Barbara Brooks Wallace

Barbara Brooks Wallace
Born(1922-12-03)December 3, 1922
Suzhou, China
DiedNovember 27, 2018(2018-11-27) (aged 95)
Arlington, Virginia, U.S.
OccupationWriter, poet
Alma materUniversity of California, Los Angeles
GenreChildren's literature
Years active1975–2012
Notable worksPeppermints in the Parlor (1983)
The Twin in the Tavern (1994)
Claudia (2001)
Notable awardsEdgar Award (1994, 1998)

Barbara Brooks Wallace (December 3, 1922 – November 27, 2018) was an American children's writer. She won the NLAPW Children's Book Award and International Youth Library "Best of the Best" for Claudia (2001) and William Allen White Children's Book Award for Peppermints in the Parlor (1983).[1]

Early life

Wallace was born and spent her childhood in China, where she attended Shanghai American School, but came to live in the United States during high school. San Francisco was a port of entry for the family many times. She graduated from UCLA where she was a member of the Alpha Phi sorority.

Career

Wallace won Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America for both The Twin in the Tavern (1994)[2] and Sparrows in the Scullery (1998).[2] Cousins in The Castle (1997)[3] and Ghosts in the Gallery (2001)[4] were also nominated for the Edgar Award.

Wallace's books are often compared to Lemony Snicket as well as books by Joan Lowery Nixon and Beverly Cleary. She has also received high praise from the American Library Association.[5]

In 2009, Wallace tapped the creative development group Pangea Corporation[6] to develop her series of books into animated and live action entertainment. Her Miss Switch series had previously enjoyed popular installments on ABC Weekend Special, garnering the high Nielsen ratings.[citation needed] Wallace's Hawkins books were also featured as live action films on ABC Weekend Special.

Wallace's novel Diary of a Little Devil was published as a digital eBook in September 2011. The deal was the result of Pangea's efforts and culminates with additional books to be released in the same manner, including a new installment to the Miss Switch series: Miss Switch and the Vile Villains.

Death

Wallace died November 27, 2018, in Arlington, Virginia, from complications of pneumonia at the age of 95.[7]

Books

  • Secret in St. Something
  • Peppermints in the Parlor
  • The Perils of Peppermints
  • The Barrel in the Basement
  • The Interesting Thing That Happened At Perfect Acres, Inc.
  • Hello Claudia!
  • Claudia
  • Claudia and Duffy
  • Victoria
  • Can Do, Missy Charlie
  • The Secret Summer of L.E.B.
  • Andrew the Big Deal
  • Julia and the Third Bad Thing
  • Palmer Patch
  • The Hawkins Series
  • Miss Switch Online
  • Miss Switch to the Rescue
  • The Trouble with Miss Switch
  • Argyle
  • Ghosts in the Gallery
  • Cousins in the Castle
  • Miss Switch's Bathsheba & The Cat Caper (co-authored with John C. Besmehn)

References

  1. ^ William Allen White Children's Book Awards Archived 2011-07-18 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b Profile Archived September 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, lib.tx.us; accessed September 27, 2015.
  3. ^ 1997 Edgar Allan Poe Award Nominees Archived 2009-05-31 at the Wayback Machine, ucalgary.ca; accessed September 27, 2015.
  4. ^ Award Winners > Edgar Allan Poe Awards, childrencomefirst.com; accessed September 27, 2015.
  5. ^ Profile, ala.org; accessed September 27, 2015.
  6. ^ Pangea Corporation website, accessed September 27, 2015.
  7. ^ "Barbara Brooks Wallace, author of 'Peppermints in the Parlor,' dies at age 95". June 8, 2023.