Barbara Adam

Barbara Thorndike Adam (1927-2010), grew up in the artist's community of Silvermine, Connecticut. Her father (Chuck Thorndike- see Amazon listing) was a cartoonist and art director for several large New York firms. Her mother (Kathryn Lesser Thorndike) was a fashion designer.

At the age of 12 Barbara became nationally famous as "America's Youngest Fashion Designer" for a series of children's clothes based on her drawings.

In 1945 she received a scholarship to Vassar where she majored in American Studies.

After a short marriage and the birth of her son, David, she pursued a masters degree in early childhood education and began teaching elementary school in New York City. During that time she wrote and illustrated two children's books: "The Big, Big Box" and "Who's Jenny?" both published by Doubleday.

In the 1970's she lived in San Francisco where she wrote several unpublished children's stories and continued as an elementary school teacher.

After retiring she moved to Boston where she lived until her death in 2010.