Jane Yolen (1939-2026)

Image source: Wired Jan 23, 2013

A number of sad things happened to me today but the one that made me cry was reading that the world has lost the enormous talent of Jane Yolen. Of course we do have her books - books! Her final book was number 450. I would love to go to a library in the US and find all 450 that would be so fabulous.  Here are just a handful that I have shared on this blog beginning with one of my most favourite picture books to read aloud - Owl Moon.

Here is a brief biography and a partial list of her amazing books. And here is an interview from 2014 with Kidlit. 

Here is the Facebook post from her daughter: It is with profound sadness that I, along with my brothers Adam Stemple and Jason Stemple, share the news of our mother, Jane Yolen's passing. As you all probably know, she had one of the most brilliant creative minds of our time. This year, her 450th book published. She has been awarded 6 honorary doctorates and too many awards to mention here. She has mentored, inspired, and nurtured so many authors and illustrators through her words both on the page and off. But, beyond that, she was our mother and grandmother. ... But friends and fans alike, please know that she passed gently with no pain or stress, with my brother Adam’s music filling the room and me reading Owl Moon to her one last time.

Owl Moon

The Seeing Stick

I am the Storm

Love Birds

Switching on the Moon

Where have the unicorns gone?

The Stranded Whale

A Plague of Unicorns

How to Spot a Mermaid

Take Two

A kite for Moon

Sleeping Ugly

There are over 25 books in this series

Read my post about this book: Attack of the Black Rectangles

I am very keen to see this new book about the life of Robert Louis Stevenson:

Read more about this book here

You can read some Kirkus reviews of books by Jane Yolen.  

I am also keen to see these:

The largest single anthology of Jane Yolen's poetry, containing more than one hundred poems for all occasions-with fun black-and-white art throughout - 208 pages

Sleep Rhymes around the World edited by Jane Yolen

"Mothers and fathers all over the world sing and tell and tell lullaby rhymes to their sleepy children, whether those children doze in tents or huts or apartment houses that reach the sky."

First off I do need to say this book (1994) is long out print but I wanted to share it because I love the idea of collecting lullabies, books like this can be an interesting way to explore illustrators from around the world, and when I saw Jane Yolen's name on the cover I knew this book would be a special one.

Blurb: Sleep rhythms around the world presents a wonderful collection of lullabies from seventeen different nations. Each lullaby is illustrated by an artist native to the country represented. 

Here are some of the countries: Afghanistan; Nigeria; Finland; Uganda; Thailand; Italy; USA; Slovenia; Venezuela and Ukraine.

Illustrators with pages that appeal to me Italy - Maria Battaglia; Ukraine - Maria Peschena; Finland - Kristina Louhi; Iran - Feroozeh Golmohammadi; and Turkey - Mustafa Delogu. 

Read some review comments here. 

Jane Yolen also edited a companion volume entitled Street Rhymes around the world (1992).

How to Spot a Mermaid by Jane Yolen illustrated by Sally Deng

"Pack a package of Goldfish crackers and a bottle of water.

The water is for you.

Mermaids have quite enough water for their own needs.

The crackers are to share."

Mermaids are a popular topic with younger readers and dare I say mostly girls. Jane Yolen does not specify the gender of this adventurer because the story is told by an off-stage narrator. It is illustrator Sally Deng who has interpreted the book so to my eye the child could be a girl or a boy. You can see inside this book here.

Publisher blurb: Would you like to spot a mermaid? If so, you will need a few supplies and a great deal of patience. As we learn in these informative illustrated pages, mermaids are very shy and do not make friends easily. But if you find a place near the water, sit very still, and are willing to share your Goldfish crackers, you just might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of one. And who knows . . . there may even be a mermaid, somewhere, hoping to catch a glimpse of you, too!

You will have fun when you read this book aloud because it contains the word 'fishetarians' which means they eat fish - so "try not to look like a fish." Also, actually most mermaids are vegetarians which means they eat kelp and "kelp looks like brown pasta". There is a mermaid hiding on nearly every page - readers will see this but the boy or girl keeps looking the wrong way. 

I was pleased to find this book in a public library a couple of weeks ago. It was only published in April 2025 which means this library does add new books and not only Australian titles and it might also mean someone is keeping an eye out for popular topics like mermaids. And of course, all libraries need books by master storyteller Jane Yolen author of over 400 books. 

