Chris Barton (author)

Barton grew up in Sulphur Springs, Texas, with his parents and older brother, though his father died when Barton was eight years old.{{Cite web |last=Copelin |first=Daisy |title=Chris Barton |url=https://aalbc.com/authors/author.php?author_name=Chris+Barton |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=African American Literature Book Club |language=en |archive-date=2022-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127094231/https://aalbc.com/authors/author.php?author_name=Chris+Barton |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Mannarino |first=James |date=2018-05-05 |title=Best-selling children's author to visit New Market, Deer Crossing Elementary Schools |url=https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/lifestyle/best-selling-childrens-author-to-visit-new-market-deer-crossing-elementary-schools/article_c39a8371-0d01-5fa2-9ff1-222cd3c21a66.html |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=The Frederick News-Post |language=en |archive-date=2023-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412070200/https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/lifestyle/best-selling-childrens-author-to-visit-new-market-deer-crossing-elementary-schools/article_c39a8371-0d01-5fa2-9ff1-222cd3c21a66.html |url-status=live }} Both of his parents, as well as his mother's parents had also grown up in Sulphur Springs.{{Cite web |title=Texas: Austin {{!}} Member Interview: Chris Barton |url=https://austin.scbwi.org/2016/08/26/member-interview-chris-barton/ |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-05-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520071243/https://austin.scbwi.org/2016/08/26/member-interview-chris-barton/ |url-status=live }}

In 1993, he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin (UT) with a degree in history.{{Cite web |last=Shay |first=Macey |date=2014-04-18 |title=Q&A with Chris Barton |url=http://lifeandletters.la.utexas.edu/2014/04/qa-with-chris-barton/ |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Life and Letters |publisher=University of Texas at Austin |archive-date=2022-12-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205235311/http://lifeandletters.la.utexas.edu/2014/04/qa-with-chris-barton/ |url-status=live }} During his time at UT, he wrote for The Daily Texan.

In 2014, Barton pitched the idea of the Modern First Library (MFL) to BookPeople, an independent bookstore in Austin, which they followed up on. MFL "builds on book shoppers' inclination to buy a kid a "classic" picture book and leads them to also buy a new picture book that's more reflective of the modern, diverse society that those kids are growing up in."

Barton currently lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, Jennifer Ziegler.{{Cite web |title=Chris Barton |url=https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Chris-Barton/556504014 |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |language=en |archive-date=2022-07-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707133811/https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Chris-Barton/556504014 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Barton |first=Chris |date=2022-05-05 |title=Soapbox: Showing Up and Moving Forward |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/89218-soapbox-showing-up-and-moving-forward.html |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Publishers Weekly |language=en |archive-date=2022-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221201192859/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/89218-soapbox-showing-up-and-moving-forward.html |url-status=live }} Together, they have four adult children.{{Cite web |last= |date=2020-01-16 |title=About Me |url=https://chrisbarton.info/bio.html |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Bartography |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-12-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209060322/https://chrisbarton.info/bio.html |url-status=live }}

Eight of Barton's books are Junior Library Guild selections: Shark vs. Train (2010),{{Cite web |title=Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton |url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9780316007627J&name=Shark_vs_Train |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Junior Library Guild}} Can I See Your I.D.? (2011),{{Cite web |title=Can I See Your I.D.? True Stories of False Identities by Chris Barton |url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9780803733107J&name=Can_I_See_Your_ID |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Junior Library Guild |archive-date=2022-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516151731/https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9780803733107J&name=Can_I_See_Your_ID |url-status=live }} That's Not Bunny! (2016),{{Cite web |title=That's Not Bunny! by Chris Barton |url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9781423190868J&name=Thats_Not_Bunny |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Junior Library Guild |archive-date=2022-08-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811213928/https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9781423190868J&name=Thats_Not_Bunny |url-status=live }} Whoosh! English and Spanish editions (2016/2019),{{Cite web |title=Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions by Chris Barton |url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9781580892971J&name=Whoosh |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Junior Library Guild |archive-date=2022-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702055128/https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9781580892971J&name=Whoosh |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=¡FUSHHH!: El chorro de inventos súper húmedos de Lonnie Johnson (Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson's Super- Soaking Stream of Inventions) by Chris Barton |url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9781580892339J&name=FUSHHH |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Junior Library Guild |archive-date=2022-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702045528/https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9781580892339J&name=FUSHHH |url-status=live }} Dazzle Ships (2017),{{Cite web |title=Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion by Chris Barton |url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9781512410143J&name=Dazzle_Ships |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Junior Library Guild |archive-date=2021-03-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301193750/https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9781512410143J&name=Dazzle_Ships |url-status=live }} All of a Sudden and Forever (2020),{{Cite web |title=All of a Sudden and Forever: Help and Healing after the Oklahoma City Bombing by Chris Barton |url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9781541526693J&name=All_of_a_Sudden_and_Forever |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Junior Library Guild}} and How to Make a Book (2021).{{Cite web |title=How to Make a Book (About My Dog) by Chris Barton |url=https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/book/landing/detailedview?itemcode=9781541581289J&name=How_to_Make_a_Book_About_My_Dog |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Junior Library Guild}}

Barton's books have frequently landed on lists of the year's best books.

