Jene Barr Cohen was born on July 28, 1900 in Kobrin, Russia to a Jewish family. She graduated from Chicago Normal School of Physical Education in 1920. She later studied at the University of Chicago, Chicago Teachers College, the Art Institute of Chicago, and Northwestern University. She taught in the Chicago public school system from 1925 to 1964, starting as a physical education instructor from 1925 to 1935. From 1935 to 1950, she taught in a classroom, and she worked as a teacher-librarian from 1950 to 1964.

Wilcox & Follett published her first children’s book in 1944, but Whitman put out the majority of her works, starting with Little Prarie Dog in 1949. Most of these Whitman books were for early readers, including a series about “Community Helpers,” co-written with Cynthia Chapin. Ms. Cohen also co-wrote the “Young Champions” series with Robert Antonacci for McGraw. She wrote all her books under the name Jene Barr. She also served on numerous committees devoted to children’s reading, libraries and other subjects. Ms. Cohen died in 1985.

(from http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/degrum/...)