Barbara Barbieri McGrath (1953–) Biography

Born 1953, in Wellesley, MA; Education: Laseil College, B.A. Religion: Roman Catholic. Hobbies and other interests: Surfcasting, SCUBA diving, collecting "sea-pottery."

Career

Writer. Also worked as preschool teacher.

Member

Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

Honors Awards

Teachers' Choice Award, 1994, and Pick of the List citation, American Bookseller's Association, both for The M&M's Brand Chocolate Candies Counting Book.

Writings

The M&M's Brand Chocolate Candies Counting Book, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 1994.

More M&M Math, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.

The Cheerios Counting Book, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.

Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Counting Board Book, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.

Hershey's Kisses: Counting Board Book, Corp Board Books, 1998.

The Baseball Counting Book, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.

The Cheerios Counting Book: 1, 2, 3 (board book), illustrated by Frank Mazolla, Cartwheel Books, 2000.

Skittles Riddles Math, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2000.

The M&M's Brand Valentine Book, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2000.

Necco Sweethearts Be My Valentine Book, HarperFestival (New York, NY), 2000.

Kellogg's Froot Loops! Counting Fun Book, Mariposa, 2000.

Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Counting Fun Book, HarperFestival (New York, NY), 2000.

The M&M's Brand Halloween Treat Book, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2000.

The M&M's Brand Christmas Gift Book, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2000.

Kellogg's Froot Loops Color Fun Book, HarperFestival (New York, NY), 2001.

The M&M's Brand Birthday Book, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2001.

The M&M's Brand Easter Egg Hunt, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2001

The M&M's Brand Color Pattern Book, illustrated by Roger Glass, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2002.

The M&M's Brand All-American Parade Book, illustrated by Peggy Tagel, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2003.

I Love Words, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2003.

The M&M's Count-to-One Hundred Book, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2003.

(With Peter Alderman) Soccer Counts!, illustrated by Paul Estrada, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2003.

The M&M's Brand Addition Book, Charlesbridge (Water-town, MA), 2004.

M&M's Count around the Circle, Charlesbridge (Water-town, MA), 2004.

The Little Green Witch, illustrated by Martha Alexander, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2005.

The M&M's Brand Subtraction Book, Charlesbridge (Watertown, MA), 2005.

Contributor to local newspapers.

Some of McGrath's titles have been published in bilingual English/Spanish editions.

Sidelights

Barbara Barbieri McGrath studied early education in college, and her books reflect both her sense of fun and her desire to help young learners grasp concepts such as counting, addition, subtraction, and colors. The M&M's Brand Chocolate Candies Counting Book was considered such a valuable addition to educational titles that it was selected for a Teacher's Choice Award. Incorporating popular candies and cereals into their text, McGrath's books endeavor to make learning math skills fun for young readers.

Though McGrath started her counting books using M&M's chocolate candies, her books incorporate diminutive delicacies such as Cheerios, Goldfish crackers, and Froot Loops as well. Of The Cheerios Counting Book, Hazel Rochman noted in Booklist that, "As young preschoolers munch and play and tally, they will find a delicious world they recognize in a book."

Other math titles created by McGrath use sports as their topic. In The Baseball Counting Book she incorporates rhyme and rhythm as well as baseball themes to teach numbers one through twenty. "The book is null of counting opportunities and is a springboard for many other learning experiences," wrote AnneMarie Hornyak in Teaching Children Mathematics. With Peter Alderman, McGrath wrote Soccer Counts!, a book that teaches counting drills and the history of soccer at the same time. "This soccer-centered counting book is sure to be a winner with fans young and old," assured a Kirkus Reviews contributor. Noting that the reading level may be too easy for many beginning soccer players, Blair Christolon explained in School Library Journal that English-as-a-second-language "students may be the best audience for this mixture." However, Sarah Olague, writing in Teaching Children Mathematics, thought that "both teachers and their students will learn a lot about soccer from this book."

Aside from her books on counting and mathematics, McGrath has penned a book on phonics, I Love Words, and a picture book telling the story of "The Little Red Hen" with a new cast of characters. In The Little Green Witch the witch of the title wants her friends to help her make a pumpkin pie, but the ghost, the bat, and the gremlin are all too busy to help. Though the story follows the traditional tale of the little red hen, right up to the witch's refusal to share the results of her hard work, it has an additional twist at the end, "one that will make readers laugh out loud," promised Susan Weitz in School Library Journal.

McGrath once told SATA: "I taught preschool for sixteen years while writing public-interest articles for local newspapers. Then I focused on making learning fun—using a 'fun' subject to make the lesson memorable. I use brand-name products to teach hands-on lessons."