Jane Kurtz

Author Information
Jane Kurtz's Latest Book

Newest Release

  • Bibliography:
    46 Books (1 Series)
  • First Book:
    September 1995
  • Latest Book:
    September 2023
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Full Series List in Order

American Girl: Lanie

1 - Lanie (Jan-2010)
2 - Lanie's Real Adventures (Jan-2010)

Multi-Author Series List

The American Girls Collection

Lanie (Jan-2010)
Lanie's Real Adventures (Jan-2010)

American Girl Today

Lanie (Jan-2010)
Lanie's Real Adventures (Jan-2010)

Girls of Many Lands

Saba: Under the Hyena's Foot (Sep-2003)

Book List in Order: 46 titles

  • Pulling the Lion's Tail

  • Miro in the Kingdom of the Sun

    A retelling of an ancient folktale follows Miro, a young Incan girl, who struggles to find the cure for the city's sick and dying prince, whose only hope lies in the water from a lake "at the corner of the world."...

  • Trouble

    Tekleh is curious. Tekleh likes adventure. And trouble always seems to find him, no matter how hard he tries to avoid it. One day Tekleh’s father decides that a gebeta (also known as mancala) board will help keep Tekleh occupied--and out of trouble...

  • Only a Pigeon

    Ondu-ahlem thinks of his favorite bird, Chinkay, as more than just a pigeon, and when the young Ethiopian boy sets the bird free, he learns that the pigeon represents everything that is proud, beautiful, and free....

  • Fire on the Mountain

    A slave accepts his master's bet to spend a cold and lonely evening in the mountains, but when he returns, the master does not set him free and so the boy must outwit him by using the master's own tricks. Reprint....

  • The Storyteller's Beads

    Running for their lives to escape the political upheaval in Ethiopia, two young girls from different faiths form an unlikely friendship....

  • I'm Sorry Almira Ann

    Sarah felt safe and snug holding hands under the quilt with Almira Ann. Then a crack of thunder split the air, sounding like it would crash the top of the wagon down on them all.

    The day has finally come. Sarah and her family have packed their...

  • River Friendly, River Wild

    This winter was snowy, this spring brought a terrible blizzard, and now the river is rising. Sandbags don't stop it, the dikes don't stop it, and late one night sirens warn everyone to evacuate. A girl and her family don't expect to be gone ...

  • Faraway Home

    As her father prepares for a trip back to his childhood home in Ethiopia, Desta begins to worry. Where does her father truly belong--in the village of his youth or here in America with her? What was growing up in Ethiopia like? And will her father...



  • Water Hole Waiting

    It's a hot day on the savanna. The sun sizzles, bristles, and bakes. A young monkey wants to drink at the water hole.

    But wait!

    Blocking the way are irritable hippos, sharphoofed zebras, a toothy lion, huge elephants, and a lurking cro...

  • Rain Romp

    On a gray day the heroine of this book feels every bit as grouchy as the cloudy, rainy, windy sky outside her bedroom window. There is no way that her all-too-cheerful Mom and Dad are going to convince her to get out of bed. Or is there?

    How...

  • Bicycle Madness

    A compelling story about the importance of standing up for what is right

    "I was almost home when I saw our new next-door neighbor, Miss Frances Willard, standing in front of her house. Oddly enough, she was holding on to a safety-bicycle!"
    ...

  • Saba: Under the Hyena's Foot

    Girls of Many Lands

    After being kidnapped and brought to the emperor's palace in Gondar, Ethiopia, twelve-year-old Saba discovers that she and her brother are part of the emperor's desperate attempt to consolidate political power in the mid-1840s. Simultaneous. 75,000 f...

  • Memories of Sun

    What is it like to grow up in different parts of Africa today?

    And what's it like to be a child of two cultures -- an American living in Africa, or an African living in America?

    In South Africa visit the Bushman Farm, where a lonely...

  • The Feverbird's Claw

    Twice, on the last day of her childhood, Moralin sees death coming straight at her. The first time, in the fighting yard, she saves herself. But the second time, outside the city walls . . . Moralin is captured by the Arkera, age-old enemies of h...

  • Johnny Appleseed

    Ready-to-Read: Level 1

    Who's that walking along the Ohio? It's Johnny Appleseed! He walks across the land, planting trees wherever he goes. So, everyone, clap your hands for Johnny Appleseed!...

