📖 Overview
Lee Wardlaw is an American children's book author known for creating engaging stories that often feature humor and relatable childhood experiences. Her works include popular titles like "101 Ways to Bug Your Teacher," "101 Ways to Bug Your Parents," and the award-winning "Won Ton" series.
Born in Kansas but raised in California, Wardlaw transitioned from a career as an elementary school teacher to become a full-time writer. She holds a bachelor's degree in Education from California Polytechnic State University and spent five years teaching before dedicating herself to writing children's literature.
Her notable works include the "Won Ton" books, created in collaboration with illustrator Eugene Yelchin, which tell stories through haiku poetry from a cat's perspective. The series began with "Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku" and continued with "Won Ton and Chopstick" in 2015.
Wardlaw's writing style often incorporates humor and authentic childhood experiences, particularly in her "101 Ways to Bug" series, which has resonated with young readers. Her work spans various formats including picture books, middle-grade novels, and poetry collections.
👀 Reviews
Lee Wardlaw's children's books receive consistent 4+ star ratings from parents, teachers, and young readers on both Amazon and Goodreads.
Readers highlight that her haiku books about cats (Won Ton series) teach poetry forms while keeping kids engaged. Teachers report successfully using these books to introduce haiku in classrooms. Parents note the books help children understand pet behavior and emotions.
For her chapter books, readers appreciate the straightforward handling of real issues like new siblings, school problems, and friendship challenges. Multiple reviews mention authentic child voices and relatable characters.
Some readers find her earlier works from the 1990s dated in references and dialogue. A few reviews critique simple plots in her picture books.
Average ratings across platforms:
Goodreads: 4.1/5 (2,000+ ratings)
Amazon: 4.4/5 (500+ ratings)
Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku - 4.3/5 (800+ ratings)
101 Ways to Bug Your Parents - 3.9/5 (400+ ratings)
📚 Books by Lee Wardlaw
101 Ways to Bug Your Teacher
A middle-grade novel following Steve "Sneeze" Wyatt, an inventive student who develops creative schemes to cope with school life and his gifted program placement.
Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku A picture book narrated through a series of haiku poems that tells the story of a shelter cat adapting to life with his new family.
101 Ways to Bug Your Parents A middle-grade story about Steve "Sneeze" Wyatt's attempts to convince his parents to let him attend a summer cooking camp instead of math camp.
Won Ton and Chopstick: A Cat and Dog Tale Told in Haiku A picture book told in haiku that chronicles Won Ton the cat's adjustment to a new puppy in his household.
101 Ways to Bug Your Friends and Enemies A middle-grade novel following Steve "Sneeze" Wyatt as he navigates friendship challenges and a school talent show competition.
Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku A picture book narrated through a series of haiku poems that tells the story of a shelter cat adapting to life with his new family.
101 Ways to Bug Your Parents A middle-grade story about Steve "Sneeze" Wyatt's attempts to convince his parents to let him attend a summer cooking camp instead of math camp.
Won Ton and Chopstick: A Cat and Dog Tale Told in Haiku A picture book told in haiku that chronicles Won Ton the cat's adjustment to a new puppy in his household.
101 Ways to Bug Your Friends and Enemies A middle-grade novel following Steve "Sneeze" Wyatt as he navigates friendship challenges and a school talent show competition.
👥 Similar authors
Gordon Korman writes stories about school life and mischief that mix humor with relatable situations for young readers. His "MacDonald Hall" series and standalone novels like "No More Dead Dogs" share similar themes with Wardlaw's "101 Ways to Bug" books.
Sharon Creech combines poetry and storytelling in works that explore relationships and everyday experiences. Her books "Love That Dog" and "Hate That Cat" use verse to tell stories from unique perspectives, similar to Wardlaw's "Won Ton" series.
Andrew Clements creates stories centered on school life and student-teacher dynamics. His books "Frindle" and "The School Story" focus on creative children navigating school situations, comparable to Wardlaw's approach to writing about classroom experiences.
Lisa Yee writes character-driven stories that blend humor with authentic childhood experiences. Her books feature protagonists dealing with everyday challenges and relationships, reflecting themes found in Wardlaw's work.
Marion Dane Bauer creates works that span multiple formats including picture books and poetry collections. Her writing addresses everyday experiences through multiple perspectives, similar to Wardlaw's varied approach to storytelling formats.
Sharon Creech combines poetry and storytelling in works that explore relationships and everyday experiences. Her books "Love That Dog" and "Hate That Cat" use verse to tell stories from unique perspectives, similar to Wardlaw's "Won Ton" series.
Andrew Clements creates stories centered on school life and student-teacher dynamics. His books "Frindle" and "The School Story" focus on creative children navigating school situations, comparable to Wardlaw's approach to writing about classroom experiences.
Lisa Yee writes character-driven stories that blend humor with authentic childhood experiences. Her books feature protagonists dealing with everyday challenges and relationships, reflecting themes found in Wardlaw's work.
Marion Dane Bauer creates works that span multiple formats including picture books and poetry collections. Her writing addresses everyday experiences through multiple perspectives, similar to Wardlaw's varied approach to storytelling formats.