Janet Lee Carey

Janet Lee Carey (born January 11, 1954) is an American writer of fantasy fiction for children and young adults. Her Wilde Island trilogy—Dragon’s Keep, Dragonswood, and In the Time of Dragon Moon—earned multiple starred reviews and were ALA Best Books for Young Adults. Other notable works include the Noor duology—The Beast of Noor and The Dragons of Noor and the standalone books Stealing Death and Wenny Has Wings, a Mark Twain Award recipient and a Sony Feature Film Japan, 2008.

Personal life and background

Carey grew up in Mill Valley, California. It was here that she first dreamed of writing books.

“I remember the giddy feeling of knowing what I wanted to do for the rest of my life and not having a clue about how to get from inspiration to publication.”

Carey moved frequently during her college years, attending Sonoma State University before relocating to Vancouver, BC, to attend Simon Fraser University. She completed her education in Seattle, graduating magna cum laude from Seattle Pacific University in 1981. She and her husband remained in the Pacific Northwest to raise a family near lakes, forests, and hiking trails.

Career

Janet Lee Carey is a successful children's literature author as well as a teacher. Carey is involved in Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and is a founding member of readergirlz, an online blog that supports reading for teenage girls. She values her critique group, The Diviners, and the arts group Artemis, where writers, photographers, painters, collage artists, and sculptors meet monthly to discuss the ongoing creative process and champion each other's work. Carey also explores her interest in the creative process on her blog, Dreamwalks.

In response to decreased funding threatening public libraries and school libraries, Carey created another blog, Library Lions Roar, hosting interviews with youth librarians to raise public awareness of the role libraries play in the lives of children and teens across the U.S., and to give youth librarians a place to spread word of their library programs.

Between finding time for her group work and writing, Carey enjoys presenting world-building masterclasses and teaching at writing retreats. She tours across the United States and overseas presenting at schools and children's book festivals and conferences.

Adaptations Carey’s book, Wenny Has Wings (2002), was adapted into a Feature Film, "Ano Sora wo Oboeteru", or "Remember that Sky"

Wenny Has Wings (2002)

Mark Twain Award, 2005 Washington State Book Award Finalist, 2003 Borders Books Original Voices, 2003

The Double Life of Zoe Flynn (2004)

One Book Sacramento Children's Book Choice, 2009

The Beast of Noor (2006)

NYPL Best Book for Teens, 2007

Dragon's Keep (2007)

ALA Best Book for Young Adults, 2008 Booklist starred review School Library Journal starred review

Stealing Death (2009)

School Library Journal starred review

The Dragons of Noor (2010)

Teens Read Too Gold Star Award for Excellence

Dragonswood (2012)

YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults, 2013 Kirkus starred review School Library Journal starred review