In 2009, The Day Glo Brothers was named one of the best children's books of the year by Publishers Weekly,{{Cite web |date=2009-11-02 |title=Best Children's Books of 2009 |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/26033-best-children-s-books-of-2009.html |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Publishers Weekly |language=en |archive-date=2022-12-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209160508/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/26033-best-children-s-books-of-2009.html |url-status=live }} School Library Journal,{{Cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Trevelyn |last2=Toth |first2=Luann |last3=Charnizon |first3=Marlene |last4=Grabarek |first4=Daryl |last5=Fleishhacker |first5=Joy |date=2009-12-01 |title=Best Books 2009 |url=https://www.slj.com/story/best-books-2009 |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=School Library Journal |archive-date=2023-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412070147/https://www.slj.com/story/best-books-2009 |url-status=live }} and The Washington Post.{{Cite news |date=2009-12-13 |title=The Best Kid's Books of 2009 |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/10/AR2009121003691.html |access-date=2023-04-12 |issn=0190-8286 |archive-date=2019-10-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191002133558/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/10/AR2009121003691.html |url-status=live }}

Shark vs. Train was a New York Times bestseller.{{Cite web |last= |date=2020-01-27 |title=Shark vs. Train |url=https://chrisbarton.info/books/sharktrain.html |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Bartography |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-10-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221001024122/https://chrisbarton.info/books/sharktrain.html |url-status=live }} Barnes & Noble,{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Best Books of the Year 2010, Best Books of the Year, Books |url=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/books/best-books-of-the-year/best-books-of-the-year-2010/_/N-29Z8q8Z1r93?page=7 |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Barnes & Noble |language=en |archive-date=2023-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412073159/https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/books/best-books-of-the-year/best-books-of-the-year-2010/_/N-29Z8q8Z1r93?page=7 |url-status=live }} Kirkus Reviews,{{Cite web |title=2010 Best Children's Books: The Complete List |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-lists/2010-best-childrens-books-complete-list/ |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Kirkus Reviews |language=en |archive-date=2022-01-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220128122923/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-lists/2010-best-childrens-books-complete-list/ |url-status=live }} Parents,{{Cite web |date= |title=The 20 Best Children's Books of 2010 |url=http://www.parents.com/fun/entertainment/books/the-20-best-childrens-books-of-2010/?page=9 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110164741/http://www.parents.com/fun/entertainment/books/the-20-best-childrens-books-of-2010/?page=9 |archive-date=2011-11-10 |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Parents}} Publishers Weekly,{{Cite web |date=2010-11-08 |title=PW's Best Children's Books 2010 |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/45090-pw-s-best-children-s-books-2010.html |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Publishers Weekly |language=en |archive-date=2023-02-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203020814/https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/45090-pw-s-best-children-s-books-2010.html |url-status=live }} School Library Journal,{{Cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Trevelyn |last2=Toth |first2=Luann |last3=Charnizon |first3=Marlene |last4=Grabarek |first4=Daryl |last5=Fleishhacker |first5=Joy |date=2010-12-01 |title=Best Books 2010 |url=https://www.slj.com/story/best-books-2010 |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=School Library Journal |archive-date=2023-04-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412073120/https://www.slj.com/story/best-books-2010 |url-status=live }} and The Washington Post{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Washington Post Best Books of 2010, Best Books of the Year 2010, Books |url=https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/books/best-books-of-the-year-2010/washington-post-best-books-of-2010/_/N-29Z8q8Z1rbs?page=2 |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Barnes & Noble |language=en |archive-date=2020-06-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200619165006/https://www.barnesandnoble.com/b/books/best-books-of-the-year-2010/washington-post-best-books-of-2010/_/N-29Z8q8Z1rbs?page=2 |url-status=live }} named it one of the best children's books of 2010. In 2011, Bank Street College of Education named it one of the best books for children ages five to nine.{{Cite web |title=Five to Nine |url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/bankstreet_web/media/filer_public/2011/08/04/2011fivetonine.pdf |access-date=2023-04-11 |publisher=Bank Street College of Education |archive-date=2021-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813222412/https://s3.amazonaws.com/bankstreet_web/media/filer_public/2011/08/04/2011fivetonine.pdf |url-status=live }}

