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Photo of Barbara Greenwood

Barbara Greenwood

Author

Phone: (416) 444-8501
Fax: (416) 444-8501
Email: bgrwood@interlog.com
Web: www.barbaragreenwood.com

Born: September 14. Toronto, Ontario
Married to Robert E. Greenwood, four children

Biography

Barbara Greenwood is the author of 14 books for children and is working on two more. She was born in Toronto, Ontario, where she completed a B.A. at the University of Toronto and taught elementary school. Later, while she was at home raising four children, she decided to pursue an interest in writing historical fiction. Her first published novel, A Question of Loyalty, set during the Rebellion of 1837, is used in many Grade 7 and 8 classrooms. A recent book, A Pioneer Story: The Daily Life of a Canadian Family in 1840, won the Ruth Schwartz Award, the Mr. Christie's Book Award and the Information Book Award (Children's Literature Roundtables). The Kids Book of Canada and The Last Safe House were both shortlisted for the Silver Birch Award and the Roundtables Information Book Award and have appeared on many "Best of ..." lists including the Smithsonian Magazine Best Books of the Year List and the IRA Parents' Choice List.

As well as writing books, she writes a monthly book column for City Parent Magazine, is editor of the CANSCAIP News, was Writer-In-Residence for the Unionville Public Library, teaches creative writing at Ryerson Polytechnic University and has given workshops at the Maritime Writers' Workshop, the U.of T. Summer Writing Workshop and the Cannadore College Summer Art Camp.

She lives in the Toronto suburb of Don Mills with her husband, Robert, a physicist and university professor.

Published Works

Factory Girl (Kids Can Press, 2007)
A Pioneer Christmas: Celebrating In the Backwoods in 1841 (Kids Can Press, 2003)
Gold Rush Fever: A Story of the Klondike, 1898 (Kids Can Press, 2001) illustrated by Heather Collins

A Pioneer Thanksgiving (illus. Heather Collins) Kids Can Press, 1999 [a new story about the Robertson Family]

The Last Safe House: A Story of the Underground Railroad (illus. Heather Collins) Kids Can Press, 1998 (historical fiction/information)

The Kids Book of Canada: Exploring the Land and Its People (illus. Jock McRae), Kids Can Press, 1997 (available in a French edition), updated 1999.

Pioneer Crafts (illus. Heather Collins), Kids Can Press, 1997

Behind the Story (General Editor), Pembroke Publishers Ltd., 1995 (profiles of 22 Canadian authors, illustrators and performers)

Speak Up! Speak Out! A Kid's Guide to Public Speaking (with Bob Greenwood, illus. Graham Pilsworth), Pembroke Publishers, 1994

A Pioneer Story: The Daily Life of a Canadian Family in 1840 (illus. Heather Collins), Kids Can Press, 1994 (historical fiction/information)

The Other Side of the Story (with Patricia Hancock), Scholastic Canada, 1990 (creative writing handbook)

Presenting CANSCAIP (General Editor), Pembroke Publishers Ltd., 1990 (profiles of 36 Canadian authors, illustrators and performers)

Klondike Challenge: Rachel Hanna, Frontier Nurse, Grolier, 1990 (biography)

Spy In the Shadows, Kids Can Press, 1990 (historical fiction)

Jeanne Sauve, Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1989 (biography)

Her Special Vision: A Biography of Jean Little (with Audrey McKim), Irwin, 1987

A Question of Loyalty, Scholastic Canada, 1984 (historical fiction)

Awards

Childrens' Literature Roundtable Award, 1999, for The Last Safe House
Mr. Christie's Book Award, 1995, for A Pioneer Story
Ruth Schwartz Award, 1995, for A Pioneer Story
Children's Literature Roundtable Award, 1995, for A Pioneer Story
The Last Safe House - Children's Literature Roundtables' Information Book Award, 1999
Mr. Christie's Book Award, 1995
The Ruth Schwartz Award, 1995
The Children's Literature Roundtable Information Book Award, 1995
The Vicky Metcalf Short Story Award, 1982

Other Memberships

The Writers' Union of Canada

Available For

Visits to schools and libraries to talk about creative writing, historical fiction and pioneer life to Grades 3 to 8.