
Humorous, heart-warming, and just plain entertaining, these stories by Newbery Medalist Jean Craighead George recall what life was like as she raised three children and 173 wild pets. On any given day there might be a bat in the refrigerator, an owl in the shower, or a crow at the kitchen table. Jean Craighead George’s respect for nature and its many creatures is evident in all of her writing. Here, she offers a personal, firsthand account of the many animals that made their way into her life and her books. 1996 ‘Pick of the Lists’ (ABA)
1996 Children’s Books (NY Public Library)
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Born 1919
Jean Craighead was born in Washington. Her parents and extended family were naturalists, and she spent weekends during her childhood camping out in the woods, studying nature, foraging, and fishing. Her first pet was a turkey vulture. In 1940, George graduated from Pennsylvania State University with degrees in both English and Science. She became a reporter for The Washington Post and was a member of the White House Press Corps. In 1944 she married John Lothur George, and began writing novels with him which she illustrated. She divorced in 1963. In 1960 she received a Newbery Honor for *My Side of the Mountain*. In 1969, she went to work for *Readers Digest* as a writer and editor. She has written over 100 books.
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