In 2016, Whoosh! was named one of the best picture books of the year by the American Booksellers Association,{{Cite web |date=2016-08-30 |title=ABC Best Books Titles Revealed: Catalog Order Deadline Extended |url=https://www.bookweb.org/news/abc-best-books-titles-revealed-catalog-order-deadline-extended-34438 |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=American Booksellers Association |archive-date=2023-01-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230121003324/https://www.bookweb.org/news/abc-best-books-titles-revealed-catalog-order-deadline-extended-34438 |url-status=live }} Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature,{{Cite web |title=Best Books 2016 |url=https://www.csmcl.org/best-books-2016 |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature |language=en |archive-date=2022-03-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331003650/https://www.csmcl.org/best-books-2016 |url-status=live }} and Kirkus Reviews.{{Cite web |title=Best Informational Picture Books of 2016 |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-lists/best-informational-picture-books-of-2016/ |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Kirkus Reviews |language=en |archive-date=2022-10-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005181130/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-lists/best-informational-picture-books-of-2016/ |url-status=live }} The Chicago Public Library{{Cite web |title=Best Informational Books for Younger Readers of 2016 |url=https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/list/share/200049033_chipublib_kids/760817267_best_informational_books_for_younger_readers_of_2016 |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Chicago Public Library |language=en-US |archive-date=2021-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803082655/https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/list/share/200049033_chipublib_kids/760817267_best_informational_books_for_younger_readers_of_2016 |url-status=live }} and the New York Public Library{{Cite web |date=2016-11-23 |title=New York Public Library Reveals its List of Best Books for Kids and Teens Just in Time for The Holidays |url=https://www.nypl.org/press/new-york-public-library-reveals-its-list-best-books-kids-and-teens-just-time-holidays |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=The New York Public Library |language=en |archive-date=2022-11-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130033509/https://www.nypl.org/press/new-york-public-library-reveals-its-list-best-books-kids-and-teens-just-time-holidays |url-status=live }} named it one of the year's best informational books for children.

In 2017, Bank Street College of Education included 88 Instruments and Whoosh! in their list of the best books of the year for children ages five to nine.{{Cite web |title=Best Children's Books of the Year, Five to Nine, 2017 Edition |url=https://d2mguk73h8xisw.cloudfront.net/media/filer_public/filer_public/2017/04/05/2017_5_to_9__list_for_the_web_1508.pdf |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Bank Street College of Education |archive-date=2021-12-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211224193604/https://d2mguk73h8xisw.cloudfront.net/media/filer_public/filer_public/2017/04/05/2017_5_to_9__list_for_the_web_1508.pdf |url-status=live }} They stated Whoosh! is a book of "outstanding merit." The National Science Teaching Association included Whoosh! on their list of the best STEM books of the year.{{Cite web |title=Best STEM Books 2017 |url=https://static.nsta.org/pdfs/2017BestSTEMBooks.pdf |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=National Science Teaching Association |archive-date=2022-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308065535/https://static.nsta.org/pdfs/2017BestSTEMBooks.pdf |url-status=live }}

The same year, the Chicago Public Library named Dazzle Ships one of the year's best informational books for younger readers,{{Cite web |title=Best Informational Books for Younger Readers of 2017 |url=https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/list/share/200049033/1081293137 |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Chicago Public Library |language=en-US |archive-date=2021-11-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106033216/https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/list/share/200049033/1081293137 |url-status=live }} and the New York Public Library included it on their list of the best books of the year for kids.{{Cite web |date=2017-11-20 |title=New York Public Library Announces Its Best Books of 2017 for Kids and Teens |url=https://www.nypl.org/press/new-york-public-library-announces-its-best-books-2017-kids-and-teens |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=The New York Public Library |language=en |archive-date=2022-12-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221221151429/https://www.nypl.org/press/new-york-public-library-announces-its-best-books-2017-kids-and-teens |url-status=live }}