  • Mister Bones: Dinosaur Hunter

    Ready-to-Read: Level 1

    Offers young readers an illustrated biography about the life of Barnum Brown, a skilled dinosaur bone hunter who made great discoveries through his patience, persistence, and continuous curiosity of the dinosaur era....

  • In the Small, Small Night

    In the middle of the night the world can seem huge andfrightening, especially when you've just moved far from home. On Abena and Kofi's first night in America, it is late and it is dark and they are up worrying. What if a giant lizard or a slender...

  • Do Kangaroos Wear Seatbelts?

    This warm and whimsical picture book opens with a little boy eagerly anticipating a trip to the zoo as his mother straps him into his car seat. Like most toddlers, he would rather run free than wear a seat belt, ride in a stroller, hold Mommy's hand,...



  • What Columbus Found: It Was Orange, It Was Round

    Ready-to-Read: Level 1

    Combining simple text with bright illustrations, this early reader presents little-known facts about Columbus and his historic voyage in 1492 where he stumbled upon the New World--and pumpkins! Simultaneous....

  • Martin's Dream

    Ready-to-Read: Level 1

    In 1963 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech that proclaimed that it was time - long overdue - for all men to be treated as equals. Today his beliefs are more important than ever, and author Jane Kurtz explains Dr. King's words in language even t...

  • Lanie

    American Girl: Lanie - 1
    American Girl Today
    The American Girls Collection

    Lanie is an "outside" girl who is stuck with an "inside" family. She longs to go camping, explore the outdoors, and have real adventures, but no one else in her family is interested. To make matters worse, Lanie's best friend is far away and living o...

  • Lanie's Real Adventures

    American Girl: Lanie - 2
    American Girl Today
    The American Girls Collection

    Lanie is delighted that her aunt has returned and her wild garden is taking off--but her next door neighbor is not happy that Lanie is growing a "weed garden" right in their suburban neighborhood, next to her prize roses. She threatens to report Lani...

  • Jakarta Missing

    Dakar is scared. When her family left East Africa to spend a year or two in Cottonwood, North Dakota, Dakar's older sister, Jakarta, was adamant about staying behind. Now Jakarta is all by herself in Kenya...and she's missing. It's terrible to go ...

  • Anna Was Here

    Ten-year-old Anna Nickel is moving from Colorado to Kansas, and she is not happy about leaving her friends behind! This is a moving, often humorous coming-of-age story about family, faith, God's love, and the meaning of home, perfect for fans of Kath...

  • Celebrating Georgia

    Green Light Readers: Level 3

    Join Mr. Geo on his whirlwind tour ofGeorgiain thisLevel 3 Green Light Reader.Like the other books in the 50 States to Celebrate series, Celebrating Georgia combines travel with social studies in a way that's entertaining and educational.The fun ...

  • Celebrating Pennsylvania

    Green Light Readers: Level 3

    Say hello to Mr. Geo, everybody's favorite geography teacher! He loves to explore new places. Today he's visiting Pennsylvania. His first stop is Philadelephia for a grand parade on the Fourth of July. He'll tap the Liberty Bell, visit In...

  • Celebrating New Jersey

    Green Light Readers: Level 3

    Say hello to Mr. Geo, everybody's favorite geography teacher! Today he's visiting New Jersey, the Garden State. His first stop is the Jersey Shore to explore boardwalks, beaches, and amusement parks. Then he'll visit northern New Jersey ...

  • Celebrating Ohio

    Green Light Readers: Level 3

    Say hello to Mr. Geo, everybody's favorite geography teacher! Today he's visiting Ohio, the Buckeye State. His first stop is the fun-filled Ohio State Fair. He'll visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Wright Brothers bike shop and wor...



  • Celebrating Colorado

    Say hello to Mr. Geo, everybody's favorite geography teacher! Today he's visiting Colorado, the Centennial State. He's going to explore four gorgeous national parks, participates in daring sports, visit a dude ranch,  climb to the top of Pikes Pea...

  • Celebrating Louisiana

    Say hello to Mr. Geo, everybody's favorite geography teacher! Today he's visiting Louisiana, the Pelican State. His first stop is New Orleans for the Mardi Gras parade.  He's going to sample Cajun cooking, listen to jazz, ride riverboats and ...

