Chris Barton

Chris Barton is the author of picture books including bestseller Shark vs. Train, Sibert Honor-winning The Day-Glo Brothers, Orbis Pictus honoree Dazzle Ships, and Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions, included on 20 state reading lists. His newest books include Fire Truck vs. Dragon, What Do You Do with a Voice Like That?: The Story of Extraordinary Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, and All of a Sudden and Forever: Help and Healing After the Oklahoma City Bombing. Chris and his wife, YA/middle-grade novelist Jennifer Ziegler, live in Austin, Texas, where Chris has advocated for greater diversity in children’s literature by co-founding the Modern First Library program with BookPeople. For more information about him, please visit www.chrisbarton.info.

Chris's Process 

Listen to Chris explain how he researched and wrote What Do You Do with a Voice Like That? ​including:
  • Where the idea for the book came from
  • The role of non-written and primary sources
  • The challenges and surprises of research
  • How the manuscript evolved through revision
  • The importance of back matter

Chris's Nonfiction Books

Chris's Fiction Books

Other Interviews and Resources about Chris