Meet Mac Barnett in this interview with Jon Klassen

Mac Barnett is the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature

When I saw this post today, so many viewpoints by Mac Barnett resonated with me and so I decided to share some quotes here on this blog. In this interview Jon Klassen talks to Mac Barnett just after he was officially appointed to a two-year term as the National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by the Library of Congress.

Mac Barnett: I've been thinking a lot about this term "Ambassador." (In the U.K., this position is called the "Children's Laureate.") And the previous people who've held the post (I am the ninth Ambassador) have all interpreted the word in different ways. Jason Reynolds, for instance, encouraged kids to tell their stories and become their own ambassadors. [In Australian we also have a Laureate ACLF]

Jon Klassen: Does the position strike you as one with any clear goals, or do you kind of set those goals yourself, or is that the wrong way to look at an appointment like this?

Mac Barnett: (See poster above) The title is Behold, the Picture Book! and that logo is by Christian Robinson. ... I get to spend two years celebrating young people's literature in all its many forms, but especially picture books. ... I do think that we rush kids out of picture books, and that they appeal to a much wider swath of readers than we think. You and I always get excited when middle- and high-school teachers come to our signings and talk about using picture books in the classroom. You and I also always get bummed out when a parent tells us their five-year-old has grown out of picture books and now reads real books like Harry Potter, which may seem like a weird thing to say to us at a signing, but people say a lot of weird things to us at signings.

Mac Barnett: ... picture books are underestimated. The first reason is that people don't understand how picture books work. The picture book is a unique and peculiar art form. Understandably, there isn't widespread knowledge of picture book mechanics. ... there's this thing I know to be true but which most people don't (yet!) believe — that picture books are a great literature that deserves to stand alongside the novel, the short story, poetry, plays, etc.

Here is a video where Mac Barnett talks about this new and important role. And here is a three minute interview with NPR All things considered. 

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Extra Yarn

Twenty Questions

Billy Twitters and his Blue Whale Problem

Barnett says the picture book form doesn't get the same respect as other types of books – which he finds offensive. "Because we're dismissing kids," he said. "And if we think that children's books are anything less than real literature, it's because we think kids are something less than real people. If we believe they're real people, then they deserve good art." NPR February 2025

I would also like to mention this new set of board books by Jon Klassen - I have them on my to read and to buy and to gift list:

Mannie and the Long Brave Day by Martine Murray illustrated by Sally Rippin

"Wait a minute! What's in the box?"

Mannie is going on an adventure. She's taking her favourite elephant Lilliput and her doll Strawberry Luca. And she hasn't forgotten her special box of secret things, just in case the adventure gets adventurous.

There are some lovely ideas in this gentle story which celebrates imagination, play and the relationship of a young child with their special toys. Mannie wears her ladybug dress. Her doll, named Strawberry Lane, has no clothes so Mannie wraps her in a tea towel. Mannie has a box filled with special things. She likes to pull the noses of 'people' she loves such as her friend Lilliput the elephant.

They skip down the rocky road; creep, peep through the forest; splish splash through the wild winding river; stomp stomp up the lonely hill until they reach their picnic destination. At every turn the contents of the box fit the situation perfectly but then the sky grows dark because a storm in coming. Wait a minute - what's in the box? It is a ladder. That might be an extra surprise because you can see an umbrella on the book cover. At the top of the ladder Mannie and Lilliput push away the clouds. Then it is time to return home. 

There is a bonus glitter page surprise on the final page turn.

I missed this book back in 2009. I saw the cover this week when I was researching my blog post about our new Australian Children's Laureate - Sally Rippin. Hopefully many preschools still have this book on their shelves. It was published in hardcover (2009) and paperback (2019) and tonight I did find (and purchase) a brand new copy from eBay. This book is also listed for the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge (K-2 #28985).

