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by Jane Yolen

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“[Yolen is] the Aesop of the twentieth century”
—The New York Times
Fantasy legend Jane Yolen (The Emerald Circus, The Devil’s Arithmetic) delights with this effortlessly wide-ranging offering of fractured fairy tales. Yolen fractures the classics to reveal their crystalline secrets, holding them to the light and presenting them entirely transformed; where a spinner of straw into gold becomes a money-changer and the big bad wolf retires to a nursing home. Rediscover the fables you once knew, rewritten and refined for the world we now live in—or a much better version of it.
**Review
Praise for Jane Yolen
“The Hans Christian Andersen of America”
―Newsweek
“The Aesop of the twentieth century”
―The New York Times
“Jane Yolen is a gem in the diadem of science fiction and fantasy.”
―Analog
Praise for *The Emerald Circus*
“A brilliant example of short-form storytelling by one of the treasures of the science fiction community.”
―Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author of Mistborn
[STARRED REVIEW] “After more than a decade, Yolen (Briar Rose; Sister Emily’s Starship and Other Stories) returns with 16 stories that take readers sideways and upside down through beloved fairy tales and classic tales such as Peter Pan and The Wizard of Oz, while also reimagining the lives of famous storytellers such as Hans Christian Anderson, Edgar Allan Poe and Emily Dickinson. Verdict: These delightful retellings of favorite stories will captivate newcomers and fans of Yolen as she once again delivers the magic, humor, and lovely prose that has attracted readers for years.”
―Library Journal, starred review
[STARRED REVIEW] “VERDICT: These highly entertaining retellings are perfect for teens fans of fairy tales and classic literature, though they are easily enjoyed without any background knowledge.”
―School Library Journal
“Ever the wordsmith, Yolen dazzles with her first short story collection for adults in years.”
―Booklist
“An impressive overview of the author’s breadth and career, this collection will appeal to the author’s existing devotees―or to anyone who has ever thought that “happily ever after” left too many questions.”
―Kirkus
“Jane Yolen’s [The] Emerald Circus may be my favorite book of the year, period, with apologies to Jeff Vandermeer’s Borne. Many years ago, when I had my own blog, I wrote a post celebrating the versatility of Yolen―one of the few authors who can write top-shelf books at any age level. [The] Emerald Circus is a perfect example of her fluid but rock-solid prose.”
―Adult Books for Teens, School Library Journal
“Jane Yolen’s The Emerald Circus is full of marvels. From Snow Queen to spaceship, The Emerald Circus is a delight.”
―Patricia A. McKillip, author of the Riddle-Master trilogy and The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
“With over 350 books, Jane Yolen is a legend in the world of children's and young-adult literature, but her acerbic and witty adult fiction and poetry offer their own pleasures. The 16 stories here, each accompanied by a related poem and notes, revisit some iconic classics, but always from a new, thought-provoking angle.”
―Chicago Tribune
“Jane Yolen facets her glittering stories with the craft of a master jeweller. Everything she writes, including The Emerald Circus, is original and timeless, deliciously creepy and disturbingly lovely.”
―Elizabeth Wein, author of Code Name Verity
“In this masterful collection, Jane Yolen draws upon myth, fairy tales, history, poetry, and children's classics from Alice to Oz to fashion new tales from the bones of the old. There is simply no better storyteller working in the fantasy field today. She's a national treasure.”
―Terri Windling, author of The Wood Wife and The Essential Bordertown
About the Author
Beloved fantasy legend Jane Yolen published her 365th book in 2018. Her work includes children’s fiction, poetry, short stories, graphic novels, nonfiction, fantasy, and science fiction. Her publications include Owl Moon, The Devil’s Arithmetic, Briar Rose, Sister Emily’s Starship, * The Emerald Circus, and Sister Light, Sister Dark*. Among her many honors are the Caldecott and Christopher Medals, multiple Nebula, World Fantasy, Mythopoeic, Golden Kite, and Jewish Book awards; as well as the World Fantasy Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Science Fiction Poetry Grand Master Award. Yolen is also a teacher of writing and a book reviewer. She lives in Western Massachusetts and St. Andrew, Scotland.