The world lost an extraordinary storyteller on June 11, when celebrated children’s author Jane Yolen passed away at age 87. Prolific hardly begins to describe her astonishing body of work. Over the course of her career, she wrote more than 400 books spanning fantasy, science fiction, history, poetry, folklore, graphic novels, and beloved picture books that have captivated generations of children.
Raised by two writers, Yolen grew up believing deeply in the power of storytelling. She was also profoundly inspired by the natural world, an interest nurtured by her late husband, David, an avid outdoorsman and birdwatcher. Nature, and the small, often overlooked wonders within it, found their way into much of her writing. Family memories frequently served as inspiration for her stories, perhaps most memorably in Owl Moon, the beloved Caldecott Medal-winning picture book that remains a favorite at TCS. The father and daughter at the heart of the story were inspired by Yolen’s own husband and daughter and their life in rural Massachusetts.
In Owl Moon, a father takes his daughter on her first nighttime “owling” walk through the snowy woods. The little girl is proud and excited to take part in a tradition her older brothers have already experienced. She knows she must stay quiet and endure the cold because she is brave and old enough now. The pointy black trees are still and silent as a dream, and the snow is “whiter than the milk in a cereal bowl.” As they walk, the father calls out to the owls in their language. Deep in the woods comes an answer, “just as if he and the owl were talking about supper.” Then, finally, comes the moment of wonder, the silent appearance of a magnificent great horned owl gliding through the trees.
At its heart, Owl Moon is a story about wonder, patience, and the deep bond between parent and child. Together, the father and daughter venture quietly through nature in search of something mysterious and beautiful, discovering an experience so meaningful that words seem unnecessary. The poetic ending captures this feeling perfectly. “When you go owling, you don’t need words or warmth or anything but hope.… The kind of hope that flies on silent wings under a shining Owl Moon.”
As summer begins, Owl Moon feels especially meaningful, a timeless story to read together and a reminder of the quiet magic that can be found in shared moments outdoors.
We mourn Jane Yolen’s passing and honor a life devoted to the transformative power of art and storytelling. She believed deeply that literature was an essential gift for children, helping them navigate a world in which they often have little power. As Yolen once wrote, children “dream of being big enough and old enough and able enough to tame the Wild Things. In reality, those Wild Things could well devour them.” And so, she explained, “we give them many tools with which to keep the real world at bay until they are ready for it. We give them teachers, we give them toys, we give them chants and prayers and cultural attitudes and surround them with tribes and tribal constraints. And we give them stories.”
How grateful we are for the abundance of courage-building stories Jane Yolen has left us as her legacy, and for the wonder, hope, and wisdom they will continue to offer generations of children to come.
With gratitude for the stories that shape us,
Maureen