Mac Barnett facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mac Barnett
Barnett in 2025
Born	Castro Valley, California, U.S.
Occupation	Writer
Alma mater	Pomona College
Genre	Children's books
Website
macbarnett.com

Mac Barnett is an American writer who creates amazing books for kids. He lives in Oakland, California. Mac was born in Castro Valley, California, and grew up there and in Oakland.

He went to Pomona College for his studies. Mac Barnett is known for his creative stories and fun characters.

Many of his books have won special awards. For example, his picture book Extra Yarn, with pictures by Jon Klassen, won the 2012 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. It also won the 2013 E. B. White Read Aloud Award. This book was even recognized as a Caldecott Medal Honor Book. Another book, Sam & Dave Dig a Hole, also illustrated by Jon Klassen, won a Caldecott Honor and the 2015 E.B. White Read Aloud Award.

Mac Barnett also helped create the Emmy-award winning cartoon series Shape Island for Apple TV+. This show is based on his popular "Shapes" trilogy of picture books.

In 2011, Mac wrote something called the Picture Book Proclamation. This was like a special statement about picture books. Many other children's writers signed it too.

In 2024, Mac wrote a book for adults called La Porta Segreta. It's about children's books and was published in Italian.

In February 2025, Mac Barnett became the 2025-2026 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature at the Library of Congress. This is a very important role where he helps encourage young people to read.

What Books Has Mac Barnett Written?

Mac Barnett has written many different kinds of books for young readers. He writes mystery novels, funny stories, and beautiful picture books.

Mystery Novels for Kids

Mac Barnett has written several exciting mystery series.

Brixton Brothers Mysteries

These books are published by Simon & Schuster.

• The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity (2009), with pictures by Adam Rex.
• The Ghostwriter Secret (2010), also with pictures by Adam Rex.
• It Happened on a Train (2011), with pictures by Adam Rex.
• Danger Goes Berserk (2013), with pictures by Matthew Myers.

The Terrible Two Series

Mac Barnett wrote this series with Jory John. Kevin Cornell drew the pictures.

• The Terrible Two (2015)
• The Terrible Two Get Worse (2016)
• The Terrible Two Go Wild (2018)
• The Terrible Two's Last Laugh (2019)

Mac B., Kid Spy Series

This series is about a kid spy, with illustrations by Mike Lowery.

• Mac B., Kid Spy: Mac Undercover (2018)
• Mac B., Kid Spy: The Impossible Crime (2018)
• Mac B., Kid Spy: Top-Secret Smackdown (2019)
• Mac B., Kid Spy: Mac Cracks the Code (2019)
• Mac B., Kid Spy: The Sound of Danger (2020)
• Mac B., Kid Spy: Mac Saves the World (2021)

Amazing Picture Books

Mac Barnett is very famous for his picture books. Here are some of them:

• Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem (2009), illustrated by Adam Rex.
• Guess Again! (2009), illustrated by Adam Rex.
• The Clock without a Face: a Gus Twintig mystery (2010), by Scott Teplin, Mac Barnett & Eli Horowitz.
• [[Oh No! (Or How My Science Project Destroyed the World)]] (2010), illustrated by Dan Santat.
• Mustache! (2011), illustrated by Kevin Cornell.
• Extra Yarn (2012), illustrated by Jon Klassen.
• Chloe and the Lion (2012), illustrated by Adam Rex.
• [[Oh No, Not Again! (Or How I Built a Time Machine to Save History) (Or at Least My History Grade)]] (2012), illustrated by Dan Santat.
• Count the Monkeys (2012), illustrated by Kevin Cornell.
• Battle Bunny (2013), by Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett.
• President Taft is Stuck in the Bath (2014), illustrated by Chris Van Dusen.
• Sam and Dave Dig a Hole (2014), illustrated by Jon Klassen.
• Telephone (2014), illustrated by Jen Corace.
• Rules of the House (2015), illustrated by Matthew Myers.
• The Skunk (2015), illustrated by Patrick McDonnell.
• Leo: A Ghost Story, illustrated by Christian Robinson.
• How This Book Was Made (2016), illustrated by Adam Rex.
• The Magic Word, illustrated by Elise Parsley.
• Noisy Night, illustrated by Brian Biggs.
• Triangle, illustrated by Jon Klassen.
• Square, illustrated by Jon Klassen.
• Circle, illustrated by Jon Klassen.
• Places to Be, illustrated by Renata Liwska.
• I Love You Like a Pig, illustrated by Greg Pizzoli.
• The Wolf, the Duck, and the Mouse, illustrated by Jon Klassen.
• A Polar Bear in the Snow, illustrated by Shawn Harris.
• What Is Love?, illustrated by Carson Ellis.
• John's Turn, illustrated by Kate Berube.
• The Great Zapfino, illustrated by Marla Frazee.
• The Three Billy Goats Gruff, illustrated by Jon Klassen.
• Twenty Questions, illustrated by Christian Robinson.
• How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney, illustrated by Jon Klassen.

Graphic Novels

Mac Barnett has also written graphic novels, which are like comic books but longer.

• The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza (2022)
• The First Cat in Space and the Soup of Doom (2023)
• The First Cat in Space and the Wrath of the Paperclip (2024)

Short Stories

• "Best of Friends" in Funny Business (2010), edited by Jon Scieszka.

Awards and Honors

Mac Barnett's books have received many awards:

• 2013: Won the E. B. White Read Aloud Award.
• 2013: Received a Caldecott Medal Honor.
• 2015: Won the E.B. White Read Aloud Award again.
• 2015: Received another Caldecott Medal Honor.
• 2015: Won the Irma Black Award.
• 2018: Won the E.B. White Read Aloud Award for a third time.
• 2020: Won the Picture Book Category of the German Youth Literature Awards. This was for the German edition of his "Triangle", "Square", and "Circle" trilogy.