Barbara Kauder was born to Jewish parents Leo and Florence (née Marshall) Kauder on March 15, 1932, in Asbury Park, New Jersey; she later had two young siblings. When Kauder was in primary school, her family moved to Somerville, New Jersey. Soon after, her father died, and her mother began improvements on the Somerville Inn, where the family lived. Kauder graduated from Somerville High School, then received a Bachelor of Arts in creative writing from Barnard College, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1954. Three years later, she earned a Master of Arts from Rutgers University.
Career
Cohen began a career as a writer during university, at which point she wrote for her stepfather's newspaper. After receiving her degree, she began teaching high school English in New Jersey. Cohen published her first picture book, The Carp in the Bathtub, in 1972, at which point she decided to focus on her writing career. School Library Journal named the book one of the year's best. Following this initial publication, she wrote more than thirty books in a range of genres, including picture books (The Carp in the Bathtub, 1972), retellings of Biblical stories (e.g., The Binding of Isaac, 1978; David, 1995), classical literature (Four Canterbury Tales, 1987), and young adult dystopias (Unicorns in the Rain, 1980).
She was recognized several times for her work, being awarded the Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Body-of-Work Award (1980), the Sydney Taylor Book Award (1981), the National Jewish Book Award for Children's Literature (1983), and the National Jewish Book Award for Children's Picture Book (1983). Her works have frequently been named among notable mentions for the Sydney Taylor Book Award. Her book Molly's Pilgrim (1983) was adapted adapted as a short film of the same name in 1985; the film won the 1985 Oscar Award for Best Short Subject.
Personal life
Kauder married Gene Cohen in 1954; the couple had three daughters. Cohen was an active member of her local synagogue and in the Jewish community.
Cohen was recognized several times for her work, including being awarded the Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Body-of-Work Award (1980). In 1991, she was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame.
Some of Cohen's books were included on lists of the year's best children's books, including The Carp in the Bathtub (by School Library Journal), The Christmas Revolution (by the Child Study Association), and Thank You, Jackie Robinson (by the Child Study Association and Library of Congress).
