Jane Yolen is one of the most prolific authors of historical/medieval fiction currently on the market. Her eye for detail and rich descriptions lured me in from the start, as did the indepth knowledge of history she displays. As a lover of history myself, I was hooked. Let’s learn a little more about Jane Yolen.
She was born in 1939, the oldest in her Jewish family. Her father worked as a journalist for the newspapers in New York, and her mother was a social worker, holding that position only until Jane was born, and then retiring. She too was a writer, and penned short stories in the hope that they would sell, but they never did. She found her niche with crossword puzzles and acrostics, supplementing the family income after all.
When World War II started, Jane’s father was sent away and found himself with the fascinating job of running ABSIE, which was the secret radio in London. He came home a wounded hero.
Jane attended Smith College and then received her master’s degree in education from the University of Massachusetts.
When she began to write, Jane realized that the power in her writing came from her strong feelings of family and self. Her first book, “Pirates in Petticoats,” was sold on her 22nd birthday (what a fabulous birthday present!) and she has since written over 280 books. Now, that’s impressive. She has commented that she tells the stories she feels need to be told.
Not limited to just historical fiction, Jane has written folklore, picture books, poems, and short stories. Not limited to just children’s books, she runs the gamut from the very young up to adult. What a truly versatile author she is.
But not just an author – Jane is a song composer and a professional storyteller. Is there anything this woman can’t do?
She has been on the Board of Directors of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, was president of the Science Fiction Writers of America from 1986 to 1988, is on the editorial board of several magazines, and was a founding member of the Western New England Storytellers Guild, the Western Massachusetts Illustrators Guild, and the Bay State Writers Guild. She is also the recipient of countless awards, including the Regina Medal, the Kerlan Award, the World Fantasy Award, the Society of Children’s Book Writers Award, the Mythopoetic Society’s Aslan Award, the Christopher Medal, the Boy’s Club Jr. Book Award, the Garden State Children’s Book Award, and the Daedalus Award, just to name a few.
My favorite books of Yolen’s are “Girl in a Cage” (young adult historical fiction) and “Briar Rose” (adult historical fiction – I do warn you, though, it’s a page skipper)
You can find a complete list of Yolen’s publications by visiting her website and clicking on the lists found there. I, for one, plan to read everything Yolen has written – she’s a masterful storyteller.
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