Introduction


Jane Yolen's book Here There Be Dragons
To many, Jane Yolen is the J. R. R. Tolkien of contemporary children’s literature. As a writer, she has dedicated herself to creating science fiction and fantasy stories for young audiences. While some of her works, such as The Young Merlin Trilogy, were re-imaginings of well-known tales from Western literature, her other writings have culled folklore from numerous non-Western cultures to expose them to English-speaking youth. Yolen is particularly noted for her short-form work, producing numerous stories of her own and editing those of others. Yolen’s commitment to children’s fantasy continues to extend far beyond her own prolific output. She has dedicated herself to supporting subsequent generations of fantasy writers and in doing so has further established the genre’s relevance.

Essential Facts

  1. Yolen’s most famous novels are Dragon’s Blood, Heart’s Blood, and A Sending of Dragons, which collectively compose the Pit Dragon Trilogy.
  2. At nearly 40 years of age, Yolen discovered her writing career begin to take off after she completed a master’s degree in education.
  3. Yolen’s fiction for children is complemented by poetry, such as her well-known “Angels Fly Because They Take Themselves Lightly.”
  4. In addition to her own writing, Yolen has edited numerous collections of fantasy and science fiction stories for children.
  5. Yolen has been an outspoken critic of Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling. In addition to slamming Rowling for her writing style, Yolen has repeatedly grumbled about the similarity between Rowling’s books and Yolen’s own Wizard’s Hall.