Let’s talk about authors who were born in December! Learn a little about authors who were born this month and browse some of their most popular titles. View the full page for each author on our website at the links below.
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Jane Austen was born in the small English town of Steventon in Hampshire, and educated at home by her clergyman father. She was deeply devoted to her family. For a short time, the Austens lived in the resort city of Bath, but when her father died, they returned to Steventon, where Austen lived until her death at the age of 41. Austen was drawn to literature early, she began writing novels that satirized both the writers and the manners of the 1790’s. Her sharp sense of humor and keen eye for the ridiculous in human behavior gave her works lasting appeal. She is at her best in such books as Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1816), in which she examines and often ridicules the behavior of small groups of middle-class characters. Austen relies heavily on conversations among her characters to reveal their personalities, and at times her novels read almost like plays. Several of them have, in fact, been made into films. She is considered to be one of the most beloved British authors.
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Bestselling children’s book author and illustrator Jan Brett was born on December 1, 1949. She decided to be an illustrator when she was a child and is known for her detailed and carefully-researched work. Brett grew up in New England and attended the Boston Museum School. Her books have received much acclaim by publications including Newsweek, The New Yorker, Parents magazine, Redbook, and Publishers Weekly. In 2005 Brett earned the Boston Public Library’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Her book Three Little Dassies was published in 2010 and made the New York Times bestseller list. Other of her works that have made the New York Times best seller list are: Home for Christmas 2011, Mossy 2012, Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella., 2014 The Animal’s Santa.
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Kate Milford is originally from Annapolis, Maryland. She is the author of The Boneshaker, The Broken Lands, The Kairos Mechanism, Bluecrowne, and Greenglass House, which was long-listed for the National Book Award. She is also a New York Times Best Seller from 2016.
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Jason Reynolds is originally from Washington, D.C. He is the author of many novels and works of poetry, including Long Way Down, Ghost, and All American Boys. Reynolds collects items related to African-American literature. In 2021, he appeared on Antiques Roadshow to discuss his collection.
