Sparks, Beatrice
Dates
- Existence: 1917 January 15 - 2012 May 25
Biographical History
Beatrice Sparks is an author with Ph.D. in human behavior. She is a specialist in child and adolescent psychology, and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Sparks was born to Vivian Johns and Leonard Clarence Mathews on January 15, 1917 in Goldberg, Idaho. She grew up in Logan, Utah the third of five children. She moved to Los Angeles to attend UCLA, where she met and married LaVorn G. Sparks. Their family includes four children, and several grandchildren. After attending University of California at Los Angeles and Brigham Young University she started working as an Adolescent Phycologist. She also taught continuing education courses at Brigham Young University, and wrote newspaper columns for the Malibu Monitor, the Santa Monica Outlook, and the California Intermountain News.
Her work as an author continued with publishing several books, but she was most notable for her work editing and producing novels from teenage diaries regarding the themes of adolescent drug use, depression, psychotherapy, pregnancy, witchcraft, suicide, AIDS, attitudes, interpersonal communications and intergenerational conflict. Sparks has won the American Library Association Young Adult Notable Award, the Christopher Medal, School Library Journal Best Books, and Quick Pick for Recommended Reading by the American Library Association. She has also served as a judge for the National Book Awards. In addition to her literary work, Beatrice and LaVorn served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1986-1987. They worked on development and launch of the Family to Family Book of Mormon Project.
Citation:
UPB files, October 7, 2015 (spouse name; has four children; tought continuing education courses at BYU; wrote for the Malibu Monitor, the Santa Monica Outlook, and the California Intermountain News; awards won; book themes)Herald Extra, Via WWW, October 7, 2015 (birth and death date; birth place; number of siblings; grew up in logan; attended UCLA and BYU)
Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:
Beatrice Sparks collection of fan mail, 1972-2005
Materials include letters Beatrice Sparks has recieved in response to her books. Many include personal content and stories related to the themes in Spark's books. The other letters are mostly from students responding to an author for a school asignemnt. Dates range 1972-2005.
Beatrice Sparks papers
The majority of the collection is related to Spark's work as an author. This includes biographical material, correspondence from readers and publishers, manuscripts and printer proofs, and other material Sparks collected relating to her books. There is also correspondence and information documenting the mission she and her husband served for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Dates range from 1949 to 2005.
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