Jane Yolen, Author of More Than 450 Books, Dies at 87

Jane Yolen, one of the most productive authors in American history, died on June 11 at her home in Hatfield, Massachusetts. She was 87 years old. Over the course of her life, she wrote more than 450 books for readers of all ages, covering everything from children's picture books to science fiction, fantasy, and poetry. She also left behind about 100 unpublished manuscripts, meaning even more Jane Yolen books may still be on the way.

Yolen was born in New York City on February 11, 1939, into a family that loved words. Her father, Will Hyatt Yolen, was a journalist and published several books of his own. Her mother wrote short fiction and sold crossword puzzles and word games. Growing up, the family's friends included famous writers like Ernest Hemingway and James Thurber, so Yolen once said, 'I thought all grownups were writers.'

Yolen wrote her very first poem when she was in first grade. She later studied at Smith College, where she graduated in 1960. After college, she moved to New York City and worked as an editor while writing during her lunch breaks and free time. Her first published book, 'Pirates in Petticoats,' came out when she was just 22 years old — on her birthday.

One of her most celebrated books is 'Owl Moon,' published in 1987. The picture book tells the quiet story of a father and daughter searching for owls on a cold winter night. It was illustrated by John Schoenherr and won the Caldecott Medal, which is given each year to the artist of the most outstanding American picture book for children. Yolen said it was 'arguably my best book' and certainly her best-known one.

Another hugely praised book was 'The Devil's Arithmetic,' published in 1988. It tells the story of Hannah, a modern Jewish girl who is suddenly transported through time to Poland in 1942, during the Holocaust. She is captured by Nazis and sent to a death camp, where she faces terrifying choices. The book won the National Jewish Book Award and the Sydney Taylor Book Award.

Yolen also wrote the popular 'How Do Dinosaurs...' series, illustrated by Mark Teague, which sold millions of copies. She received Nebula Awards — prizes given for outstanding science fiction and fantasy writing — for a short story, a novelette, and full novels. She was later named a Grand Master for her lifetime of achievement in that field. Her work touched readers of nearly every age and interest.

In 1962, Yolen married David Stemple, and the two had a funny story about how they met. According to their daughter Heidi, Stemple climbed through a window at a party and claimed to be a friend of the people who lived there. Yolen fired back, saying he was no friend of hers. They stayed together until David's death in 2006, and he was a computer science professor and an enthusiastic bird-watcher.

Even in her 80s, Yolen never slowed down. Her daughter Heidi said writing 'was her breathing,' and that if Yolen went even one day without writing, she would get restless and uneasy. She believed deeply in the power of stories to connect people across time and difference. 'With storytelling, we define ourselves, our history, our relationships among peoples,' she once said. 'It's a way of remembering.'