Jane Yolen
Author, Storyteller, Folksinger, Poet, Teacher

Jane Yolen is one of the most engaging, honored, and prolific storytellers of our time. In her mastery of many genres she has been compared to Hans Christian Andersen; in her skill and resourcefulness in drawing from myth and folklore she has been likened to Aesop.  Both comparisons are apt, but neither does justice to her ability to write for readers of all ages, to her boundless innovativeness, and to the consistent strain of social conscience that runs through her work. So universal is her appeal that her work has been translated into Japanese, French, Spanish, Chinese, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Afrikaans, !Xhosa, Portuguese, and Braille.

         Among the dozens of honors bestowed upon Yolen’s books and stories are the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, two Christopher Medals, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Fantasy Awards, the Golden Kite Award, the Jewish Book Award, and the Association of Jewish Libraries Award.  Yolen’s other literary endeavors include teaching writing and literature and reviewing children’s literature.  Yolen served 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 1986-88, and is on the editorial board of several magazines.  Her husband, the late David W. Stemple, was a professor and chair of the computer science department at UMass Amherst.

         Yolen’s other ties to UMass Amherst include having received a master’s degree in education here in 1976 and having been an active champion of the creation of the Massachusetts Center for the Book, which has ties to the national center in the Library of Congress.  In 2006, UMass Amherst awarded her an honorary doctorate degree.  The ceremony was held in the Learning Commons of the Du Bois Library.   

About Jane Yolen and her work:
http://www.janeyolen.com/
http://childrensbooks.about.com/od/authorsillustrato/a/janeyolen.htm
http://www.underdown.org/yolen.htm
http://www.librarything.com/author/yolenjane
http://www.downhomebooks.com/yolen.htm
http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2005/12/author-update-jane-yolen.html