Every Child a Reader and the Library of Congress are currently accepting proposal submissions from schools and school libraries, public libraries, bookstores for offsite events, and other community organizations interested in hosting an official event with Mac Barnett, the 9th National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.
Please carefully review the event information and proposal requirements below before submitting a proposal via our online form (link at bottom of page).
Proposal Window for 2025 Events with the National Ambassador: February 3 to March 3
While a school visit is required, proposals do not have to be submitted by a school. We will accept proposals from any organization, bookstores, public libraries, etc. as long as they are in direct contact with the school that will host Mac.
We encourage schools to consider partnering with another location or community organization (public library, independent bookstore, PTA, etc) to offer a public event in addition to the school program.
If you plan to host both a school event and a public event, please coordinate with all partners to submit a single, unified proposal.
Please complete the form to the best of your ability with the information you have now. We will work with selected locations to finalize all details and to personalize/modify potential public-facing programming.
Proposals collected in 2025 will be considered for 2025 events only. There will be a separate opportunity to submit for 2026 events.
Mac is excited to meet with students of all ages to share the magic and art of the picture book. His school events will be tailored to age range. We encourage applications from elementary, middle, and high schools for an opportunity to host Mac.
Official Visit Components
Each proposal must support these key components:
A daytime, closed to the public program at an elementary, middle, or high school:
Ability and space for Mac to engage with the entire student body of a school in one, two, or three sessions.
This event should not be open to the general public.
Ability for school to distribute books, provided by us, to all students prior to Mac’s visit.
Ability for school to plan pre- and/or post- event projects to enhance student engagement with Mac’s platform and provide an after-event summary.
Venue with AV capabilities (screen and projector, microphone if needed).
Ability to connect with school district for support on media coverage.
We will prioritize official visits that also support these key components in addition to the school visit:
An evening or weekend public event, in one of two formats:
Adult only program for parents, caregivers, educators, and anyone else interested in learning more about the picture book as an art form and its value with young readers of all ages.
All-age program for both adults and families which will include read alouds and audience appropriate discussion of the picture book as an art form.
A daytime session with school staff to discuss the importance of the picture book in the classroom and strategies on how to incorporate reading for pleasure.
Strong ties to local media for public event coverage and interview opportunities.
A local bookseller to partner with on book sales.
We understand that not all communities have the audience, venue, or ability to support a public event (adult only, or all-age). While proposals may be submitted for a school visit only, we strongly encourage locations to consider partnering to be able to offer a public event in addition.
Public events can be held in a variety of venues (school auditorium, public library, off-site venue) and we encourage locations to consider partnering with area PTAs, parent groups, and other organizations to ensure a robust audience.
Proposal Checklist
The online submission form includes six sections:
General Information
Daytime School Event Information
Public Evening or Weekend Event Information (optional)
Event Promotion Information
Helpful Travel Information
Any Additional Information (optional)
To successfully submit, gather all information before completing the online form. Use this proposal checklist to view all required information.
About Mac Barnett and his National Ambassador Platform
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.
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. Barnett will explore the deeply impactful ways picture books blend words and illustrations to create a uniquely powerful reading experience, one that is often the foundation for a lifetime of reading. Ultimately, Barnett will assert the picture book is a quintessential American art form and deserves its rightful place among the best American literature.
9th National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, Mac Barnett!