In 2018, What Do You Do with a Voice Like That? was named one of the best children's books of the year by Kirkus Reviews,{{Cite web |title=Best Picture Books of 2018 for Encouraging K… |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-lists/best-picture-books-of-2018-for-encouraging-kids-to/ |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Kirkus Reviews |language=en |archive-date=2022-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522233510/https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-lists/best-picture-books-of-2018-for-encouraging-kids-to/ |url-status=live }} and the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education.{{Cite web |date=2018-12-13 |title=The Best Books of 2018 for Young Readers |url=https://www.gse.upenn.edu/news/Ebony-Elizabeth-Thomas-best-books-2018-young-readers |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Penn Graduate School of Education |archive-date=2022-06-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220628195730/https://www.gse.upenn.edu/news/Ebony-Elizabeth-Thomas-best-books-2018-young-readers |url-status=live }} The following year, the Bank Street College of Education ranked it as a book of outstanding merit,{{Cite web |title=Best Children's Books of the Year, Nine to Twelve, 2019 Edition |url=https://s3.amazonaws.com/bankstreet-wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2019-9-to-12-list-for-the-web.pdf |access-date=2023-04-12 |publisher=Bank Street College of Education |archive-date=2023-04-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230410072624/https://s3.amazonaws.com/bankstreet-wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2019-9-to-12-list-for-the-web.pdf |url-status=live }} and Booklist included it on their "Top 10 Biographies for Youth" list.{{Cite web |last=Khuri |first=Ronny |date=2019-06-01 |title=Top 10 Biographies for Youth: 2019 |url=https://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=9720932 |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=Booklist |archive-date=2022-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201162822/https://www.booklistonline.com/ProductInfo.aspx?pid=9720932 |url-status=live }}

In 2022, School Library Journal named Moving Forward one of the best nonfiction children's books of year.{{Cite web |last1=Abdul |first1=Alicia |last2=Bilton |first2=Karen |last3=Buffi |first3=Lisa |last4=Diaz |first4=Shelley M. |last5=Fakih |first5=Kimberly |last6=Ha |first6=Vi |last7=Hassett |first7=Bob |last8=Kingrey-Edwards |first8=Kelly |last9=Mastrull |first9=Amanda; Paige Pagan; Ashleigh Williams |date=2022-11-21 |title=Best Nonfiction 2022 {{!}} SLJ Best Books |url=https://www.slj.com/story/best-nonfiction-2022-slj-best-books |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=School Library Journal |archive-date=2023-04-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405192115/https://www.slj.com/story/best-nonfiction-2022-slj-best-books |url-status=live }}

• "Go to College After High School" in Break These Rules, edited by Luke Reynolds (2013)
• “Two-a-Days” in One Death, Nine Stories, edited by Marc Aronson and Charles R. Smith Jr. (2014)
• "What Will You Do with a Gift Like Yours?" in Nonfiction Writers Dig Deep, edited by Melissa Stewart (2020)

• Shark vs. Train, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld (2010)
• 88 Instruments, illustrated by Louis Thomas (2016)
• That's Not Bunny!, illustrated by Colin Jack (2016)
• Book or Bell?, illustrated by Ashley Spires (2017)
• Fire Truck vs. Dragon, illustrated by Shanda McCloskey (2020)

The Mighty Truck series is illustrated by Troy Cummings.

• Muddymania! (2017)
• On the Farm (2018)
• The Traffic Tie-Up (2018)
• Zip and Beep (2018)
• Surf's Up! (2019)

• The Day-Glo Brothers: The True Story of Bob and Joe Switzer's Bright Ideas and Brand-New Colors, illustrated by Tony Persiani (2009)
• Can I See Your I.D.?: True Stories of False Identities, Illustrations by Paul Hoppe (2011)
• Attack! Boss! Cheat Code!: A Gamer's Alphabet, illustrated by Joey Spiotto (2014)
• The Amazing Age of John Roy Lynch, illustrated by Don Tate (2015)
• 'The Nutcracker' Comes to America: How Three Ballet-Loving Brothers Created a Holiday Tradition, illustrated by Cathy Gendron (2015)
• Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson's Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions, illustrated by Don Tate (2016)
• Spanish edition: ¡Fushhh!: El chorro del inventos súper-húmedos de Lonnie Johnson
• Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion, illustrated by Victo Ngai (2017)
• What Do You Do with a Voice Like That?: The Story of Extraordinary Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, illustrated by Ekua Holmes (2018)
• All of a Sudden and Forever: Help and Healing After the Oklahoma City Bombing, illustrated by Nicole Xu (2020)
• How to Make a Book (About My Dog), illustrated by Sarah Horne (2021)
• Sister, Brother, Family: An American Childhood in Music, co-written with Willie Nelson and Bobbie Nelson, illustrated by Kyung Eun Han (2021)
• Moving Forward: From Space-Age Rides to Civil Rights Sit-Ins with Airman Alton Yates, illustrated by Steffi Walthall (2022)
• Glitter Everywhere!: Where It Came From, Where It's Found & Where It's Going, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat (2023)

{{reflist}}

• [https://chrisbarton.info/ Official website]

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Category:Carter G. Woodson Book Award winners

Category:Writers from Texas

Category:University of Texas at Austin alumni

Category:21st-century American writers

Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)