Allan Poe1995ISBN 978-0806908205Sterling Publishing
Throw Me Somethin’ Mistuh!1995ISBN 978-1887746021Juliahouse Publishing Company
Rainbows, Head Lice, and Pea-Green Tile: Poems in the Voice of the Classroom Teacher1999ISBN 978-0929895284Maupin House Publishing
Elephant Games: And Other Playful Poems to Perform1995ISBN 978-1563978623Boyds Mill Press
The Gooch Machine: Poems for Children to Perform2004ISBN 978-1590783153Boyds Mill Press
Giant Children2005ISBN 978-0142401927Puffin Books
Hormone Jungle: Coming of Age in Middle School2006ISBN 978-0929895871Maupin House Publishing
Shout! Little Poems That Roar200712359887978-0803729728Dial Books for Young Readers
School Fever2008ISBN 978-0803732018Dial Books for Young Readers
Steel Cables2008ISBN 978-1934338155Maupin House Publishing
A Bullfrog at Cafe Du Monde2008ISBN 978-1934338179Maupin House Publishing
The Poet and the Professor: Poems for Building Reading Skills, Grade Level 42010ISBN 978-1425802387Shell Educational Publishing
The Poet and the Professor: Poems for Building Reading Skills, Grade Level 52010ISBN 978-1425802394Shell Educational Publishing
The Poet and the Professor: Poems for Building Reading Skills, Grade Levels 6-82010ISBN 978-1425802400Shell Educational Publishing

References

  1. "Saints Beat Weblog". NOLA.com. 2010-01-07. Retrieved 2013-10-01.
  2. Montaigne, Fen. ”Esplanade is Designated Historic District.” The Times Picayune. New Orleans, LA 2 Feb 1979. pA-3.
  3. Massa, Joe. “Mr. Bagert Goes to Washington.” The Times Picayune. New Orleans, LA. 20 May 1979.
  4. Boyd, Richard. “Suit Asks $1.9 Billion for LP&L Customers.” The Times Picayune. New Orleans, LA. 14 Jan 1981.
  5. ”Where Consumers Want Their Own Electric Companies”. BusinessWeek. New York, New York. 23 May 1983.
  6. Perry, James A. “Paternal Love in Poetry”. The Times Picayune. New Orleans, LA. 13 Sept 1981.
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