Annie Barrows

Annie Barrows, was born in San Diego, California, in 1962. Shortly after her birth, her family moved to San Anselmo, a small town in Northern California, where she grew up. An American author best known for her work in children’s and young adult novels. She began her career as a writer in journalism and soon transitioned to writing for children and adults. She is known for her ability to blend humour, historical insight, and emotional depth in her stories.

Barrows often collaborates with other writers and illustrators, and she is particularly famous for co-authoring the “Ivy + Bean”, a beloved children’s chapter book series illustrated by Sophie Blackall, following the adventures of two very different girls who become best friends. In addition to children’s books, she has written novels for adults, including “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society”, co-written with Mary Ann Shaffer. This historical novel is set in post-WWII Guernsey, became an international bestseller and was adapted into a feature film. She has also written the Magic Half series, middle-grade novels blending history and fantasy, appealing to children and young teens and other standalone novels and picture books, often exploring themes of friendship, family, and resilience.

Her writing is celebrated for being heart-warming, witty, and accessible, appealing to both younger readers and adults. She often emphasises strong, relatable female characters and friendships in her children’s books and combines historical settings with humour and poignant observations about human nature in adult fiction. While she hasn’t won major literary awards, her books have been widely praised and remain staples in school libraries and children’s literature programmes.