Jane Resh Thomas Explained

Jane Resh Thomas (August 15, 1936 – June 12, 2023) was an American children's writer and critic.

Biography

Jane Resh Thomas was born on August 15, 1936, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to Thelma (Scott) and Reed Beneval Resh.^[1] She graduated from the Bronson School of Nursing in 1957 and received a BA and MA from the University of Minnesota in 1967 and 1971, respectively.^[1] Thomas began her career as a freelance writer in 1972 after working as a nurse and an English teacher at the University of Minnesota.^[2]

Thomas's first book, Elizabeth Catches a Fish (1977), was based on childhood memories of fishing.^[3] Many of her other books draw on personal experience.^[2] In addition to her writing for children, Thomas wrote a column about children's literature for the Minneapolis Tribune (now the Star Tribune); as of 1982, she had written the column for a decade.^[4]

Thomas died in Bloomington, Minnesota on June 12, 2023, at the age of 86.^[5]

List of Works

• Elizabeth Catches a Fish, illustrated by Joseph Duffy, Seabury Press (New York, NY), 1977.
• The Comeback Dog, illustrated by Troy Howell, Clarion (New York, NY), 1981.
• Courage at Indian Deep, Clarion (New York, NY), 1984.
• Wheels, illustrated by Emily McCully, Clarion (New York, NY), 1986.
• Fox in a Trap, illustrated by Troy Howell, Clarion (New York, NY), 1987.
• Saying Good-bye to Grandma, illustrated by Marcia Se-wall, Clarion (New York, NY), 1988.
• The Princess in the Pigpen, Clarion (New York, NY), 1989.
• Lights on the River, illustrated by Michael Dooling, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1994.
• Daddy Doesn't Have to Be a Giant Anymore, illustrated by Marcia Sewall, Clarion (New York, NY), 1996.
• Scaredy Dog, illustrated by Marilyn Mets, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1996.
• Behind the Mask: The Life of Elizabeth I, illustrated by Marcia Sewall, Clarion (New York, NY), 1996, published as Elizabeth the Great: Queen of the Golden Age, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1996.
• Celebration!, illustrated by Raul Colon, Hyperion (New York, NY), 1997.
• The Snoop, illustrated by Ronald Himler, Clarion (New York, NY), 1999.
• The Counterfeit Princess, Clarion (New York, NY), 2005.
• Blind Mountain, Clarion (New York, NY), 2006.

Notes and References

1. Book: Contemporary Authors. Contemporary Authors. 1998. Gale. Jones. Daniel. Jorgenson. John D.. 0-7876-1201-4. 38000379. new revision series. 59. 401–403. 0275-7176.
2. Book: Thomas, Jane Resh 1936–. https://www.encyclopedia.com/children/scholarly-magazines/thomas-jane-resh-1936. Something About the Author. 1997. Hile. Kevin. 978-0-8103-9947-1. 705262565. 90. 0276-816X. 229–232.
3. Book: Imdieke. Sandra. Thomas, Jane Resh. The Continuum Encyclopedia of Children's Literature. 2001. Continuum. Cullinan. Bernice E.. Person. Diane Goetz. 0-8264-1271-8. 44633006. 777.
4. Piehl. Kathy. 1982. Jane Resh Thomas: Feminist as Children's Book Reviewer, Critic, and Author. Children's Literature Association Quarterly. en. 7. 4. 16–18. 10.1353/chq.0.0371. 143688974 . 1553-1201.
5. News: Author and writing mentor Jane Resh Thomas dies at 86 . 8 September 2023 . Twin Cities . 17 June 2023.