She has earned many awards over the years: 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. Yolen's graceful rhythms and outrageous rhymes have been gathered in numerous collections. Owl Moon, winner of the 1988 Caldecott Medal for John Schoenherr's exquisite watercolors, was inspired by her husband's interest in birding. The Emperor and the Kite, which was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1983 for its intricate papercut illustrations by Ed Young, was based on Yolen's relationship with her late father, who was an international kite-flying champion. Folklore, she believes, is the universal human language, a language that children instinctively feel in their hearts.Īll of Yolen's stories and poems are somehow rooted in her sense of family and self.
From under its hide, we can see all the shimmering, shadowy uncertainties of the world. Folklore is the perfect second skin, writes Yolen. In 1980, when Yolen was awarded an honorary Doctor of Law degree by Our Lady of the Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts, the citation recognized that throughout her writing career she has remained true to her primary source of inspiration-folk culture. For twenty years, she ran a monthly writer's workshop for new children's book authors.
When she is not writing, Yolen composes songs, is a professional storyteller on the stage, and is the busy wife of a university professor, the mother of three grown children, and a grandmother.Īctive in several organizations, Yolen 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. The distinguished author of more than 170 books, Jane Yolen is a person of many talents. She attended Smith College and received her master's degree in education from the University of Massachusetts.
Born and raised in New York City, Jane Yolen now lives in Hatfield, Massachusetts.
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