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 writes many kinds of books, including fantasy, science fiction, and stories for children. She has written or edited more than 400 books. One of her most famous books is The Devil's Arithmetic, a short novel about the Holocaust.
Other well-known books by Jane Yolen include Owl Moon and The Emperor and the Kite. She also wrote the Commander Toad series. She has won awards like the Nebula Award for her short stories "Sister Emily's Lightship" and "Lost Girls." Jane Yolen has worked with her three children on some books, especially with her son Adam Stemple. Her 400th book, Bear Outside, was published in early 2021.
Contents
Jane Yolen's Early Life
Jane Hyatt Yolen was born in Manhattan, New York, on February 11, 1939. Her mother, Isabell Berlin Yolen, was a social worker. She became a full-time mom after Jane was born. Jane's father, Will Hyatt Yolen, was a journalist. He wrote for New York newspapers. Both of Jane's parents were Jewish.
When Jane was very young, her family moved to California. This was for her father's job in Hollywood. He worked in 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 school. She loved writing and singing there. She even made a newspaper for her apartment building. She sold it for five cents a copy! Jane was accepted into Music and Art High School. Before starting high school, she went to a summer camp in Vermont. Her family then moved to Westport, Connecticut. She finished junior high and high school there. Jane earned a bachelor's degree from Smith College in 1960. She later got a master's degree in Education in 1978. After college, she moved back to New York City.
Jane Yolen's Writing Career
Jane Yolen first thought she would be a poet or a journalist. But she became a children's book writer, which surprised her. Her first book was Pirates in Petticoats. She sold it on her 22nd birthday, February 11, 1961.
In the 1960s, Jane worked as an editor. She worked for different magazines and book publishers in New York City. From 1990 to 1996, she had her own special book series. It was called Jane Yolen Books. These books were for young adults.
She has written two books with her son, Adam Stemple. He is a writer and musician. These books are Pay the Piper and Troll Bridge. They are part of a series called Rock 'n' Roll Fairy Tale. She also wrote song lyrics for Adam's 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 together. One of their children is the musician Adam Stemple. Jane and David also had six grandchildren. David Stemple passed away in March 2006. Jane Yolen lives in Hatfield, Massachusetts. She also has a house in Scotland. She spends a few months there each year.
Awards and Recognition
Jane Yolen has won many awards for her writing. 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
- 2017 Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award
Comparing Wizard's Hall to Harry Potter
Jane Yolen wrote a novel in 1991 called Wizard's Hall. Some people noticed that it had similarities to the Harry Potter series. J. K. Rowling wrote the Harry Potter books later.
Jane Yolen has said that she believes J. K. Rowling probably never read her book. Yolen explained that both authors used common ideas found in fantasy stories. These ideas are called "fantasy tropes." For example, both books feature a wizard school. They also have moving pictures on the walls.
In Wizard's Hall, Jane Yolen's main character is named Henry, not Harry. Henry also has a best friend with red hair. He also has a girl who is his best friend. In Yolen's book, the girl is Black. There is also a bad wizard who tries to destroy the school. This wizard used to be a teacher there.
Yolen pointed out that these ideas are not new. She mentioned another book written long before Harry Potter. In that book, children go to a witch or wizard school. They get there by taking a mysterious train. Only the kids can see this train. It leaves from a big British train station. Jane Yolen said that these kinds of ideas are "out there" for writers to use.
See also
In Spanish: Jane Yolen para niños