Deng’s lovely pictures depict diverse mermaids in flowing, sea-green swaths, swimming, diving, and even waving to a potential (human) friend. A sweet addition to mermaid lore. Kirkus

In a few weeks I will be talking again about Sally Deng. She is the illustrator of a brilliant new book by Katherine Paterson about Jella Lepman the founder of IBBY.

A Kite for Moon by Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple illustrated by Matt Phelan

If you work in a library that is filled with book treasures, how can you showcase them to your borrowers? Little children especially, cannot read book spines or browse huge book collections. There are a few things you can do. Firstly, where possible use front facing display shelves. Secondly set books out on displays and change these regularly. 

I've been working in a school library recently and constantly changing, relevant book displays is one way the teacher-librarian ensures her massive, rich book collections are discovered and circulated. She has a few distinct display spaces. I asked to set out books about the Moon on one of these and as I checked the shelves, I discovered this book. Now I hope a young child might discover it too!

Why did it catch my eye? This goes back to something I talked about at a recent conference - field knowledge. Do you know Jane Yolen? You should. Have you read her books? You should. (Owl Moon is a favourite of mine). What about her daughter Heidi Stemple or the illustrator Matt Phelan? Yes, it is true I live in Australia and these creative book people are in the US but as I have said many times, we are so lucky to speak English and have access to the best books from USA, Canada, New Zealand and the UK.

If you work in a school or a preschool this book A Kite for Moon could be a great one to add to your read aloud pile - and you could then add in some other books about kites; the moon; and astronauts. There is also a theme here about following your dream. All of that in a picture book that probably has less than 100 words.

A young boy notices the moon looks sad. He has been flying his kite, so he grabs a pencil, writes a message on his kite and then sends it up, up, up to the moon. Over the coming days he sends many more kites up to the moon.

"Days went by, years.

Moon waxed and waned.

She counted shooting stars and meteors.

She worried about peace down on earth

and strange objects whizzing by.

She eclipsed."

The moon watched this boy grow up. He went to school and studied algebra, geometry and astronomy.

"Then one day when he had learned enough, he went up, up, up in a big rocket ship ... "

Make sure you check out the dedication "For Neil Armstrong who showed us the way." And read a post by Jane Yolen about the inspiration behind her book. 

If you are reading this post and it is still October 2025 I found one online seller with a copy of A Kite for Moon for a really great price. 

Publisher blurb: What would it be like if the moon was your friend Find out as you walk alongside a little boy who journeys through life to achieve his dream of becoming an astronaut. And then blast off with your little one as you zoom to the moon together! The story begins when a little boy, who is flying his kite, notices a sad Moon. He sends up kites to her, writing notes promising he will come see her someday. This promise propels him through years of studying, learning, and training to become an astronaut. Until … he finally goes up, up, up in a big rocket ship with a fiery tail.

A kite for Moon was the winner of the 2019 Northern Book Awards. The judges said:

From its breathtaking cover to the celestial canvases and poignant prose, this book is a true treasure. The fact that stars are used instead of periods makes it even more memorable.

And here is the judging criteria:

The Northern Lights Book Awards considers children’s books to be an art form and honors books that excel in aesthetic and literary qualities with an emphasis on permanency. We are seeking works that will leave a lasting impression, stories that will resonate with the reader not only now but in years to come. NLBA accepts traditionally published and self-published children’s books from around the world regardless of copyright year. Books must be printed in English.

Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King

Mac and his friends are assigned to a reading group Table 6. The way this works, their teacher. Ms Sett, gives each group a different book. They are told 'not to read ahead' and after each class session they have to complete vocabulary and response tasks. Just as an aside I do not like this format of teaching - especially the instruction 'do not read ahead'. And so I did cheer when one of the Table 6 group - Hannah Do (later we learn her real name is Hao Do) declares she has already read the whole book. In fact she has read all the class assigned books!

This group are assigned The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen (1988). Hopefully you do know this is a real book. I will confess I had not read it but it is now on my list. Here is the Kirkus Star review. And Jane Yolen writes about her book here. 

When Mac opens his copy of this book there are words that have been blacked out - we would call this a texta here in Australia but in the US it is called a Sharpie. Why has this book been censored? What do the missing words say? Mac and his friends are completely shocked and so they decide to take action. First off, they talk to the school Principal, but she just offers platitudes. So, then they make a presentation to the school board. Their local independent bookstore has their assigned book and so they can read the 'offending' passages. This content is simply about body parts and these kids can see absolutely no reason why these words are covered in rectangles. They decide to protest outside the bookshop each Saturday in the hope of raising awareness about this issue. 

