Barbara Nagle

About the Author – Barbara Jean Nagle

Barbara Jean Nagle is a Massachusetts native whose life and work are guided by creativity, compassion, and imagination. A devoted mother of three and proud grandmother, she shares her home with many beloved pets and draws daily inspiration from animals, nature, and the joy of family life.

Barbara’s creative spirit has been present from the very beginning—she even earned the title of Miss Franklin at just two years old. Over the years, she has explored many artistic outlets. She sculpts whimsical alien creatures from clay and fires them in her kiln, paints striking dragon eyes, and often displays her work alongside her daughter at local art festivals. She is also a musician who plays piano and guitar and enjoys experimenting with instruments such as the didgeridoo and the Native American flute. In her spare time, she collects rocks and gemstones, cooks, and actively advocates for animals.

As an author, Barbara creates books that range from imaginative children’s stories to art books, cookbooks, and deeply meaningful real-life accounts. Her storytelling journey began with her first book, Duck and Spider, which she both wrote and illustrated. She has since authored a wide range of titles, including Dinner at Dragon’s House, The Flower That Wanted to Dance, The King’s Journey, The Great Cooking Contest, Build Your Own Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder, Two Hungry Bears, The Tale of Two Dragons, A Little Crumb, and Henry and Sara (written by her daughter Lisa Jean Kelly and illustrated by Destiny Jean Nagle). Her book Secret Friends was also illustrated by her daughter Destiny.

Barbara has collaborated with incarcerated artists who illustrated several of her unique works, including Dragon Art From the Dungeons Across America. She also gave voice to powerful lived experiences through her book Within The Gates of Hell: True COVID-19 Stories by Inmates.

Using her own photography and artistic vision, Barbara created additional works such as Tabitha: A True Story, The Tabitha Tree, Change the World Cookbook, Are You a Hoarder, What It Was Like When I Was Little, Dragon Eyes, Embrace the Unknown: The Journals of Stardragon, The Dream Spider, Stardragon’s Tasty Morsels, and the art collection Zoe: Retrospective.

Inspired by her father’s imaginative animal adventure stories during her childhood, Barbara developed a lifelong love for storytelling that she later shared with her own children—and now with readers everywhere. She continues to write and create new works, always guided by her belief in kindness, creativity, and the power of imagination to bring people together.

All of Barbara Jean Nagle’s books are available on Amazon.