Children's Author and Naturalist Jean Craighead George Dead at 92

Posted on May 18, 2012

Sad news: The New York Times reports that Newberry Medal-winning children's author and naturalist Jean Craighead George has died at the age of 92 after suffering a stroke.

A prolific writer who loved animals, George wrote more than 100 fiction and nonfiction books including Julie of the Wolves, The Buffalo Are Back and My Side of the Mountain. Her books inspired many children to learn more about wildlife and the natural world.

Jane Friedman, the former CEO of HarperCollins, told School Library Journal that the hallmark of her character was her strong opinions. Friedman said, "She knew her own mind, and [that] was the best thing you could say about anyone. She was her own woman."

George was always independent. After receiving her degree from Pennsylvania State University, she joined the White House Press Corps: she was one of the first women journalists to do so. At the age of 90, she was asked in an interview about her legacy. She replied, "Remember me as somebody who talked about nature, who awakened them to a new world, and helped them restore it."