▁and ▁writer ▁of ▁the ▁children ' s ▁books ; ▁The ▁Best ▁Christmas ▁Page ant ▁Ever ▁( 1 9 7 2 ) ▁and ▁ ▁The ▁Best ▁School ▁Year ▁Ever ▁( 1 9 9 4 ). ▁ ▁Biography ▁Barbara ▁Robinson ▁was ▁born ▁and ▁raised ▁in ▁Port sm outh , ▁Ohio , ▁and ▁had ▁no ▁brothers ▁or ▁sister s . ▁Her ▁father ▁died ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁three . ▁Robinson ' s ▁mother , ▁a ▁school te acher ▁in ▁Port sm outh ▁for ▁forty - n ine ▁years , ▁got ▁her ▁interest ▁in ▁books , ▁and ▁she ▁began ▁writing ▁very ▁early . ▁Robinson ▁attended ▁Al leg hen y ▁College , ▁where ▁she ▁received ▁a ▁b ach elor ' s ▁degree ▁in ▁theatre . ▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁her ▁children ' s ▁books , ▁Robinson ▁wrote ▁many ▁short ▁stories ▁in ▁publications ▁such ▁as ▁Mc Call ' s , ▁Red book ▁and ▁Lad ies ▁Home ▁Journal , ▁and ▁has ▁some ▁books ▁of ▁poetry . ▁ ▁Robinson ▁lived ▁in ▁Ber w yn , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁a ▁sub urb ▁of ▁Philadelphia . ▁She ▁died ▁July ▁ 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁at ▁her ▁home ▁in ▁Ber w yn . ▁She ▁was ▁ 8 5 ▁and ▁had ▁cancer . ▁Robinson ▁had ▁two ▁daughters ▁with ▁her ▁husband ▁John ▁F . ▁Robinson : ▁Carol yn ▁and ▁Mar jor ie ; ▁three ▁grand children : ▁Tom as , ▁Mar cos , ▁and ▁Lucas . ▁ ▁Works ▁▁ ▁Ac ross ▁from ▁Indian ▁Sh ore , ▁illustrated ▁by ▁E val ine ▁N ess ▁(