This is a story about childhood, imagination and friendship. It’s a magical adventure that will delight children in a very special way because it perfectly captures the essence of what it means to be a kid. With beautiful repetitive phrases throughout and exquisite illustrations to explore, the story is a joy to read to an audience and super engaging for kids. One Child Smart

The delightful soft focus illustrations and alliterative, repetitive phrases encouraging readers' participation capture the inconsequential importance to small people of their favourite possessions, and special toys. Dangers are faced and resolution comfortingly offered. A magical story that celebrates friendship, courage and the wonder of a child's imagination. BookTrust

With beautiful repetitive phrases throughout and exquisite illustrations to explore, the story is a joy to read to an audience and super engaging for kids. Mannie and the Long Brave Day will make you smile. It will make you remember your childhood. It’s like a big warm hug. Kids' Book Review

You could pair this book with this famous title - both books are about a journey of imagination, both take place over one day and both end with everyone safe and sound back in bed:

Sally Rippin Australian Children's Laureate 2024-2025

Image Source: South Sydney Herald

Begin with this seven-minute video where you can meet Sally Rippin and learn more about the Laureate and her focus:

All Kids can be Readers

My hope as Laureate is to ensure that all children can be supported to access reading 

in the way that suits them most.

Sally Rippin was born in Darwin and grew up in South-East Asia, moving country every couple of years because of her father’s work. At twelve years old, Sally’s family settled in Melbourne, where she completed her high school years before moving to China as a young adult to study traditional Chinese painting for three years.

Sally is very famous for the Billy B Brown books and Hey Jack and more recently the Polly and Buster series and School of Monsters . She has written over 100 titles.

Read about The Second Best Friend

Sally Rippin is such a talent - no wonder the Laureate foundation asked her to take this role for 2024-25. She has written a wide range of books from the very simply for our youngest children right up to Young Adult titles and a reference book for parents. AND she has also illustrated books too - her own and books by other talented Australian authors. Here some books by Sally Rippin which could be in your school or local library. I especially love her picture book Rainbirds which was a CBCA Honour book.

Board books:

Our Australian Girl:

It's 1956 . . . and Lina dreams of being a writer, but her strict Italian parents have other ideas. Now that she's won a scholarship to an expensive girls school, Lina has other troubles, too. But the Melbourne Olympic Games could be an opportunity for Lina to follow her dream of working on the school paper. Journey with Lina across all four exciting stories about a passionate girl finding a place to belong. Imaginative, kind and hard-working, Lina is an unforgettable Australian Girl.

I often mention Angel Creek a book I read more than a decade ago. Kirkus said: An intriguing and singular depiction of angels neatly wrapped up in a brief, captivating coming-of-age tale. I would love to find and re-read this:

Angel Creek

Sally Rippin contributed to many excellent junior book series such as the Solo series, Aussie Bites, and Aussie Chomps. 

Picture Books:

Gabrielle Wang was our previous Australian Children's Laureate.

Kirkus said: It’s nothing very original, but illustrations incorporating Chinese ink, linocuts and digital media in browns, oranges and greens are handsome, and each animal is named in maroon rectangles inscribed in white, looking as if they were produced with Chinese seals.

SallyRippin's first book was Speak Chinese Fang Fang! and then more followed with this delightful character. This first book won the New Illustrator or Creighton Award. 

Here are the web pages for the illustrators from books by Sally Rippin:

Chris Kennett

Stephanie Spartels 

Daniel Gray-Barnett

Lucinda Gifford

Lucia Mascuillo

Aki Fukuoka 

The ACLF’s mission is:

• to promote the value and importance of reading
• to raise the profile of books in the lives of Australian children and young adults
• to respond to identified needs and issues in the children's & youth literature national landscape
• to champion the cause of young australians' reading in a consultative, collegial and inclusive way within a cultural framework that showcases the best of Australian Literature for young people, and
• to undertake selected national projects that will promote these objects nationally.

Previous Laureates:

• Gabrielle Wang (2022–2023)
• Ursula Dubosarsky (2020–2021)
• Morris Gleitzman (2018–2019)
• Leigh Hobbs (2016–2017)
• Jackie French (2014–2015)
• Alison Lester and Boori Monty Pryor (2012–2013)

Tales of all Kinds: The World of Ursula Dubosarsky

"Writing is always an experiment." Ursula

Let's begin with the title of this new book from the team that brings our NSW children The School Magazine:

Tales of all Kinds: The world of Ursula Dubosarsky 

I like to think of this as an anthology (a book filled with tales of all kinds), just like the actual School Magazine which is a magazine anthology of stories, poems, factual text, plays and puzzles.  Our lucky Australian children, especially those in NSW, can read The School Magazine each month. It has been produced since 1916. I loved reading it when I was in Primary school! Thanks to The School Magazine for sending me a copy of this newest publication.

