Lindsay was born in the Dominican Republic. As a child, she knew that she wanted to draw, that she needed to make marks on paper. And, if paper was not available, any blank surface would do, especially the brown paper bags from the grocery store.
George began her education at the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts from 1972-1973. She went on to earn a BFA degree from Manhattanville College in 1974. She also received an MA and an MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 1984 Barrett married William George, with whom she had two children.
Though she has been painting since she was young, she did not write her first book until after she was married. In 1987, after she and her husband had moved to Pennsylvania, she wrote and illustrated William and Boomer.
George writes and illustrates books for children that teach them about nature and the animals that can be observed therein. She has also illustrated books her late husband William wrote. George's books have been praised for their accurate view of nature, their accessibility for children, and their helpfulness in teaching classes on nature.
George's most popular books are from the "Long Pond" and "Who's Been Here?" series. In 1990 she won the Carolyn Field Award, the top prize of the Pennsylvania Library Association. The National Science Teacher's Association/Children's Book Center chose Beaver at Long Pond, Box Turtle at Long Pond, and Fishing at Long Pond as Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children. The Library of Congress chose Box Turtle at Long Pond as a Children's Book of the Year, and Fishing at Long Pond was chosen by the American Booksellers Association as a Pick of the Lists book.
The Pennsylvania Center for the Book selected George's Inside Mouse, Outside Mouse as a 2004 Baker's Dozen Best Book for Family Literacy. In 2006 the committee for the Pennsylvania One Book, Every Young Child program selected Inside Mouse, Outside Mouse to launch its initiative for connecting early book experiences with the development of reading skills.
George continues to live and write in White Mills, Pennsylvania.
Selected Reviews of Lindsay's Books
In the Garden: Who's Been Here
Lindsay Barrett George
Two children and their dog run out to the big garden behind their home to pick vegetables for dinner. But there are others, unseen, who have also helped themselves to the delicious greens and fruits growing in the garden. This lush, beautifully detailed book joins four others in the series that pique children's curiosity about the natural world. The predictable format invites questions, and the mixed-media illustrations, full of movement and color, invite discoveries. Children will pore over this book, engaged by the deer mouse, crow, hornworm, and many others who share in the garden's produce. A picture glossary at the end identifies the eight animals featured in the book and gives more information about them. A lovely addition to home or school libraries. 2006, Greenwillow/HarperCollins, $16.99. Ages 4 to 8. Reviewer: Diane Carver Sekeres, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
Pick, Pull, Snap!: Where Once a Flower Bloomed
Lola M. Schaefer
Illustrated by Lindsay Barrett George
A breeze blows pollen into a white pea flower. Inside the flower very small seeds begin to grow. The rains help the peas plump up and soon they are ready to eat. A bumblebee buzzes around the raspberry bushes, spreading pollen inside the delicate white flowers. It is the wind that pollinates the silk of the corn flowers. This same scene is played out in the orchard for peaches, and in the garden for peanuts and pumpkins. Beautifully detailed illustrations reveal a cross section of the flower while the fruit is growing. A foldout page pictures a child picking the fruit that came from the flower. With many of us so far from the farmers' fields and few families planting vegetable gardens, this book offers a great opportunity for children to begin to understand this important part of the life cycle of plants. An addendum informs readers that bees are not the only pollinators. Other animals spread pollen, as well as wind and water. Some plants pollinate themselves. Instructions are provided for planting each of the fruits and vegetables mentioned in the book. The lovely illustrations and die-cut pages make this a unique publication. 2003, Greenwillow Books, $15.99. Ages 5 up. Reviewer: Kristin Harris (Children's Literature).
The Secret
Lindsay Barrett George
Just as it often happens to humans, in this book a secret whispered to a friend makes its way through numerous animals and insects until it finds its way back to its originator. With a very simple, linear plot and a few words on each page, this book is made for very young children. But the intriguing illustrations, which are a combination of collage using natural objects and paintings, will make this book compelling to older students and adults, especially those interested in visual art. In passing along the gentle secret that Mr. Snail loves Mrs. Snail, all of the animals communicate in their own ways. For example, the turtle grumbles and the caterpillar tickles the secret, so preschoolers can be learning new vocabulary as they follow the story. Each page has dots showing the path of each animal to the next which makes this an excellent book for showing cause and effect or for working on sequencing skills with young children. 2005, Greenwillow Books, $15.99 and $16.89. Ages 3 to 7. Reviewer: Sheryl O'Sullivan (Children's Literature).
Lindsay's programs are designed for K-6 students. Each presentation focuses on the process involved with creating her picture books. She shares two books in each presentation, concluding with a drawing/illustration project. She will address small groups, but the maximum group size is 300. Lindsay will make 3-4 presentations on one day. Her fee for an entire day, including an evening presentation to parents and children, begins at $1500.
Travel and lodging - Travel and lodging costs must be covered by the booking organization.
To learn more about Lindsay and her publications please visit www.pabook.libraries.psu.edu/LitMap/bios/George__Lindsay_Barrett.html.
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