Introduction
Barbara Lynne Park (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 grew up in Mount Holly, New Jersey and graduated from Rancocas Valley Regional High School in 1965. From 1965 to 1967, she attended Rider College, finishing her B.S. 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.
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.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.
Death
Park died on November 15, 2013, at her home in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the age of 66, after a long battle with ovarian cancer.