Meanwhile Mac is navigating some difficult times in his family. His dad no longer lives with them but he does visit once a week. His behaviour is very strange and then his father robs their house and takes the car owned by Mac's grandfather. 

And there is also the issue of their class teacher. She has assigned herself as a rule maker for the whole town. Halloween is banned; there is a curfew of 9pm; in some streets the houses are expected to be painted white; and no one is allowed to eat junk food. Also at school girls are banned from wearing shorts even though this is okay for boys.

Objections to the town rules are presented in the form of letters to the editor. This part of the story really resonated with me. I often despair when rules at every level are set as reaction to one event. In this case some teenagers scare some little kids at Halloween so Halloween is banned - ridiculous. 

Having finished another book a couple of days ago I picked up the next one. I thought I would just dip in and perhaps read a few pages - I lifted my head around page 176 and then when I couldn't sleep, because I wanted to know how this story could possibly be resolved, I read the remaining pages, up to page 258 from 1-2am. YES this book is THAT good. And page 248 contains the best scene I have ever read in a book - it made me smile and gasp. 

Attack of the Black Rectangles was published in 2022 but the paperback edition from Scholastic has only just reached Australia. I purchased my copy for AUS$17 but I see it is offered by Scholastic Book Club here is Australia - issue 3, 2025. 

The students in this book are in Grade 6 but my recommendation is that this is a book for students in Grades 7 and 8. There is some confronting content about the holocaust and also the issue of censorship which I think better suits an older group. And of course the key text - The Devil's Arithmetic is a Young Adult title for readers aged 13+. 

Listen to an audio sample here. This is a timely and important book. It is easy to read and there are touches of humour. These kids, as Colby said (see below) feel so real. I highly highly recommend Attack of the Black Rectangles for readers aged 11+. 

Here is a quote from a review about the audio book: The group of narrators do a great job with the audiobook and King’s vivid storytelling and great characters come to life as the story unfolds. It’s a wonderful insight into the American censorship battle and shows there’s hope and always a fight to have against those who try to silence others.

Colby Sharp said: "It just so real." "I love how real this felt." "How possible it felt for kids to make a difference and for kids to find their voice and demand that they are heard." "One of the best books of the year." Listen to this audio interview at The Yarn. 

But this book is not just about book banning, it’s a moving story of a young teen boy trying to figure out who he is and navigating family, friendship, first crushes, and his own emotions as he transitions into adolescence. It’s a powerful and inspiring look at the inner lives of teen boys and it moved me at times to tears. At other times, I cheered for our Mac, who is genuine, authentic, inspiring while also being complicated, complex, at times messy and flawed. School Library Journal

Take a look at these review comments quoted on the author web page:

“Poignant, humorous, and bright . . . Whip-smart, tuned in to the mind of sixth-graders, and beautifully concluded, the novel takes a bold stand in a time of book bans and rampant censorship . . . Against the backdrop of family issues, first crushes, and the end of elementary school, this is a beacon of hope for middle grades and an object lesson in treating kids like the intelligent readers they are.”—Booklist, starred review

“[Amy Sarig King’s] respect for young people is exemplary, and her characters indelible.”—Horn Book, starred review (contains spoilers)

“Skillfully encourages keeping open minds and extending grace to the oblivious and hostile alike . . . A searingly relevant opus to intellectual freedom.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“King’s latest novel is so timely and relevant, some readers may feel like the author has been privy to what’s going on in their own schools . . . A striking book on censorship; a must-have in all middle grade classrooms and school libraries.”—School Library Journal, starred review

Where have the Unicorns Gone? by Jane Yolen illustrated by Ruth Sanderson

"In the moment that separates nighttime and dawn,

The instant of daydream that's here and then gone,

You might see the toss of a mane or a horn

And the wavery shape of escape unicorn

In that watery eden, the sea."

I picked up this book at a recent charity book sale. It was published in 2003 but when I checked an online bookseller it seems it might still be available. This is a book I would most certainly add to my Senior Picture book collection for readers aged 10+ mainly because this book is filled with the most sophisticated words:

haven; golding glades; routed by gouts of iron-red flames; gouged from hillsides; clacketing mills; catacombed hills; cataphonetics of city and town; noxious smog; wee wisplets of fog; and contrails of rockets.

This book is also begging to be read aloud. And think about that word cataphonetics! It would be fabulous to put this book into the hands of a talented and passionate teacher of Grade 6 or 7 or 8. 

