Barbara Park

Barbara Park
BornBarbara Lynne Tidswell
(1947-04-21)April 21, 1947
Mount Holly, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedNovember 15, 2013(2013-11-15) (aged 66)
Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S.
OccupationAuthor
NationalityAmerican
GenreChildren's literature
Notable worksJunie B. Jones; Skinny Bones
Spouse
Richard A. Park
​
(m. 1969)​
Children2

Barbara Lynne Park (née Tidswell; April 21, 1947 – November 15, 2013) was an American author of children's books.

Life and career

Barbara Park was the daughter of a merchant and a secretary, Doris and Brooke Tidswell. She and her older brother[1] grew up in Mount Holly, New Jersey.[2] Park graduated from Rancocas Valley Regional High School in 1965.[3] From 1965 to 1967, she attended Rider College, finishing her Bachelor of Science in 1969 at the University of Alabama.

She married Richard A. Park in 1969. She lived in Phoenix, Arizona for almost 30 years and had two sons, Steven and David. The couple had two grandsons.[4]

She was the author of the popular Junie B. Jones children's books. The series was aimed at young readers and included around 30 different titles. The series has sold over 55 million copies in North America alone.[5] She also wrote many middle-grade novels, such as The Kid in the Red Jacket.

Park won seven Children's Choice Awards and four Parents' Choice Awards.[6]

Death

Park died on November 15, 2013, at her home in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the age of 66, from ovarian cancer.[7][8][5]

Works

Main article: Bibliography of Barbara Park

References

  1. ^ "Random House | Junie B. Jones Official Website
  2. ^ Blais, Jacqueline. "Junie B. always has the bestest time", USA Today, June 30, 2004. Accessed November 22, 2007. "In a parallel universe in 1950s, Park was a talkative schoolgirl in Mount Holly, N.J."
  3. ^ Junie B. Jones: About Barbara Park, Random House, backed up by the Internet Archive as of February 4, 2007. Accessed July 18, 2019. "[Q:] Where did you go to high school? [A:] I went to Rancocas Valley Regional High School (RVRHS) in Mt. Holly, NJ. I loved that high school, I tell you!"
  4. ^ "Barbara Park | Penguin Random House Official Website.
  5. ^ a b Fox, Margalit (2013-11-18). "Barbara Park, Author of Junie B. Jones Series, Dies at 66". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2015-09-30.
  6. ^ "Children's author, Barbara Park, dies of cancer". Reuters. 2013-11-18. Retrieved 2023-06-02.
  7. ^ Maughan, Shannon (November 17, 2003). "Junie B. Jones Creator Barbara Park Dies at 66". Publishers Weekly – via publishersweekly.com.
  8. ^ Fox, Margalit (November 19, 2013). "Barbara Park, Author of Junie B. Jones Series, Dies at 66". The New York Times.