Jane Yolen, author of children's books, fantasy, and science fiction, will be the featured speaker at the 2010 Spencer G. Shaw Lecture Series Oct. 14.
Yolen's books include Owl Moon, The Devil's Arithmetic, and How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight? She has been called the Hans Christian Andersen of America and the Aesop of the 20th century, and her work has earned her the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, two Christopher Medals, the World Fantasy Award, three Mythopoeic Fantasy Awards, and the Golden Kite Award.
Yolen is the last author personally selected by Professor Emeritus Spencer Shaw, who actively participated in his namesake lecture series until he passed away in June at age 93.
The Spencer G. Shaw Lecture Series, established 1986, hosts leading figures in children's literature who come to the UW campus to speak to students, librarians, teachers and parents. Famed authors and illustrators such as Tom Feelings, Maurice Sendak, Ashley Bryan, Margaret Mahy, Gary Soto, Laurence Yep, Theodore Taylor, Susan Cooper, Katherine Paterson, Milton Meltzer and Jerry Pinkney have participated. Recent authors have included Walter Dean Myers, Gerald McDermott and Patricia McKissack.
Jane Yolen's lecture and book signing, to be held in Kane Hall at 7 p.m. on Oct. 14, will be followed by a reception featuring a tribute to the legendary Spencer Shaw.
The UW Information School would like to acknowledge UWAA, Candlewick Press, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, and the University Book Store for their sponsorship of this event.