Current Ambassador

Barnett is the author of more than 60 books for children, including “Twenty Questions,” “Sam & Dave Dig a Hole,” “A Polar Bear in the Snow” and “Extra Yarn,” as well as the popular “Mac B., Kid Spy” series of novels, “The First Cat in Space” graphic novels and “The Shapes Trilogy” picture books.

During his two-year term as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Barnett will celebrate the children’s picture book through his platform, Behold, The Picture Book! Let’s Celebrate Stories We Can Feel, Hear, and See.

See all of Mac’s new and backlist books

See photos from Mac’s 2025 events

See his 2026 tour schedule (coming soon!)

Read more about Mac’s campaign to get adults interested in picture books

About Mac Barnett

Mac Barnett is a New York Times-bestselling author of stories for children. His work has been translated into more than 30 languages and sold more than 5 million copies worldwide. Barnett’s books have won many prizes, including two Caldecott Honors, three New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Awards, three E.B. White Read Aloud Awards, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Germany’s Jugendliteraturpreis, China’s Chen Bochui International Children’s Literature Award, The Netherlands’ Silver Griffel, and Italy’s Premio Orbil. He is the co-creator, with Jon Klassen, of “Shape Island,” a stop-motion animated series on Apple TV+, based on their best-selling Shapes series of picture books. Barnett lives in Oakland, California.

2025-2026 Selection Committee

The National Ambassador is selected for his or her contributions to young people’s literature, the ability to relate to kids and teens, and dedication to fostering children’s literacy in all forms. The selection, made by the Librarian of Congress, is based on recommendations from an independent committee comprising educators, librarians, booksellers, and children’s literature experts.

The 2025-2026 selection committee for the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature:

Calvin Crosby, co-owner of The King’s English Bookshop and executive director of Brain Food Books.
Joanna Ho, bestselling author, former English teacher, high school vice principal, and designer of an alternative-to-prison program.
Michell Wright Jumpp, 2021 New York Library Association’s School Librarian of the Year and the school library media specialist at Horizons-on-the-Hudson in Newburgh, New York.
Daisy Martin, 2023 Idaho Human Rights Educator of the Year and former English teacher at Sage Valley Middle School in Nampa, Idaho.
Meg Medina, 2023-2024 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature and bestselling author.
Ellen Myrick, president of Publisher Spotlight and founder of Myrick Marketing & Media.
Jennie Pu, director of the Hoboken Public Library in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Manuela Soares, director of the M.S. in Publishing program at Pace University and director of Pace University Press.
Rocco Staino, director of the Empire State Center for the Book and host of “StoryMakers” and “KidLitTV.”

Read more about Every Child a Reader’s other national literacy campaigns
Checkout the list of donors to Every Child a Reader, this 501c3 award-winning charity.