Annie Barrows


Annie Barrows is an American editor and author. She is best known for the Ivy and Bean series of children's books, but she has written several other books for adult readers as well. With her aunt Mary Ann Shaffer she co-wrote The Guernsey Literary And Potato Peel Pie Society, which was later adapted into a film.

Personal life

Barrows is the second of two girls. She was born in San Diego, near the southern border of the state of California. When she was three weeks old the family moved to a small town, San Anselmo, in Northern California. She spent considerable time during her childhood in the town's children's library, where she eventually got a part-time job while in junior high school, maintaining the books and reshelving them.
Barrows attended UC Berkeley, originally majoring in English Literature, but graduating in Medieval History. She worked as an editor, then decided to turn to writing. After enrolling in a writing school, she then began writing books for adults.
Barrows is married. She has two daughters. Her aunt was Mary Ann Shaffer.

Writing career

Barrows' first writing output was for adult non-fiction. In 2003 she turned to Children's literature, for which she is most noted and honored. Of her interest in this area she has written:

Published works

  • The Magic Half
  • The Ivy & Bean series
  • The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
  • Magic in the Mix
  • The Truth According to Us
  • Nothing
  • What John Marco Saw
  • The Iggy ''series
  • Like''

    Awards and recognitions

  • Kentucky Bluegrass Award nominee
  • Mark Twain Readers Award nominee for The Magic Half
  • Virginia Readers' Choice nominee for The Magic Half
  • Rhode Island Children's Book Award nominee for The Magic Half
  • Massachusetts Children's Book Award nominee for The Magic Half
  • Sasquatch Reading Award nominee for The Magic Half
  • Maud Hart Lovelace Award nominee
  • Sunshine State Young Readers Award nominee