Mac Barnett Named New National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature
Ambassadorship Will Celebrate the Power of the Picture Book Art Form
Proposals Now Accepted for National Ambassador Tour Appearances
The Library of Congress and Every Child a Reader today announced the appointment of Mac Barnett as the 2025-2026 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Barnett is the ninth author to hold this position. He succeeds Meg Medina, who served as the National Ambassador from 2023 through 2024.
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.
Barnett began working with children as a high school and college student, and these early experiences inspired a dream of writing for them. Now an accomplished author, Barnett is known for his deep respect for children – for their intelligence, their emotional acumen, and their time and attention. Barnett has won numerous prizes, including two Caldecott Honors, three New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Awards, three E.B. White Read Aloud Awards, and an International Children’s Literature Award, among others.
“It’s a profound honor to serve as ambassador. When I got the news, I was speechless, which is unusual for me,” said Barnett. “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.”
“Picture books are a beautiful, sophisticated and vibrant art form, the source of some of the most profound reading experiences in children’s (and adults’) lives. I am, of course, excited to talk to young readers. The joy of sharing picture books with kids is why I started writing children’s books in the first place,” 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.”
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.
“I’m excited for Mac Barnett’s tenure as the National Ambassador,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. “The way he elevates the picture book with originality and intentionality, making space for young readers to embrace the unknown, is magical. I often mention the joy of seeing myself for the first time in ‘Bright April’ by Marguerite De Angeli, a book about a young African American girl celebrating her 10th birthday. I look forward to the many joyous ways Mac will use picture books to inspire connections within our communities.”
“We couldn’t be more pleased with the selection of Mac Barnett as the next ambassador,” said Shaina Birkhead, associate executive director of Every Child a Reader and the Children’s Book Council. “Who better to champion picture books in this national role than someone who has been doing just that their entire career. Mac’s enthusiasm and passion for storytelling through picture books will make everyone stand up and take notice of this exceptional art form.”
Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden will inaugurate Barnett as the new National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 10:30 a.m. Meg Medina, the 2023-2024 National Ambassador, and local school groups will be in attendance. The event will be streamed live on the Library’s YouTube page.
The public is invited to meet Barnett in a unique “Storytime for Grown Ups” event featuring author illustrators Cece Bell and Raúl the Third, and 2008-2009 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Jon Scieszka on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the Thomas Jefferson Building. Barnett and his award-winning guests invite adults to spend an evening sharing and discussing picture books. This event is part of the Library’s signature Live! at the Library series.
Proposals for National Ambassador Tour Appearances Now Accepted
A central aspect of the National Ambassador for Young People’s tenure is visiting children and families around the country to share their platform. Proposals are now being accepted from schools, libraries and community groups to host Barnett in 2025. He is excited to share his passion for picture books with students of all ages as well as adults. The deadline for proposals is March 3.
The position of National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature was established in 2008 to raise awareness of the importance of young people’s literature for lifelong literacy, education, and the development and betterment of the lives of young people.
The selection, made by the Librarian of Congress, is based on recommendations from a diverse group of children’s literature publishing professionals, as well as an independent committee comprised of educators, librarians, booksellers and children’s literature specialists.
Members of the 2025-2026 selection committee include:
- 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.”
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.
About the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature
The National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature is an initiative of the Library of Congress, in partnership with Every Child a Reader, with generous support from The Library of Congress James Madison Council, The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation and Dollar General Literacy Foundation.
The program was established in 2008 by the Library, the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader to emphasize the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to lifelong literacy, education and the development and betterment of the lives of young people. Previous National Ambassadors include authors Jon Scieszka (2008–2009), Katherine Paterson (2010–2011), Walter Dean Myers (2012–2013), Kate DiCamillo (2014–2015), Gene Luen Yang (2016–2017), Jacqueline Woodson (2018–2019), Jason Reynolds (2020-2022) and Meg Medina (2023-2024).
About Every Child a Reader
Every Child a Reader is a 501(c)(3) award-winning literacy charity whose popular national programs include Children’s Book Week, the longest-running literacy initiative in the country, celebrating 106 years in 2025; the Kids’ Book Choice Awards, the only national book awards chosen solely by children and teens; Get Caught Reading, a classroom poster project; and the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature program, in partnership with the Library of Congress.
About the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States – and extensive materials from around the world – both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.
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Media Contacts: Deb Fiscella, Library of Congress, dfiscella@loc.gov | Rachel Kirby, Candlewick Press, rachel.kirby@walkerbooksgroup.com
Public Contact: Anya Creightney, Library of Congress, acre@loc.gov | Shaina Birkhead, Every Child A Reader, shaina.birkhead@cbcbooks.org
Media Assets: newsroom.loc.gov
