Byron Barton
BornByron Vartanian
(1930-09-08)September 8, 1930
Pawtucket, Rhode Island, U.S.
DiedJune 3, 2023(2023-06-03) (aged 92)
Lakewood Ranch, Florida, U.S.

Byron Barton (September 8, 1930 – June 3, 2023) was an American writer and illustrator of children's picture books. His works received six ALA Notable Book Awards, five SLJ Best Books of the Year selections, and two Reading Rainbow picks.[1]

Personal life and education

Barton, whose birth name was Byron Vartanian, was born on "September 8, 1930 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island to Toros and Elizabeth Vartanian."[2] He moved with his family to Los Angeles while he was in grade school, and there, he developed his interest in art, later attending Los Angeles City College.[2] In 1950, he received a scholarship to study at Chouinard Art Institute (CAI), though he was unable to immediately attend due to being drafted into the Korean War.[2] After being discharged, Barton returned to CAI, completing his studies in 1956.[2]

Barton died at his home in Lakewood Ranch, Florida on June 3, 2023, at the age of 92.[2]

Career

Following the completion of his studies at the Chouinard Art Institute in 1956, Barton moved to New York City and began working as an ad designer and animator for CBS.[2][1]

The first book he illustrated, Constance C. Green's A Girl Called Al, was published in 1969.[2] Two years later, he published his first self-authored book, Elephant.[2] Barton went on to write and author many more books, working with authors such as Russell Hoban, Jack Prelutsky, Marjorie W. Sharmat, and Seymour Simon.[2] His works have received six ALA Notable Book Awards, five SLJ Best Books of the Year selections, and two Reading Rainbow picks.[1] One of his books, Where's Al, was a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books selection.[2] His last book, My House, was published in 2016.

Awards and honors

Barton's works have received six ALA Notable Book Awards and five SLJ Best Books of the Year selections.[1] One of his books, Where's Al, was a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books selection.[2]

Two books Barton illustrated were featured on Reading Rainbow: Charlotte Pomerantz's The Tamarindo Puppy and Other Poems (1985) and Diane Siebert's Truck Song (1990).

The Horn Book Magazine included six of his books on their lists of the best picture books of the year: Machines at Work (1987); I Want To Be An Astronaut (1988); Bones, Bones Dinosaur Bones (1999); My Car (2001); My Bus (2014);[3] and My Bike (2015).[4][5]

Publishers Weekly included My Car on their list of the best picture books of 2001.[6] The following year, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) included it on their list of Notable Children's Books.[7]

School Library Journal named My Bus one of the best picture books of 2014.[8]

Selected works

Source:[9]

  • 1972, Where's Al?
  • 1973, Buzz Buzz Buzz
  • 1974, Harry Is a Scaredy-Cat
  • 1974 Jack and Fred
  • 1975, Hester
  • 1979, Wheels
  • 1981, Building a House
  • 1981, Jump, Frog, Jump (illustrator)
  • 1982, Airport
  • 1986, Boats
  • 1986, Trucks
  • 1986, Trains
  • 1986, Planes
  • 1987, Machines at Work
  • 1988, I Want to Be an Astronaut
  • 1989, Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs
  • 1990, Bones, Bones, Dinosaur Bones
  • 1991, The Three Bears
  • 1993, The Little Red Hen
  • 1995, The Wee Little Woman
  • 1996, Big Machines (illustrator)
  • 1996, Tools
  • 2001, My Car
  • 2014, My Bus
  • 2015, My Bike
  • 2016, My House

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lodge, Sally (April 10, 2014). "Q & A with Byron Barton". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on May 29, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Maughan, Shannon (June 16, 2023). "Obituary: Byron Barton". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on June 17, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  3. ↑ Sutton, Roger (December 3, 2014). "Fanfare!". School Library Journal. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Horn Book Fanfare 1938 to present". The Horn Book. December 5, 2012. Archived from the original on March 20, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  5. ↑ Sutton, Roger (November 30, 2015). "Fanfare! 2015". School Library Journal. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Best Children's Books 2001". Publishers Weekly. November 5, 2011. Archived from the original on April 17, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  7. ↑ Schulte-Cooper, Laura (February 26, 2007). "2002 Notable Children's Books announced". American Library Association. Archived from the original on March 17, 2016. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Best Books 2014: My Bus | Picture Books". School Library Journal. November 14, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Books by Byron Barton (Author of My Car)". www.goodreads.com. Archived from the original on June 17, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
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