  • Planet Jupiter

    Jupiter is used to being a planet of one, and she likes it that way. But then a cousin, who Jupiter never even knew existed, comes from Ethiopia to stay for the summer, and Jupiter is put in charge of taking care of her. A lyrical and memorable story...

  • Fire in English and Tigrinya

    Fire is a good servant but a bad master! This colorful nonfiction book--with scenes showing life in rural Ethiopia--is based on an Ethiopian proverb for practice in reading in Tigrinya and English. Ready Set Go Books, an Open Hearts Big Dreams Projec...

  • Too Brave in English and Tigrinya

    A cheeky mouse learns a valuable lesson in this fable based on an Ethiopian proverb for practice in reading Tigrinya and English. Ready Set Go Books, an Open Hearts Big Dreams Project (http://openheartsbigdreams.org/book-project/), is focused on incr...

  • Walls of Grass in English and Amharic

    In this story based on an Ethiopian proverb, a village learns the importance of quality over speed. This book is for practice in reading Amharic and English. Ready Set Go Books, an Open Hearts Big Dreams Project, is focused on increasing the literacy...

  • Big Bigger Biggest in English and Amharic

    In this story, a hungry frog tries to outgrow an Elephant! Ethiopia is home to frog species that don’t live anywhere else on Earth. One of them has the interesting name of the Ethiopian snout-burrower, which spends most of its time underground. Ano...

  • Where Do Dream Grow in English and Amharic

    Many children and youth have big dreams. Dreams of being a scientist, a doctor, a pilot or an engineer. But where do they go to see these dreams go? Read along to find out how to grow YOUR dreams. Ready Set Go Books, an Open Hearts Big Dreams Project...

  • What Do They Do With All That Poo?

  • Stories From Ethiopia

    A fun collection of three fables based on Ethiopian proverbs for practice in reading Amharic and English. Volume 1 in the Ready Set Read: Stories from Ethiopia series include: Fifty Lemons, We Can Stop the Lion and Walls of Grass. These three...



  • Chickens on the Loose

    A happy-go-plucky rhyme adventure of chickens frolicking in an urban environment as they run rampant all around town!"Urban backyard chickens go on a madcap tour of the city in this rhyming romp. . . the narrative bounces off the tongue. The marker-b...

  • Stories From Ethiopia: Volume 1: Learning Lessons Through Fables, in English and Tigrinya

    A fun collection of three fables based on Ethiopian proverbs for practice in reading Amharic and English. Volume 1 in the Ready Set Read: Stories from Ethiopia series include: Fifty Lemons, We Can Stop the Lion and Walls of Grass. These three...

  • I'm Calling Molly

  • Meet the Ethiopian Wolf

    The most endangered carnivore in Africa is the Ethiopian wolf. It roams the Bale Mountains, where efforts are underway to protect its habitat from encroaching farmland. It is the only wolf native to Africa, where it devours mole rats and tries to avo...

  • An Egg Can Walk

    An anxious mama chicken tries to remain patient while hatching her newly laid egg. Find out what happens 21 days later when little by little, the egg finally begins to walk! Authors Caroline and Jane Kurtz worked with children from the Ethiopia Reads...

  • The Lonely Nile Perch

    The Nile perch is a lonely fish. Large and intimidating, it tries to make friends with the other Nile residents. But the hippo, puffer fish, electric catfish and even the crocodile all swim away. But when the lonely perch pursues the crocodile, it le...

  • The Journey of Butterflies

    The Painted Lady Butterfly begins its life as a tiny caterpillar. Some of them begin their lives in the Gullele Botanical Garden in Ethiopia, the start of an epic migration that will take them across the Great Pyramids of Egypt and deep into Eu...

Award-Winning Books by Jane Kurtz

River Friendly, River Wild
2000 Golden Kite -- Picture Book Text


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Jane Kurtz has published 46 books.

Jane Kurtz does not have a new book coming out soon. The latest book, The Journey of Butterflies, was published in September 2023.

The first book by Jane Kurtz, Pulling the Lion's Tail, was published in September 1995.

Yes. Jane Kurtz has 1 series.
Author Series
Multi-Author Series
Publisher Series
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