Barbara Park Loses Battle with Ovarian Cancer at Age 66

Barbara Park, author of the Junie B. Jones children's books, has died on November 15, 2013 from a long battle with ovarian cancer. She was 66 years old.

Park was the daughter of a merchant and a secretary, Doris and Brooke Tidswell. She grew up in Mount Holly Township, New Jersey. From 1965 to 1967, she attended Rider College, later finishing her B.S. in 1969 at the University of Alabama. She married Richard A. Park in 1969. She lived in Phoenix, Arizona for almost 30 years and had two sons, Steven and David.

Barbara Park was beloved by millions as the author of the wildly popular, New York Times bestselling Junie B. Jones series. She has won over 40 children's book awards and been featured in the New York Times, USA Today, and Timemagazine. Twenty years and counting after the world's funniest kindergartner made her debut, Barbara said, "I've never been sure whether Junie B.'s fans love her in spite of her imperfections...or because of them. But either way, she's gone out into the world and made more friends than I ever dreamed possible."

Barbara Park is also the author of award-winning middle-grade novels and bestselling picture books, including The Graduation of Jake Moon, Mick Harte Was Here, Skinnybones, and MA! There's Nothing to Do Here! She and her husband, Richard, live in Arizona. Her family-which now includes two of the handsomest little grandboys on the planet-lives nearby.

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