Jane yolen author biography

Because the Hyatts, the family of Yolen's grandmother, Mina Hyatt Yolen, only had girls, a number of the children of Yolen's generation were given their last name as a middle name in order to perpetuate it. When Yolen was barely one year old, the family moved to California to accommodate Will's new job working for Hollywood film studios, doing publicity on films such as American Tragedy and Knut Rockne.

She attended PS 93 , where she enjoyed writing and singing, and became friends with future radio presenter Susan Stamberg. She also engaged writing by creating a newspaper for her apartment with her brother that she sold for five cents a copy. She was accepted to Music and Art High School. During the summer prior to that semester, she attended a Vermont summer camp , which was her first involvement with the Society of Friends Quakers.

Her family also moved to a ranch house in Westport, Connecticut , where she attended Bedford Junior high for ninth grade, and then Staples High School. Her first published book was Pirates in Petticoats , which she sold on her 22nd birthday, February 11, Knopf Juvenile Books. As of , Yolen has written more than books. In , Yolen married David W.

They had three children, including musician Adam Stemple , and six grandchildren. David Stemple died in March Yolen lives in Hatfield, Massachusetts. She also owns a house in Scotland, where she lives for a few months each year. Regarding the similarities between her novel Wizard's Hall and the Harry Potter series, Yolen has commented:. I'm pretty sure [ J.

Rowling ] never read my book. We were both using fantasy tropes—the wizard school, the pictures on the wall that move. I happen to have a hero whose name was Henry, not Harry. He also had a red-headed best friend and a girl who was also his best friend—though my girl was black, not white. And there was a wicked wizard who was trying to destroy the school, who was once a teacher at the school.

But those are all fantasy tropes These things are out there This is not new. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. Eichler-Levine, Jodi. Fuchs, Marcia G. Hopkinsville, Kentucky: , — Sieruta, Peter D. Edited by Anita Silvey. New York: , — Yolen, Jane. Have an update or correction?

Let us know. Episode Alaska's Jewish Pioneer Daughter. Jewish Women's Archive. Jane Yolen b. February 11, Jane Yolen. In Brief. Family and Early Life. Higher Education and Early Career. Literary Themes and Jewish Topics. The Caldecott Medal , The Christopher Medal , The Mythopoeic Society Award , , World Fantasy Award , Body of Work Awards , , , , Add New.

Sarah Smith. Seth Rogovoy. Adam Stemple. Ellen Wittlinger. Orion Zangara. Jane Yolen Goodreads Author.

Jane yolen author biography

Learn more. To ask Jane Yolen questions, please sign up. Jane Yolen Going to work in your jammies. Setting your own timetable. Being you own boss. And being the first person in the universe to see your new story. View 2 comments. Write a comment Jane Yolen I've never had it. Since I work on so many things at once, if something is not working, I turn to the right or to the left and there's something else …more I've never had it.

Since I work on so many things at once, if something is not working, I turn to the right or to the left and there's something else to work on! Catherine Same thing for me! I've never had art-block because there's just so many things I could be drawing. Same thing for me! Jane's husband, David, was often called "The man who knew everything" and was the inspiration behind her book My Father Knows the Names of Things.

Soft House , a story about a sister and brother building a blanket fort, could very well be based off of the real relationship between Jane and her younger brother. The characters in Owl Moon are based off her daughter, Heidi, and her deceased husband, David. Jane has written over books including folktales, fairytales, science fiction, poetry, informational books, picture books, young adult novels, and more.

Jane currently divides her time between Massachusetts and Scotland. When Yolen's husband, David, was on sabbatical in Scotland they fell in love with the country and ended up buying the house they were renting. I constantly reshape and revision my work. I dream it again, imagine it again--that's the exciting part of writing. As yellow as a black cat's eye.

The poetic use of language gives this story a musical quality. The words are carefully chosen in order to give each stanza a rhythm and rhyme, like a melody of a song. Beginning with the very first stanza, quoted above, Yolen paints a story with her words through the use of figurative language devices. The personification of the scarecrow dancing through the night and stopping to listen to the prayer of the young boy who lives on the farm, helps the reader connect to the character of the scarecrow.

The use of simile to compare objects like "As yellow as the black cat's eye" and "He danced by barn as red as blood" provide the vivid details that make the amazing illustrations come to life. With this book Yolen creates a story that is musical to the ear, making it a fun story to both read aloud and listen to, while Bagram Ibatoulline creates images that are pleasing to the eye.

These beautiful illustrations draw the reader into the story. Any reader would be instantly engaged. Soft House Illustrated by Wendy Anderson What do you like to do on a rainy day? In Soft House , Yolen tells the story of a brother and sister who are trying to fight boredom on a rainy day. The relationship between the character, Alison Isabelle, and her younger brother, Davey, seems to be very true to life through the use of well-written dialogue that one may hear in any household between a brother and a sister.

A back and forth argument such as "You can't count either. Although the story is short, we also get to see Alison Isabelle learn something important about being an older sister. This unexpected insight comes when she realizes that "you can't be scared when you have a little brother to take care of. Each bird that sings, their nicknames too.

He knows the names of dogs and cheese and seven words that all mean blue. The use of poetry gives the story a musical feel while the dedication page is very touchingly dedicated to the memory of Yolen's deceased husband David Stemple "The man who knew everything. The musical language combined with the colorful illustrations by Stephanie Jorisch make this story very inviting and engaging for readers.

Naming Liberty Illustrated by Jim Burke