Children's Author Jane Yolen Dies at 87

Jane Yolen, a highly prolific and award-winning author, has died at the age of 87. Throughout her career, Yolen authored over 450 books for children, earning widespread acclaim for her imaginative retellings of fairytales. Her work often blended traditional storytelling with contemporary themes, a style critics likened to the Grimm brothers and Hans Christian Andersen.

Yolen's notable works include the fantasy novel 'The Devil's Arithmetic,' published in 1988. This time-travel narrative, where a contemporary girl experiences the Holocaust, received a Nebula award nomination and won the National Jewish Book award for children's literature. The book was later adapted into a film in 1999.

For younger readers, her picture book 'Owl Moon,' illustrated by John Schoenherr, won the Caldecott Medal. Yolen, who resisted the label 'prolific,' preferred to describe herself as having a low threshold for boredom, exploring various genres from picture books to fantasy and non-fiction.

Born in New York City, Yolen's literary journey began early, with her first book published on her 22nd birthday. She also contributed to children's literature as an editor and university teacher, advocating for the importance of literature from childhood onward. Her husband, David Stemple, passed away in 2006, inspiring her later poetry collections.