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Reading Rockets offers a wealth of reading strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn how to read and read better. Our reading resources assist parents, teachers, and other educators in working with struggling readers who require additional help in reading fundamentals and comprehension skills development.

A video interview with

Jane Yolen

Jane Yolen

Jane Yolen has written stories about toads in space, dinosaurs at bedtime, and much more. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Jane Yolen recites the first poem she ever wrote and talks about how to encourage creative writing in kids.

Click on the links below§ to watch this interview online, or to download it. You can also read the interview transcript or a short biography of Jane Yolen, or see a selected list of her children's books.

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For more information and options, please see the Podcasts & Videos section.

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  • Bus, bus, wait for us! (1:00)

    Listen in as Jane Yolen reads and critiques her very first poem.

  • One at a time (1:00)

    In this video clip, Jane Yolen describes the many different kinds of books she writes.

  • More than Disney (2:00)

    Yolen talks about folklore, and explains why we are in danger of losing this cultural history.

  • Mightier than the Sword (1:30)

    In this book, Jane Yolen compiled folktales from around the world about boys who triumph without resorting to violence.

  • What if…? (:30)

    Here is a quick insight into the essence of writing fiction.

  • Creative writing in schools (1:00)

    Yolen voices her concerns as an author about how many teachers approach creative writing in the classroom.

  • Storytelling (:45)

    Yolen describes how her stories change if she’s telling them to a live audience.

  • The missing lavaliere (1:00)

    This author doesn’t shy away from using words that kids might not know.

§ To play this clip, you'll need a copy of the free RealOne Player. Most computers already have it installed, or you can download it now.

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