Jan Thornhill facts for kids

Jan Thornhill is a Canadian writer and illustrator. She was born in 1955 in Sudbury, Ontario. Jan Thornhill is famous for writing and drawing educational books. Her books teach children about science and nature.

She has won several important awards for her work. In 2015, she received the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People. This award celebrates a writer's entire career in children's literature. She also won the Norma Fleck Award in 2007. This was for her book I Found a Dead Bird: The Kids’ Guide to the Cycle of Life & Death.

Jan Thornhill studied at the Ontario College of Art. She often illustrates her own books. In 1990, she won the Ezra Jack Yeats International Award from UNICEF. This award was for her illustrations in The Wildlife 123. She has also been nominated three times for the Governor General's Award. This award recognizes excellent children's book illustrations. Her nominated books include The Wildlife ABC, The Wildlife 123, and The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk.

Books by Jan Thornhill

Jan Thornhill has written and illustrated many books for young readers. Her books often explore interesting topics about the natural world. She helps kids learn about animals, plants, and our planet.

Early Works and Nature Books

• The Wildlife ABC (1988): This book helps young readers learn the alphabet using animals.
• The Wildlife 123 (1989): This book teaches numbers with fun animal examples.
• A Tree in a Forest (1991): This book explores the life of a tree in a forest.
• Crow & Fox and Other Animal Legends (1993): A collection of animal stories.
• Wild in the City (1996): This book looks at nature found in urban areas.
• Before & After: A Book of Nature Timescapes (1997): It shows how nature changes over time.

Exploring Science and Our World

• Folktails: Animal Legends from Around the World (2007): More animal legends from different cultures.
• This Is My Planet: The Kids' Guide to Global Warming (2007): This book helps kids understand climate change.
• Who Wants Pizza?: The Kids' Guide to the History, Science and Culture of Food (2010): It explores the story of food.
• Is This Panama? A Migration Story (2013): This book tells a story about animal migration.
• Kyle Goes Alone (2015): A story for children.
• The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk (2016): This book received the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award. It tells the story of the extinct Great Auk bird.