Woods, wolves, and falcons: The children's nature-writing of Jean Craighead George

This thesis analyzes the children's literature produced by Jean Craighead George, one of the most prolific nature writers of twentieth-century America. Not only did Jean produce an impressive body of work over the course of a long and successful career, she won the prestigious Newbery Medal for Julie of the Wolves in 1972, and a Newbery Honor for My Side of the Mountain in 1959. Both texts are considered classics in children's literature, and they continue to inform the lives of young readers today.;Despite the popularity of her writing, no one has produced a comprehensive analysis of Jean's life and work. This thesis attempts to correct that deficiency by investigating both Jean's personal history and the dozens of children's books she wrote between 1948 and 2014. Among other inquiries, it will investigate the author's evolving ideologies related to natural world (including its flora and fauna), and her changing beliefs about humanity's relationship to the outdoors.;After considering Jean's body of work, this thesis asserts the author's particular contributions to the field of children's literature. More than any other writer who crafted nature books for young people, Jean wrote texts that encourage the reader to view himself or herself as part of the natural world, and to treat open spaces and the life forms that exist there with respect and concern.