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Barnett grew up in California, and graduated from Pomona College where he studied literature under the writer David Foster Wallace. He was always “obsessed” with books and knew he wanted to be a writer, but didn’t figure out what kind until he worked at a kids’ camp in Berkeley one summer. Barnett would make up stories for the kids and gained a reputation as the man with the fantastical tales. In a 2014 TED Talk, Barnett said, “My job is that I lie to children, but they’re honest lies.” Barnett was particularly influenced by The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith and Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown.
After college, Barnett worked at 826 Valencia, a non-profit tutoring center that helps kids with with their writing and homework (founded by author Dave Eggars). He later became the executive director of the SoCal branch, 826LA, where he established the Echo Park Time Travel Mart, a convenience store for time travelers.
The Picture Book Manifesto, written by Barnett and signed by 21 other picture book creators declares that “A picture book should be fresh, honest, piquant, and beautiful.”
In addition to writing books, Barnett now edits “The Goods,” a compendium of kids’ games, puzzles, comics and stories created by artists and writers for newspapers across the country, distributed by McSweeney’s publishing house. Barnett currently lives in Berkeley, California.
Learn more at Mac Barnett’s website.
When Billy Twitters refuses to change his slovenly habits, his parents bring in an immense blue whale which Billy must care for and transport everywhere. How he solves this problem makes a slightly surreal and slyly funny whale of a tale through understated humor in both text and illustration.
The author introduces himself as the author, the book’s illustrator, and the main character, Chloe, as the book opens. The conflict between author and illustrator has a significant impact on Chloe’s book adventure in this funny, sophisticated presentation. As the author and illustrator pop in and out, style of illustration and text is varied for maximum effect.
Kids will giggle as they count all the animals that have frightened the monkeys off the pages. Full of fun reader interactions and keeps readers guessing until the very last page!
Annabelle finds a box with colorful yarn from which she makes sweater for all, adding color and life to a dull landscape. The box is empty when stolen by a greedy man but is yarn-filled when it returns to Annabelle. Textured pictures and understated text on open pages tell an engaging yarn.
A father warmly and creatively answers his child’s endless questions: “Why is the ocean blue?” (“Because every night fish play sad songs and cry blue tears.”) The final question, “Why do we have to sleep?” is answered, “Because there are some things we can only see with our eyes closed.” Stylized illustrations suggest a timeless quality to a child’s curiosity and a parent’s patience.
Could the Mac B growing up in the 1980s really have been a spy before he became an author? Who gets called to England to help the Queen? Not likely, but it sure makes a good adventure. Amusing line drawings use limited color to add to the humor in the start of a new series. Fun and adventure with Mac B continue in Mac B. Kid Spy: The Impossible Crime (opens in a new window).
When a new family moves into his home and Leo the Ghost’s efforts to welcome them are misunderstood, Leo decides it is time to leave and see the world. That is how he meets Jane, a kid with a tremendous imagination and an open position for a worthy knight. That is how Leo and Jane become friends. And that is when their adventures begin. (Goodreads)
The narrator is a rule-follower; his sister Jenny is a rule breaker. When Jenny breaks a rule, her brother must break a few in order to save her from the unique and quite humorous monsters she released. The outrageous tale is told and illustrated with verve and wit.
Sam and Dave are on a mission. A mission to find something spectacular. So they dig a hole. And they keep digging. And they find … nothing. Yet the day turns out to be pretty spectacular after all. Attentive readers will be rewarded with a rare treasure in this witty story of looking for the extraordinary — and finding it in a manner you’d never expect.
In this companion to Triangle (opens in a new window), Square’s block is seen and greatly appreciated by Circle. Circle declares that Square is a genius, but is he? This second installment in Barnett’s trilogy is sure to amuse as well as confound.
When Peter’s mom asks other birds to tell him to come home for dinner, the message takes on each bird’s special interest, from sports to firefighting. The variety of birds, all simply but effectively illustrated, sits on a telephone wire in this playful riff of a familiar game.
It all starts here: The thrilling story of Steve Brixton’s first case. Our hero has a national treasure to recover, a criminal mastermind to unmask, and a social studies report due Monday – all while on the run from cops, thugs, and secret-agent librarians. (Goodreads)
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