The illustrations by Ruth Sanderson are so rich. They perfectly depict all the environments where unicorns once roamed freely. This book is a perfect example of the way words and illustrations should work together. Read more about Ruth Sanderson who was born in 1951 here. I found a 2016 interview with Ruth Sanderson where she talks about her art and processes. 

"Where have the unicorns gone?

They have scattered far from the noxious smog,

Wrapping themselves in wee wisplets of fog;

Leaving the iron-sharp city-straight scapes,

Fleeing in greying and tatter moon capes,

Away from the scenting of fire and fume."

Bookseller blurb: Long ago unicorns lived in a haven of sun-dappled glades and flower-filled dells. But as civilization spread over the ages -- with its fierce knights, its chugging trains, its thick smogs -- unicorns had to find a new sanctuary. But where? Jane Yolen finds a magical answer in the traditional unicorn myth. Her rhythmic, rhymed text is irresistible to read aloud. And Ruth Sanderson's brilliant artwork gives unicorns a bold reality in everything from ancient cave paintings to their secret, present-day home. After reading this tribute to the mystical, mysterious unicorn, children will enjoy looking for these elusive creatures in the world around them.

Jane Yolen talks about her book here on her web page. Click on the name Jane Yolen at the bottom of this post to see other books I have mentioned on this blog. 

If you are talking to your class about alliteration just look at these examples:

• dimity bells
• golding glades
• shadows shift in silver shades
• (the) perfect peace of ponds
• (the) ribbon-rolled river
• webbings of wires
• silken and swift and silver and streak

"They have galloped away, never looking around,

To wade in the perfect peace of ponds."

Love Birds by Jane Yolen illustrated by Anna Wilson

Jon is an observer and a listener. He rarely talks but he does listen to the sounds in his new neighborhood and most of all he listens to the birds in and around his house. He hears the piercing song of the Cardinal, the shrieks of the gulls, the tap, tap of the woodpecker, and the caws of the crows. Jon not only listens to the birds, but he knows their names too. Look closely at the book cover and you might be able to identify some of the birds mention in the story. 

"A single robin singing to a streetlight, geese in long vees honking homeward, barn swallows twittering clatter as they headed home to roost, and the lullaby coos of the local doves sitting on the ready nests."

There is one bird, though, that Jon longs to hear - the autumn owls. When he hears a barred owl Jon makes his own call rather like a conversation only it is not a bird - it is a girl! 

"... the girl held out her hand. 'Janet', she said. 'I thought you were a barred.' And then she laughed."

Jon has found a new friend and he has found his own voice. 

"For days and weeks, and into the years, they listened and talked, till, for both of them, their voices became the most important sound in thew whole wide world - the voice of a best and beloved friend."

You might already know Owl Moon (1987) is one of my all-time favourite books so when I saw, firstly that this book was by Jane Yolen, and then when I read the back notes which refer to Owl Moon, I knew I had to read this book which was published in 2022. Jane Yolen is the author of over 400 books. She was born in 1939 and she lives in Western Massachusetts. You can see more art by Anna Wilson here. If you act quickly I've seen this hardcover book listed for under AUS$20 here - you can also see inside this book.

There are lots and lots of books in libraries and shops about making new friends, but I would add this to your collection partly because of the warm illustrations but also because of the way Janet reacts when she meets Jon. A shared interest gives these two kids a lasting and meaningful friendship. 

In her notes Jane Yolen says - "This book is a kind of partner to my book Owl Moon, which is about my daughter Heidi, going owling with her father when she was very young. ... But this story takes that child, a bit older, on a different trip - to one of friendship and love."

Feathers and friendship make for a good pairing in this gentle ode to appreciating both. Kirkus

I previously talked about this book by Jane Yolen's Daughter Heidi Stemple:

Counting Birds

Here are some other books illustrated by Anna Wilson. I was interested to discover this from her web page where she says "I am from the ironbark region of central Victoria, Australia, but currently live in Edinburgh. We moved to the UK at the beginning of 2020 and haven’t left! I work for people worldwide."

Take Two by J Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen illustrated by Sophie Blackall

Take Two: A Celebration of Twins

This is another of the books I picked up at a recent charity book sale. As far as I can tell this book, from 2012, is still available and here in Australia. The price seems to range from around $30 up to $50. Luckily my mint condition copy, which I suspect has never even been opened, was just $1. I am excited to gift this to the mum and dad of twin girls.

I previously mentioned this book when I was talking last month about the Sydney visit by Sophie Blackall.

