Shirley Barber (23 June 1935 – 12 December 2023) was a British children's author and illustrator.
Born on 23 June 1935, Shirley spent her early childhood in Guernsey (Channel Islands). She had formal art school training at Sanderson's Furnishings, a textile and wallpaper studio in London.Katherine Kizilos, "Our fairy Grandmother", The Age, 18 August 2008, p. 13
Barber was a long time resident in Australia having emigrated there in 1965 and worked for a time for Oxford University Press in Melbourne, Victoria. She lived in Watsonia, a suburb of Melbourne, with her son and his family and was married twice. Her second husband Keith Barber died in 2000.
Barber wrote many picture books and fairy-themed colouring books, calendars and diaries, which have sold over 10 million copies as of 2008. Most of Barber's books featured fairies and animals. Her books were mainly set in picturesque woods. Her books were published in 18 languages.
Barber died at her home in Watsonia on 12 December 2023, at the age of 88.
Career Shirley Barber is a third-generation artist and learnt designing at Sanderson textile and wallpaper studios in London, and was awarded an "art in industry" bursary at the age of 18. During her time there, she mainly did "floral and berry nature work", which reflects her own illustrations in her books later on in life.
She later left the United Kingdom to Australia in 1965 with her family, taking on the role as an illustrator for Oxford University Press in Melbourne. Throughout her time there, she also made fairy pictures that she sold at craft markets.
Barber was 55 when she took her second rendition of "Martha B. Rabbit" to Penguin and instead was recommended to try the publisher Five Mile Press. Barber's first book "Martha B. Rabbit: the Fairies' Cook" was published by Memory Press (an imprint of Five Mile Press) in the 1980's, Barber's family still own the original first draft. Her first book received a special mention in the international Bologna Children's Book Fair picture book awards.
In 2012, she resumed her relationship with the publisher Brolly Brooks, as she first worked for them during her time at Five Mile Press. Her books have been published with them ever since, with Brolly Brooks announcing a statement to confirm the author's death at age 88 in 2023.
Works +Book TitleDate PublishedPublisherMartha B Rabbit: The Fairies Cook1988Memory PressRainbow Magic1989Five Mile PressTeddy's Midwinter Birthday Party1990Five Mile PressThe Pixies' Kettle House1990Five Mile PressTeddy's Forest Friends1990Kite Trouble1990Five Mile PressThose Wicked Rats Again1991Five Mile PressDaphne the Forgetful Duck1991Five Mile PressMartha B Rabbit and the Unexpected Guests1993Five Mile PressThe Enchanted Woods1993Five Mile PressShirley Barber's Fairy Book: An Anthology of Verse1995Five Mile PressThe Tooth Fairy1995Five Mile PressThe Mermaid Princess1995Five Mile PressTiger Tom and the Stolen Sapphires1996Five Mile PressShirley Barber's Fairy Books: Four Beautiful Board Books1996Five Mile PressThe Fairies' Party1996Five Mile PressA Book Verse1996Five Mile PressMartha B Rabbit and Friends1996A Visit to Fairyland1997Five Mile PressShirley Barber's Bedtime Stories1997Five Mile PressShirley Barber's Count With Me1998Five Mile PressThe Seventh Unicorn1998Brolly BrooksShirley Barber's Fairy Classics Library2011Five Mile PressShirley Barber's Spellbound2016Brolly BrooksThose Wicked Rats!2016Brolly BrooksA Royal Adventure2017Brolly BrooksA Fairyland Treasury2019Borghesi & Adam PublishersAll the jewels of Fairyland2024Brolly Brooks
References
External links Shirley Publisher's Site Australian Fantasy Art Goodread's Profile on Shirley Barber