Barbara Walsh

Author & Journalist

A Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, Barbara Walsh has worked for newspapers and magazines in Florida, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Ireland. Her book, Sammy in the Sky, is illustrated by painter Jamie Wyeth and was inspired by her family’s first dog, Sam, a loyal and loving hound who died in 2004. Barbara is also the author of August Gale: A Father and Daughter’s Journey into the Storm, an adult biography and memoir.
 
She is working on the August Gale movie script, two more children’s books, and a creative fiction novel. A reporter for Pine Tree Watch, Barbara continues to practice journalism and tell stories that matter. A proud ‘Maineah’, she relishes living in the ‘Pine Tree State’ with her family and Paco, a silly and sweet rescue dog from Puerto Rico. When she’s not writing or taking long walks with her hound, she can be found by the water, seeking solace in the blue green waves.

AUGUST GALE

”Mythic heroism…a celebration of traditional family values and reconciliation.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“A master storyteller…Walsh crafts an absorbing story…created by the human heart.”
—New Maine Times

“A gripping family saga in which Walsh connects the dots between a long-ago storm at sea and her grandfather’s abandonment of her father. A powerful account of a tragedy at sea and of a family’s heartwarming quest to heal. It is an unforgettable book.”
—Portland Press Herald

“Walsh’s quest to redeem and understand her grandfather is a powerful story that will resonate with fathers, daughters and sons. August Gale is a haunting journey that readers will long remember.”
—Kate Braestrup

SAMMY IN THE SKY

”As a model of good mourning, it’s a fruitful resource; as an account of loss, it goes to the pit of the stomach.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Sensitive, graceful text…a warm, emotional tale, replete with comfort and acceptance.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“A truly lovely book, both in its writing and illustrations, about the love between a little girl and the ‘best hound dog in the world.’ This is a rare achievement in a children’s book.”
—Bark