Jan Wahl

Jan Boyer Wahl (born April first, 1933) is primarily known as a prolific and award winning U.S. children's book author, with over 100 volumes to his credit.

Jan (pronounced "Yahn") Wahl was born in Columbus, Ohio. His father was physician Russell Rothenberger, and his mother was Nina Marie Boyer Wahl. His brother Phil Wahl was the real-life inspiration for the character played by Bill Murray in the film Lost In Translation (2003). Wahl sometimes refers to himself as "Dr. Mouse," a nickname given him by a young fan. Wahl is also well known as a historian-collector of old films. For over a decade he has presented introductory lectures for the Sunday Classic Film Series at the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Film Theater and Museum at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio, averaging six presentations a year. Wahl has had a career varied and adventurous. Included among his exploits are for a while being the personal secretary to Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen). Later he spent several months working with noted filmmaker Carl Theodor Dreyer during the filming of Ordet (The Word). He was also a founding member of Students for a Democratic Society. In addition, he was an on-set script doctor (uncredited) for The Wrath of God (1972) starring Robert Mitchum and Rita Hayworth.

Selected works

Note: Many of Wah's book have been reprinted, some multiple times.

Pleasant Fieldmouse (1964) (illustrated by Maurice Sendak) (Pleasant Fieldmouse series)
Hello Elephant (1964)
The Furious Flycycle (1968)
How the Children Stopped the Wars (1969)
Doctor Rabbit (1970) (Doctor Rabbit series)
The Six Voyages of Pleasant Fieldmouse (1971) (reprinted 1999) (Pleasant Fieldmouse series)
Magic Heart (1972)
Grandmother Told Me (1972) (illustrated by Mercer Mayer)
S.O.S. Bobomobile (1975) (sequel to The Furious Flycycle)
The Clumpets Go Sailing (1975) (illustrated by Cyndy Szekeres)
Pleasant Fieldmouse's Halloween Party (1976) (Pleasant Fieldmouse series)
Doctor Rabbit's Foundling (1977) (Doctor Rabbit series)
Jamie's Tiger (1978)
Pleasant Fieldmouse Story Book (1978) (Pleasant Fieldmouse series)
"Sylvester Bear Overslept" (1979) (illustrated by Lee Lorenz)
Pleasant Fieldmouse's Valentine Trick (1979) (Pleasant Fieldmouse series)
Doctor Rabbit's Lost Scout (1988) (Doctor Rabbit series)
The Fieldmouse and the Dinosaur Named Sue (2000)
Humphrey's Bear (2005)
Candy Shop (2005)
Bear Dance (2008)
Through a Lens Darkly (2009) (Wahl's autobiographical memoirs)
The Golden Christmas Tree (2010)
Dear Stinkpot: Letters from Louise Brooks (2010)
The Art Collector (2011)
The Screeching Door: Three Spooky Tales (2011) (reprint with new story)
Carl Theodor Dreyer and Ordet (2012)