Barbara Jean Santucci (born April 11, 1947, in
Chicago,
Illinois) is an American
artist
An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, th ...
,
and
author of several children's books.
Santucci is best known as a children's book author and traveling lecturer. Her stories and lectures deal with the struggle of children to adapt to an adult world.
Biography
Santucci was born and raised in Chicago. She attended university at
Rockford College Rockford or Rockfords may refer to:
Places United States
* Rockford, Illinois, a city, the largest municipality of this name
*Rockford, Alabama, a town
* Rockford, Idaho, a census-designated place
* Rockford metropolitan area, Illinois, a United St ...
. As a young adult, she was concerned with helping others, first pursuing a career in
nursing, then working as a
teacher and
librarian.
In the 1980s, Santucci left teaching to focus on her own children. During this time, she developed a love for children's literature that inspired her to write. As her children reached adulthood and left home, she began writing and creating art. Her style stresses creativity, borrowing everyday objects to create colorful patterns, heavily inspired by nature.
In 2001, Santucci published her first book, ''Loon Summer'', in which a young girl strives to deal with her parents'
divorce. The book is a meditative work, exploring the complex nature of relationships and the continuing ability to grow. ''Loon Summer'' was followed by ''Anna's Corn'' and ''Abby's Chairs'', both of which focus on the ability of children to adapt to change.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Santucci, Barbara
American women writers
1947 births
Living people
Rockford University alumni
21st-century American women