Bob Barton was born in Ontario. After years of teaching elementary school, he eventually began teaching in secondary school. He rose quickly through the ranks, becoming 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 in schools, churches, and theatres across Canada, the United States, and England. He is the recipient of many literacy and arts awards. Today he still sits on several boards that help promote literacy.