Bob Barton was born in Ontario. After years of teaching elementary school, he eventually began teaching in secondary. He later became an Education Officer and an Arts Coordinator with the Ontario Ministry of Education. He has been a teaching master at teachers’ college, a visiting author in the schools, a performer and a storyteller. Over the years he has published many children’s books, including The Bear Says North (2003) and Poetry Goes to School (2004). Barton has worked professionally as a storyteller for over thirty years, sharing his stories across Canada, the United States, and England. He is the recipient of many literacy and arts awards. Today he still sits on several boards which help promote literacy, but he doesn’t neglect his hobbies of cooking, reading, and gardening. Barton has two grown children and lives with his wife in Toronto.