Byron Barton
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
September 8, 1930
Byron Barton | |
|---|---|
| Born | Byron Vartanian September 8, 1930 Pawtucket, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Died | June 3, 2023 (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]
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.
