J. Alison James

Alison James (J. Alison James) has been writing and translating books for children since 1990, when her award-winning novel, Sing for a Gentle Rain came out. Atheneum also published the novel, Runa, followed by a picture-book Eucalyptus Wings illustrated by Demi. The Drums of Noto Hanto, (DK, Ink) was illustrated by Japanese cut paper artist, Tsukushi.

Her newest book, Maple and Rosemary (Neal Porter books, Holiday House) was illustrated by the brilliant Jennifer K. Mann. It is a book of a life-long friendship between a girl and a maple tree.

Alison has lived in many countries: Pakistan, England, Sweden, Germany, Japan and Taiwan. She studied languages and literature at Vassar and got her graduate degree from the Center for the Study of Children’s Literature at Simmons.

Alison has translated more than 150 picture books for children. She was honored with the Christopher Medal for her translation of the Rainbow Fish. In 1992, she founded Kindling Words with another CSCL graduate and author, Mary Lee Donovan. Alison and her husband run training camps for young enchanters and an outdoor forest school from their grass-roofed cottage in northern Vermont.