7 Questions For: Author Jean Craighead George

Jean Craighead George was born in a family of naturalists. Her father, mother, brothers, aunts and uncles were students of nature. On weekends they camped in the woods near their Washington, D.C. home, climbed trees to study owls, gathered edible plants and made fish hooks from twigs. Her first pet was a turkey vulture. In third grade she began writing and hasn't stopped yet. She has written over 100 books.

Her book, Julie of the Wolves won the prestigious Newbery Medal, the American Julie of the Wolves Library Association's award for the most distinguished contribution to literature for children, 1973. My Side of the Mountain, the story of a boy and a falcon surviving on a mountain together, was a 1960 Newbery Honor Book. She has also received 20 other awards.

Click here to read my review of Julie of the Wolves.

And now Jean Craighead George faces the 7 Questions:


Question Seven: What are your top three favorite books?

"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain. "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee and "Shopping for Porcupines" by Seth Kanter


Question Six: How much time do you spend each week writing? Reading?

I write from about 8 a.m. to 1p.m. when I am on a book and then I am reading or doing chores. I used to hike, canoe and camp.


Question Five: What was the path that led you to publication?

I became a reporter for the Washington Post during World War II, married and began writing books from a tent my husband I lived in in a Michigan woods while he was getting a Ph.D.


Question Four: Do you believe writers are born, taught or both? Which was true for you?

They are born. Take Seth Kanter, for instance, he was born in an igloo in Arctic America along a river. He was slightly autistic, read a lot (his parents brought him books), trapped, hunted and saw his world like an artist.


Question Three: What is your favorite thing about writing? What is your least favorite thing?

I love everything about writing and can't think of any stages I dislike.


Question Two: What one bit of wisdom would you impart to an aspiring writer? (feel free to include as many other bits of wisdom as you like)

Love what you do.


Question One: If you could have lunch with any writer, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

I would lunch with Tor Seidler, author of "Wainscot Weasel" and "Mean Margaret" because we would talk about the Yankees. I would love to lunch with Mark Twain but would be so awed I couldn't speak.

www.jeancraigheadgeorge.com