Internationally Acclaimed & Multiple Award-winning Author and Illustrator of Books for Children
“Barbara McClintock was one of those rare presenters that can entertain an audience of both adults and children. Her varied presentation style kept the audience engaged. Kids seemed to enjoy the candid snapshots of the author at home working in her bathrobe and the silly interactive drawing session while adults seemed to appreciate the story of how she became an illustrator/author as well as information on the work that goes into creating a book for children. There was something for everyone!”
—St. Joseph County Public Library
Barbara McClintock has illustrated and/or written over 40 books for children, and has won four New York Times Best Books awards, a New York Times Notable Book citation, two Time magazine Best Books awards, a Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Award, a Golden Kite Honor award, ALA Notable Book awards, Parent’s Choice awards, and numerous other awards and starred reviews in Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, and the Horn Book. Many of her books have been on the New York Public Library’s annual 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing list. In 2010, McClintock’s illustrated version of The Mitten, written by Jim Aylesworth, was an Oprah’s Book Club Reading List Selection, and her book Adele & Simon was reviewed by Nancy Pearl and Steve Inskeep on NPR.
McClintock’s books appear in print in 12 languages, and her original artwork has been exhibited in museums and galleries in Paris, France, Seoul, South Korea, New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Amherst/North Hampton, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and North Dakota. In 1994-1995, The Minneapolis Children’s Theatre produced a ballet/opera of her book Animal Fables From Aesop, after which she was commissioned to design sets and costumes for the MCT’s production of The Worn-out Dancing Shoes in 1997.
Barbara McClintock began illustration and writing professionally at the age of 20 when she moved from North Dakota to New York City on the recommendation of Maurice Sendak after calling him for advice. Some of her earliest work was with Jim Henson, illustrating books based on characters from his cable television series Fraggle Rock. The first book that McClintock both wrote and illustrated, The Heartaches of a French Cat, won her first New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books award, and established her career.
Over the past several years, Barbara McClintock has become involved in developing arts outreach programing for schools in financially challenged areas in Connecticut.
She is extremely honored to have received a 100 Connecticut Women of Merit citation in 2012 from the Girl Scouts of Connecticut for her community service.
Barbara McClintock currently serves on the board of directors of The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.
