Jane Yolen was born in New York City to parents who were also writers. She began writing and winning awards in childhood and is today the author of more than 400 books—for every age level, of multiple genres, and translated into a dozen different languages. A poet first and foremost, Jane is probably best known for her picture books. Two of her children are writers, and one is a photographer/writer (he took the photo above); she has collaborated with all three on book projects. A picture book she wrote with granddaughter Ari Stemple, Kiki Kicks, will be published this month, and In and Out the Window, a collection of more than 150 poems for middle-graders, is soon to be released from Random House. Jane lives in Massachusetts, except for the four months each year when she lives in Scotland; learn more about her at www.janeyolen.com.