"B" is for Byars, Betsy Cromer (b. 1928)

"B" is for Byars, Betsy Cromer (b. 1928). Writer. Byars began her writing career with magazine articles until dedicating herself to children’s literature. In 1962 her first book, Clementine, was published. It was the first of many books that she would create based upon her personal experiences. In total Byars has written more than fifty books including The Night Swimmers (1980) and Keeper of the Doves (2002). Several have been adapted for television. Among her numerous novels, she won the most critical acclaim for The Summer of the Swans (1970), the story of a young girl named Sara and her experiences with her mentally handicapped brother, Charlie. This book won many honors, including the John Newberry Medal from the American Library Association. In 1991 Betsy Cromer Byars published her autobiography The Moon and I.