I’m honored to announce the winners of the 2026 Barron Prize. I invite you to take a moment to read through this year’s list of marvelous, accomplished young people, to visit their project sites, and learn more about them!
T. A. BARRON’S BLOG
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Looking Back on The Lost Years of Merlin on the 30th Anniversary
Thirty years ago, on September 9, 1996, a book called The Lost Years of Merlin was published.
The History of Dragons
Throughout the history of dragons, one question arises more often than almost any other: How do you describe a dragon?
How I Find Hope in Difficult Times
Hope can be a difficult thing to hold onto — especially when the world feels heavy. At times like these, I find myself returning to a question I’ve asked throughout my life: Where do we find hope?
How to Write a Nature Book: Turning Wonder into Stories
As writers, we are often eager to put words down on the page. Yet nature asks something different of us first: it asks us to pay attention.
What the Names We Give Animals Reveal About Us
Again and again, while working on Naming Nature, I was struck by how often the oldest names for animals arose from close attention — from people watching carefully, listening patiently, and naming what they observed with both precision and wonder.
Merlin the Wizard: The Boy Before the Legend
Long before I ever wrote about the wizard, I met him beneath an old oak tree.
Why I Wrote Naming Nature
This book springs from two great lifelong passions — love of nature and love of words.
Real Women Heroes Who Are Changing the World
All of Merlin’s courage and Kate’s tenacity couldn’t reach a girl who didn’t believe her own life held any power.
Before We Named Nature, We Told Its Story
Stories weren’t born in classrooms or libraries. They rose beside rivers, around fires, and under constellations bright enough to command silence.