A Friend to All Books
Author Mac Barnett is the 2025–2026 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.
© Chris Black, courtesy of the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Mac Barnett
Mac Barnett is a huge fan of picture books.
“Picture books are a beautiful, sophisticated, and vibrant art form,” Barnett says. “The joy of sharing picture books with kids is why I started writing children’s books in the first place.”
Now a best-selling author of dozens of children’s books, Barnett has the perfect opportunity to share what he loves. He’s just been named the 2025–2026 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Barnett is the ninth author to be named ambassador. Like the authors before him, he’ll use this position to help get kids excited about books.
“It’s [an] honor to serve as ambassador. When I got the news, I was speechless, which is unusual for me,” Barnett said, after the announcement was made. “Now I feel energized to proclaim the many glories of children’s literature, with a particular focus on a unique and marvelous way of telling stories: the children’s picture book.”
As ambassador, Barnett plans to highlight the way a picture book uses illustrations to tell a story. The illustrations aren’t just beautiful. They help move the story along, as much as the words do.
Used by permission of Candlewick Press; Photo Composite Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Mac Barnett isn’t just a fan of picture books. He has written several of them!
Barnett’s own picture books include Extra Yarn, A Polar Bear in the Snow, and Sam & Dave Dig a Hole. (Barnett writes the words while an illustrator draws the pictures.) Barnett is also the author of the Mac B., Kid Spy series of novels and the First Cat in Space graphic novels.
“[As ambassador] I am, of course, excited to talk to young readers,” Barnett said. “But I’m also eager to speak to adults—who often underestimate or overlook children’s literature—to champion the power of picture books and the brilliance of the kids who read them.”