To those of us who are not twins, identical twins are most intriguing. I always wonder if they really have their own language and if they ever pretend to be each other? And then there is just the mere fact, identical, fraternal or sororal, it is interesting to imagine what it must be like to have a womb mate who moves on to be someone closer to you, more genetically like you than anyone else in the world and, if you are lucky, your best friend. Books for your Kids

There are 44 poems in this book organised into four categories - Twins in the waiting Womb; Twinfants; How to be One; and Famous Twins. Here are a couple that caught my eye:

Mirror Twin

I wave, you wave.

I smile, you laugh.

I wink, you blink.

You leave - I'm half.

Double Trouble

We both talk with our mouths full,

An ucky way to speak.

We both forget our lunches

At least two times a week.

We both are slow to get up,

We're late to go to bed.

we always find a reason

To stay awake instead.

There isn't any argument

That both have never tried.

But we protect each other

From anyone outside.

J Patrick Lewis is the author of over 100 books and he is a twin! Jane Yolen has nearly written nearly 400 books and 47 of them are poetry books. I imagine they had fun with their collaboration over this book and how thrilling to have Sophie Blackall as the illustrator. 

Some of these are out of print but here are some other poetry books by Jane Yolen I would like to see:

Here's a Little Poem collected by Jane Yolen illustrated by Polly Dunbar

Here's a little Poem: A very first book of Poetry

Collected by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters

Publisher Blurb: This exuberant celebration of poetry is an essential book for every young one’s library and a gorgeous gift to be both shared and treasured. Sit back and savor a superb collection of more than sixty poems by a wide range of talented writers, from Margaret Wise Brown to Gertrude Stein, Langston Hughes to A. A. Milne. Greeting the morning, enjoying the adventures of the day, cuddling up to a cozy bedtime — these are poems that highlight the moments of a toddler’s world from dawn to dusk. Carefully gathered by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters and delightfully illustrated by Polly Dunbar, Here's a Little Poem offers a comprehensive introduction to some remarkable poets, even as it captures a very young child’s intense delight in the experiences and rituals of every new day.

Your Birthday Cake by Rosemary Wells

Your birthday cake is made of mud

Because I cannot cook

I cannot read a recipe or follow in a book

I’m not allowed to use the stove

To simmer, roast or bake

I have no money of my own to buy a birthday cake

I’m sure to get in trouble if I mess around with dough

But I’ve made your birthday cake with mud

Because I love you so

Grandpa by Berlie Doherty

Grandpa's hands are as rough as garden sacks

And as warm as pockets.

His skin is crushed paper round his eyes

Wrapping up their secrets.

The Swing by Robert Louis Stevenson

How do you like to go up in a swing,

Up in the air so blue?

Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing

Ever a child can do!

Up in the air and over the wall,

Till I can see so wide,

Rivers and trees and cattle and all

Over the countryside—

Till I look down on the garden green,

Down on the roof so brown—

Up in the air I go flying again,

Up in the air and down!

I picked up this delicious poetry book at a recent charity book sale for just $2 and it is in brand new condition. I suspect (but of course I really don't know) that this book was a gift for a new baby and the family never opened it? This is a huge format book (288 x 258 mm and 108 pages) with one poem (there are 60) on each page and wonderful illustrations by Polly Dunbar. I did plan to gift this book to a friend but for now I think I might keep it for my own collection. The hardcover edition of this book (my copy is hardcover) retails for nearly $60.

If you have a young child or a new grandchild or you work in a preschool this is a book you MUST consider purchasing. It is available in paperback for a better price of around $30 [9781406327113].

Image Source: Polly Dunbar

“Achieves picture book nirvana…a richly entertaining book. The real joy of this book is how it makes poetry look like fun. Every page sings…” Sydney Morning Herald

"Imagine you wake up one sunny morning and someone brings you a plate, only instead of holding scrambled eggs, you are served up a dish piled high with more than sixy little presents to unwrap, each one more lovely and surprising than the last. That’s what’s being served up in this oversized collection of bright spots in a young child’s life"  Planet Esme

Image Source: Polly Dunbar

Read this review from Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. Read more about Polly Dunbar here. This is what she said about Here's a little Poem:

It was so lovely to wake up each day with a large empty page and a new poem to challenge me. I wanted each page turn to be a surprise, to keep myself entertained as much as the reader. At times it was quite daunting, working on such a big project it’s hard to see it as a whole, and I hoped it would all hang together in the end. It was great spending time with the poems. They would go round and round my head. A lovely world to get lost in.