Jean Craighead George, Barrow, AK, 1994
by Leia Skidgel~
“Children are still in love with the wonders of nature, and I am, too. So I write them stories in hopes that they will want to protect all the beautiful creatures and places.” -Jean Craighead George
Were you ever inspired by nature as a child?
I, for one, used to practice crouching and cupping my hands up next to my head to mimic ears; tipping them this way and that to feign communication with an imaginary wolf. I wondered if I could build a sturdy igloo out of snow and ice, or if a tight-knit pack of wolves would ever accept me as one of their own. I spent hours trying to imagine what it would be like to survive in the Alaskan wilderness with the cold wind on my face and no ceiling but the sky above me. Julie of the Wolves is a text that shaped my childhood immensely: but I had no idea that the author of such an influential part of my childhood not only graduated from Penn State, but was published by Penn State’s original literary magazine, Portfolio, in 1939.
Photo courtesy of Megan Gow, 2019
Megan Gow, Kalliope’s editor-in-chief, was scouring the web to learn more about Portfolio for an upcoming chapbook based on Penn State literary journals. What she found instead, to her delight, was a 1939 edition of Penn State’s Portfolio, being sold on eBay by a man all the way across the continent in California. She jumped at the chance to purchase the edition, and eagerly awaited its arrival in the mail. When she was finally able to look over it in person, she was shocked to find pieces written by George inside, one titled “Poem and Cut,” and the other titled “The Desert Waits.” Not only did the copy of Portfolio include some of George’s early work, but it was also edited by her, and included some figure sketches as well.
“Students need a place to experiment and publish their work, so they can gain the experience to possibly pursue even greater things,” said Gow on the importance of this discovery. “In the instance of Jean Craighead, she became a beloved author that influenced many children.”
Jean Craighead George (1919-2012), was the talent behind much-beloved works such as the aforementioned Newbery Medal-winning Julie of the Wolves, and Newbery runner-up My Side of the Mountain. Some of her other works include personal memoirs and children’s stories, as well as guides to cooking with wild foods. George was born in Washington DC, and came to Penn State to major in both Science and English. Her naturalist family background influenced her passion for exploring and writing about the outdoors.
Photo courtesy of Megan Gow, 2019
This July would have been George’s 100th birthday, which makes the recent addition to the Penn State Arboretum’s Children’s Garden all the more special. Thanks to funding from GoFundMe, Penn State’s Arboretum has erected a bench in the Children’s garden in her honor. For someone who cared so much about children during her life, writing about nature to inspire children to protect and care for the environment, I couldn’t think of a more fitting way to honor her here at Penn State.
Photo by Jeni Kocher Zerphy, 2019
The wide, welcoming wooden bench sits in a sunny patch in the Arboretum, giving both children and families a comfortable spot to read as well as a place to absorb the many natural beauties of the Children’s Garden. The bench has a small plaque which reads: “In Honor of Author Jean Craighead George, A Gift From Friends, Family, and Fans.” Nearby, a little free library full of George’s books stands, waiting for a child to take hold of one and become inspired like so many children before them.
For those interested in further efforts to commemorate Jean Craighead George at Penn State, I recommend checking out the current GoFundMe for installing a bronze statue of one of the many animal friends she had throughout her life.