Jane Yolen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jane Yolen
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Yolen in 2011
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| Born | February 11, 1939 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer, poet |
| Alma mater | Smith College |
| Period | 1960s–present |
| Genre | Fantasy, science fiction, folklore, children's fiction |
| Notable awards | World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement |
Jane Hyatt Yolen (born February 11, 1939) is an American writer. She is famous for her fantasy, science fiction, and children's books. Jane Yolen has written or edited more than 400 books! One of her most well-known books is The Devil's Arithmetic. This is a short novel about the Holocaust.
Other popular books by Jane Yolen include Owl Moon and The Emperor and the Kite. She also wrote the fun Commander Toad series. She has worked on books with her children, especially her son Adam Stemple. In 2021, she published her 400th book, called Bear Outside.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jane Hyatt Yolen was born in Manhattan, New York, on February 11, 1939. Her mother, Isabell, was a social worker who later stayed home to raise her children. Her father, Will, was a journalist. Both of Jane's parents were Jewish.
When Jane was very young, her family moved to California. Her father worked in Hollywood doing publicity for movies. Later, they moved back to New York City. During World War II, her father joined the Army. Jane, her mother, and her brother lived with her grandparents in Newport News, Virginia.
After the war, the family returned to Manhattan. Jane went to PS 93, where she loved writing and singing. She even created a newspaper for her apartment building with her brother! They sold it for five cents a copy. She later attended Music and Art High School. Her family then moved to Westport, Connecticut. She went to Bedford Junior High and Staples High School there.
Jane Yolen earned a bachelor's degree from Smith College in 1960. She later received a master's degree in Education from the University of Massachusetts in 1978. After college, she moved back to New York City.
Jane Yolen's Writing Career
Even though Jane Yolen thought she would be a poet or a journalist, she became a children's book writer. Her first book was Pirates in Petticoats. She sold it on her 22nd birthday, February 11, 1961.
In the 1960s, Yolen worked as an editor for different publishers in New York City. These included Gold Medal Books and Alfred A. Knopf Juvenile Books. From 1990 to 1996, she even had her own publishing line. It was called Jane Yolen Books, and it focused on young adult fiction.
Jane Yolen has also worked with her son, Adam Stemple, who is a writer and musician. They co-wrote two books together. These books, Pay the Piper and Troll Bridge, are part of the Rock 'n' Roll Fairy Tale series. She also wrote song lyrics for his band, Boiled in Lead. As of 2021, Jane Yolen has written more than 400 books!
Personal Life
In 1962, Jane Yolen married David W. Stemple. They had three children and six grandchildren. David Stemple passed away in March 2006. Today, Jane Yolen lives in Hatfield, Massachusetts. She also has a house in Scotland, where she spends a few months each year.
Awards and Recognition
Jane Yolen has won many awards for her amazing books. Here are some of them:
- 1987 Special World Fantasy Award (for Favorite Folktales From Around the World)
- 1989 Sydney Taylor Book Award for Older Readers (for The Devil's Arithmetic)
- 1992 The Catholic Library Association's Regina Medal (for all her children's books)
- 1999 Nebula Award for Novelette (for "Lost Girls")
- 2009 World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement (a special award for her long career)
- 2017 Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award (another award for her lifetime work in science fiction and fantasy)
Award Nominations
Jane Yolen's books have also been nominated for many other awards, including:
- 1984 World Fantasy Award for Anthology/Collection (for Tales of Wonder)
- 1989 World Fantasy Award for Best Novella (for Briar Rose)
- 1993 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel (for The Devil's Arithmetic)
- 2009 Sydney Taylor Book Award Younger Reader Honor (for Naming Liberty)
- 2021 Sydney Taylor Book Award Picture Book Honor (for Miriam at the River)
Similarities to Harry Potter
Jane Yolen wrote a novel called Wizard's Hall in 1991. Some people noticed similarities between her book and the Harry Potter series. Jane Yolen has said that she believes J. K. Rowling (the author of Harry Potter) probably never read her book.
Yolen explained that both authors used common "fantasy tropes." These are ideas or themes often found in fantasy stories. Examples include a wizard school, moving pictures on walls, or a wicked wizard who used to be a teacher. She pointed out that her hero was named Henry, not Harry. He also had a red-headed best friend and a girl best friend.
Jane Yolen mentioned that many fantasy stories use similar ideas. She said there was even a book written before hers where children go to a wizard school by taking a special train that only they can see. These ideas are part of the big world of fantasy stories.
See also
In Spanish: Jane Yolen para niños
