T. A. (Tom) BARRON grew up in Colorado, attended Princeton University, then traveled widely as a Rhodes Scholar. Though he’d long dreamed of becoming a writer, his first novel was overwhelmingly rejected by publishers. He joined a private equity business in New York and eventually became president and chief operating officer. Despite being very busy, he continued to rise every day before dawn to write at the kitchen table. Determined to try again to be a storyteller, he surprised his business partners in 1990 and moved back to Colorado with his wife Currie to pursue writing and conservation.
Today, he is the award-winning author of more than 30 highly acclaimed books with environmental themes, many of which are international bestsellers. He has won the de Grummond Medallion for lifetime contribution to literature for children and young adults, the Nautilus Award for books that inspire a better world, and many other awards. His books include The Merlin Saga (now being developed into a feature film by Disney), The Great Tree of Avalon (a New York Times bestselling series), The Ancient One (the tale of a brave girl and a magical tree), and The Hero’s Trail (nonfiction stories about courageous kids). Jane Goodall has called his newest title, Naming Nature, “a glorious celebration of nature’s beauty, a love poem to language, and a heartfelt plea to save the environment for all living creatures.”
In addition to writing and speaking and doing his podcast, Magic & Mountains, T. A. Barron has helped to create several programs to support young leaders around the world, including the Patagonia program for Rhodes Scholars, the Boundless conservation fellowships at World Wildlife Fund, and the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. He recently produced a documentary film, Dream Big, profiling seven inspiring winners of the Barron Prize. He serves on many environmental and educational boards, including Princeton University, where he helped to create the High Meadows Environmental Institute, and The Wilderness Society, which recently honored him with its highest award for conservation work. Most of all, he loves hiking, camping, and skiing with his family in Colorado.
