An Essay on Barbara Park

Barbara Park is one of my absolute favorite children’s book authors of all time. And I am not alone in this assumption. Many kids love Barbara Park as she received multiple Children’s Choice Awards. 60 million copies of her books have been sold in North America ALONE. Park is well known for writing the Junie B. Jones series as well as well as many other books. Park was born in Mount Holly, New Jersey on April 21, 1947. Park graduated from the University of Alabama, originally intending to teach history and political science. After reflecting on being voted the "wittiest" in high school, she was inspired to write humor. The first book Park ever published was Don’t Make Me Smile in 1981. All her stories have a humorous tone, but blend in serious topics such as divorce, moving, and the death of a sibling. I’m attracted to this blend and clearly young readers are too. For the most part, Park enjoyed writing children’s books in order to make children smile, “There are those who believe that the value of a children’s book can be measured only in terms of the moral lessons it tries to impose or the perfect role models it offers.”

Her books being well-known and well-loved by many, Barbara Park won more than 50 Children’s Book Awards, including several Children’s Choice Awards. She traveled on many book tours around the U.S. to greet her fans. Children clearly enjoyed her work and found they could relate to her characters. Park also participated in The Make-a-Wish Foundation for very sick children whose wish was to meet Park. While interacting with fans, Park often spoke directly about becoming an author. Park recommends to keep reading and writing and write what inspires you. Being an inspiration to young authors seemed to be Barbara Park’s favorite thing about being an author. Park herself said:

1. "Read, read, read, read;
2. write, write, write, write;
3. rewrite, rewrite, rewrite, rewrite; and
4. love what you’re doing.”

Park's most famous character, Junie B. Jones, seems to be written from the heart with that passion and commitment. As a writer myself, she inspired me to write my characters from the heart, too.

Junie B. Jones is Park’s most popular book series. The story revolves around a five year old kindergartener exploring and causing trouble. Junie B is a good hearted girl who loves her family and is very curious. What child isn’t? I certainly was. Park also agrees as she, too, felt a connection with the character, just like her readers do. She also feels that all children have a unique perspective when it comes to the world. In an interview with Time magazine, Park commented on this unique perspective:

What I try really hard to do is be five in my head, to just absolutely go to this very innocent level. I like to think that Junie B. looks at the world—and this isn't a negative comment on her—from the lowest common denominator. It's not all gray to her; it's all black and white. I think the five- and six-year-old mind-set is very much like that. You just know things very clearly, that as you grow up, get murky. - Barbara Parks

Junie B. Jones was the first chapter book I ever read when I was around five or six years old. My mom and I recalled reading Junie B. Jones before I’d go to bed. We recalled laughing over the many times Junie B got herself into crazy antics. My mom and I also recalled the time where we were reading one of the Junie B. Jones books and we were in hysterics in the section where Junie B. kicks and dents her mother's watering bucket. Junie B was entertaining!

Some parents feel that the Junie B. Jones series is not acceptable for children. Besides Junie B’s rude behavior and constantly getting into trouble, the series takes place from her perspective. Junie B didn’t speak in proper grammar as she was five years old. Park received some nasty letters stating that she is “dumbing down the country.” The majority disagreed. According to the New York Times, “While some parents and educators howled that Ms. Park was leading young readers into a den of syntactic iniquity, the widely prevailing view, as the trade publication Booklist wrote in 2002, was that the books were 'sassy, hilarious, and insightful.'” Park and I agree. Children are endlessly curious and developing in intellect. Having Junie B. speak proper grammar would have ruined the tone of the books. That element is one of the reasons which brings readers to read Park’s stories.

I never read any of Park’s other stories, but I decided to read them and found them rather appealing. Not just Junie B. Jones, but Park’s other works take place from the perspective of a child. The Kid in the Red Jacket is about a little boy who has moved across the country and he never hesitates to make a complaint about the move. Park also published other books such as Ma! There’s Nothing to do Here, a picture book, as well as Don’t Make Me Smile and Operation: Dump the Chump, both novels for middle schoolers. Although funny, Park’s stories tend to touch on serious topics dealing with moving, divorce, or a death in the family. Her story Mick Harte Was Here was inspired by a bike accident which happened in her neighborhood years before the book was written. She did not know the child who was killed, but the incident left an emotional impact on Park for the rest of her life. This may have affected the way she wrote her stories, sharing that even your favorite character in a story go through rough times.

Sadly, Barbara Parks passed away on November 15, 2013 at the age of 66 after a long and hard battle with ovarian cancer. She is remembered and loved by family, friends, and many fans. I will forever treasure Junie B. Jones as the books represent a part of my childhood. Barbara Park was a kid at heart and never wanted us either as she was always a child at heart. Park’s works will always be remembered for their witty comedy and serious elements.