Goodbye, Dear Jean Craighead George --we'll miss you, thank you for leaving us so many books!

This morning, I (The Mom) cried. Not simply that Jean Craighead George died (she passed away May 15, 2012), but because upon learning of her death I learned that realized this amazing woman had been alive. For if I had known I would have written her a letter. I cried over the lost chance to thank her. So I decided to write her now. (And it made me cry more, but I feel better now!)

 Jean feeding a wolf pup.

Dear Jean (do you mind if we address you as Jean? To us, you are a good friend),

This letter will be brief since we imagine you busy with your animals. Did you know that in our house --that is tucked in the middle of the woods-- we couldn't survive without you? Over the years we've read and then researched so many things, ALL BECAUSE OF YOU. Many people ask us our very favorite books; we agree with Neil Gaiman who said, "picking five favorite books is like picking the five body parts you'd most like not to lose." Jean we pick your books; they are like body parts. Thank you.

With adventurous, animal loving hearts,

The Four of  Us

Jean, we will miss you. 

Tell us your favorite Jean Craighead George book or story 

-or perhaps write her a letter too! 

Share in the comments below.

Thankfully, we'll always have all of these amazing BOOKS:

Acorn Pancakes & Dandelion Salad and 38 Other Wild Recipes (1995) 

All Upon A Sidewalk (1974) 

All Upon A Stone (1971) 

The American Walk Book (1978) 

Animals Who Have Won Our Hearts (1994) 

Arctic Son (1997) 

Autumn Moon (2001) 

Beastly Inventions, A Surprising Investigation into Just How Smart Animals Really Are (1970) 

The Big Book For Our Planet (1993) 

Bubo the Great Horned Owl (1954) 

The Buffalo Are Back (2010) 

The Case of the Missing Cutthroats: An Ecological Mystery (1996) 

The Cats of Roxville Station (2009) 

Charlie's Raven (2004) 

Cliff Hanger (2002) 

Coyote in Manhattan (1968) 

The Cry of the Crow: A Novel (1980) 

Dear Katie, The Volcano Is A Girl (1998) 

Dear Rebecca, Winter Is Here (1993) 

Dipper of Copper Creek (1956) 

Elephant Walk (1998) 

Everglades (1995) 

Everglades Wildguide (1972) 

The Fire Bug Connection (1993) 

Fire Storm (2003) 

The First Thanksgiving (1993) 

Frightful's Daughter (2002) 

Frightful's Daughter Meets the Baron Weasel (2007)

 Frightful's Mountain (1999) 

Giraffe Trouble (1998) 

Going to the Sun (1976) 

The Gorilla Gang (1998) 

The Grizzly Bear With the Golden Ears (1982) 

Gull Number 737 (1964) 

Hold Zero! (1966) 

The Hole in the Tree (1957) 

Hook a Fish Catch a Mountain (1975) 

How to Talk to Your Animals (1985) 

How to Talk to Your Cat (1986, 2000) 

How to Talk to Your Dog (1986) 

Incredible Animal Adventures (1999) 

Journey Inward (autobiography) (1982) 

Julie (sequel to Julie of the Wolves) (1994) 

Julie of the Wolves (1972) 

Julie's Wolf Pack (third in the Julie trilogy) (1997) 

Look to the North, A Wolf Pup Diary (1997) 

Marvels and Mysteries of Our Animal World (1964) 

Masked Prowler, the Story of a Raccoon (1950) 

Meph the Pet Skunk (1952) 

The Missing 'Gator of Gumbo Limbo (1992) 

Morning, Noon and Night (1999) 

My Side of the Mountain (1959) 

My Side of the Mountain Trilogy (2000) 

New York In Maps (1969) 

Nutik and Amaroq Play Ball (2001) 

Nutik, the Wolf Pup (2001) 

On the Far Side of the Mountain (sequel to 'My Side of the Mountain') (1990) 

One Day in the Alpine Tundra (1984) 

One Day in the Desert (1983)

One Day in the Prarie (1986) 

One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest (1990)

One Day in the Woods (1988) 

Pocket Guide to the Outdoors (2010)

The Last Polar Bea (2009) 

Red Robin, Fly Up! (1963)

Rhino Romp (1998)

River Rats (1979) 

Shark Beneath the Reef (1989)

Snowboard Twist (2004)

Snow Bear (1999)

Snow Tracks (1958)

Spring Comes to the Ocean (1965)

Spring Moon (2002)

The Summer of the Falcon (1962)

Summer Moon (2002)

The Talking Earth (1983)

The Tarantula in My Purse: And 172 Other Wild Pets (1996)

The Thirteen Moons- 13 volumes

The Moon of the Owls (1967, 1993)

The Moon of the Bears (1967, 1993)

The Moon of the Salamanders (1967, 1992)

The Moon of the Monarch Butterflies (1968, 1993)

The Moon of the Fox Pups (1968, 1992)

The Moon of the Wild Pigs (1968, 1992)

The Moon of the Mountain Lions (1968, 1991)

The Moon of the Chickarees (1969, 1992)

The Moon of the Deer (1969, 1992)

The Moon of the Alligators (1969, 1991)

The Moon of the Gray Wolves (1969, 1991)

The Moon of the Winter Bird (1969, 1992)

The Moon of the Moles (1969, 1992) 

There's an Owl in the Shower (1995) 

To Climb a Waterfall (1995) 

Tree Castle Island (2002) 

Vison the Mink (1949) 

Vulpes the Red Fox (1948)

Water Sky (1987) 

Wentletrap Trap (1978) 

Who Really Killed Cock Robin?: An Ecological Mystery (1971) 

The Wild, Wild Cook Book (1982) 

Winter Moon (2001) 

The Wolves Are Back (2008) 

The Wounded Wolf (1978)