Born on April 12, Barbara Corcoran grew up in Hamilton, Massachusetts. She graduated from Wellesley College in 1933. She wrote plays, several of which were staged.

During World War II, Ms. Corcoran worked as an electronics inspector and an aide in the cryptology department. In 1953, she earned her master’s degree from the University of Montana and taught college English.

In 1967, at the age of 56, her first children’s novel, Sam, was published by Atheneum. It was the first of more than 70 books. Many of author Barbara Corcoran's stories revolve around family break-ups, dislocation and coming of age—a reflection of her own childhood. She has written under the pseudonyms Page Dixon and Gail Hamilton. Her work includes the novels Which Witch is Which (1983), Sasha, My Friend, and Family Secrets (1992).

—Heidi Grosch