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Barbara Kerley

Picture
Barbara Kerley is an award-winning author of children’s biographies, informational books with National Geographic, and middle grades novels.  Some of her most highly accoladed biographies include The Extraordinary Mark Twain (according to Susy), Those Rebels John & Tom, and What to do about Alice?  Edwin Fotheringham is the artist/illustrator for each of these award-winning books.  Her biographies have received the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, the Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal, the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, and the Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People’s award list.  Barbara served in the Peace Corps as a teacher in Nepal and also taught at the University of Guam before becoming a full time writer.  When she’s not writing in a Portland (Oregon) coffee shop, Barbara likes riding her bike, practicing yoga, and walking her dog, Abby. To learn more about Barbara, visit https://barbarakerley.com/.

Barbara's Process

Watch the Interview Video to learn about the author’s and illustrator’s research and composing processes:
  • Barbara’s Research Process: Using primary and secondary sources [4:35]
  • Drawing upon non-print artifacts and resources in the research process [16:00]
    • The FDR Library’s Digital Collection and its photographs of Eleanor Roosevelt [16:40]
    • Traveling to do research [17:48]
    • Following a feeling to create a visual metaphor [21:30-27:30]
  • Creating a flash draft (a quick draft) to get a sense of the whole [22:50]
  • The role of an editor and art director in the creative process [28:10]
  • Depicting Eleanor Roosevelt as a First Lady [33:40]
  • Creating the backmatter of the book [35:30]
    • The photo scrapbook and timeline [36:28]
    • Ideas for taking action [37:30]
  • Deciding what to leave out of the writing [38:35]

Barbara's Books

Eleanor Makes Her Mark Cover
A Home for Mr. Emerson Cover
What to Do About Alice? Cover
Those Rebels, John and Tom Cover
Portland Baby Cover
Tigers and Tea with Toppy Cover
Walt Whitman: Words for America Cover
The Extraordinary Mark Twain Cover
The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins
A Little Peace Cover
A Cool Drink of Water Cover
Brave Like Me Cover
You and Me Together Cover
One World, One Day Cover
The World is Waiting for You Cover
With a Friend by Your Side Cover

Other Interviews and Resources about Barbara

  • The World of Barbara Kerley (SLJ)
  • Meet Barbara Kerley (Kirby Larson)
  • Interview with Barbara Kerley (Becky's Book Reviews)
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  • Home
  • About Our Work
    • Principles & Framework
  • Picture books
    • Above the Rim
    • Building Zaha
    • Classified
    • Eleanor Makes Her Mark
    • Make Meatballs Sing
    • Otis and Will Discover the Deep
    • Queen of Physics
    • Sharuko
    • Soldier for Equality
    • The Cat Man of Aleppo
    • Voice of Freedom
    • What Do You Do with a Voice Like That?
    • William Still and His Freedom Stories
  • Chapter Books
    • Almost Astronauts
    • Maritcha
    • She Persisted: Claudette Colvin
  • Authors/Illustrators
    • Chris Barton
    • Tonya Bolden
    • Carole Boston Weatherford
    • Monica Brown
    • Jen Bryant
    • Matthew Burgess
    • Lesa Cline-Ransome
    • Natasha Donovan
    • Edwin Fotheringham
    • Rebecca Huang
    • Barbar Kerley
    • Irene Latham
    • Teresa Robeson
    • Barb Rosenstock
    • Katherine Roy
    • Traci Sorell
    • Tanya Lee Stone
    • Victoria Tentler-Krylov
    • Duncan Tonatiuh
    • Don Tate
  • Collection
  • Stories from the Classroom
    • Teacher Contributors
  • Additional Resources
  • About Us
  • Contact Us