In 2020 The School Magazine are honoring Australian author Ursula Dubosarsky. She worked at The School Magazine (2006-2008), she is still a regular contributor AND you may know, she is also our Australian Children's Laureate 2020-2021. This book - Tales of all Kinds: The World of Ursula Dubosarsky - has been produced to celebrate and showcase Ursula's writing and yes it contains tales of all kinds!

First off, inside this new book, you will find two Word Spy columns ('Pig Latin' and ‘Spoonerisms') that were originally published as part of a series in The School Magazine, illustrated by Tohby Riddle.  Later on, somewhat different versions of the columns were published by Penguin Random House as the collections The Word Spy and The Return of the Word Spy.

In addition to the extracts from the Word Spy book, Tales of all Kinds contains six 'stories' which Ursula describes as a piece of fan fiction (The Birthday Party); a memoir (Poor Teddy!); a poem (Christmas Eve); a play (The statue who came to dinner); and a story (The Night Parrot).

The first pages also contain an interview with Ursula by her Laureate Magpie - he is such a cheeky fellow!

Image Source: Kids Book Review

As a way to organise my thoughts about Tales of all Kinds I thought I would use three headings - The Child Reader; The Teacher; and Personal reflections.

The Child Reader:

Just like the School Magazine itself, I imagine a child reading this slim volume (34 pages) will flick through and pick out a page that looks interesting. The illustrations are fabulous, showcasing famous names such as Kim Gamble (Tashi); Tohby Riddle; Andrew Joyner; and two names new to me Anna Bron and Gabriel Evans. More about Gabriel later in this post.

Or perhaps the child reader will pause at the contents and select the item that sounds interesting. I did this and I picked out Poor Teddy! More about that one in a minute. The designers of Tales of all Kinds have been clever putting Ursula's play (The statue who came to dinner) at the back because many of us flick through magazines and newspapers from back to front. I know the plays in the School Magazine are one of the most popular parts each month. My reading group, in a local school, love to read these plays. Perhaps the child reader will begin with the play - gathering five or more friends to read and perform. Which ever way the child reader approaches this slim volume he/she is sure to be rewarded with a series of delightful reading experiences.

The Teacher:

I recommend, if you are a teacher or a Teacher-Librarian you should do one of these things-

• Buy one copy to read aloud to your Primary class (Years 3-6)
• Buy a few copies for the school library
• Buy enough copies for a small literacy or writing group
• Buy extra copies to use with the whole class then you will have a low cost and very valuable resource which you can use in so many ways

Here are a set of very comprehensive teachers notes to use with Tales of all Kinds. The notes are also available as a pdf. Here are the order details. Tales of all Kinds could also be used as a starting point for an author study. Ursula has such a diverse range of books from Picture books (for all ages), easy chapter books right up to Young Adult titles.

Teachers might also like to watch a webinar from 24th March this year.  At the end of this program the interviewer asks Ursula some very pertinent questions. These could serve as a model to use when an author or illustrator visits your school.

"What do you think is the most valuable thing about a good story?"

Ursula likes to feel or see the finger print of the author. She recommends new writers need to write using their own voice.

"Why is reading by yourself so critical?"

Ursula is currently exploring art which depicts children reading alone. She says these are beautiful depictions of absorption. When we read alone Ursula explains it is a coming together in privacy and peace with the author.

Image Source: Child Reading Pierre Auguste Renoir, 1890

Image source: Study of Rachel Russell by Edwin Henry Landseer 1835

"As a writer how important is it for you to read? And how important is it for YOU to read aloud?"

She loves this question when it is asked during an author visit. You tells the kids to be a writer you need to READ. On the issue of reading aloud Ursula expects her picture books to be read aloud - like a play or a performance piece.

"What's the one thing you want people to remember about Ursula Dubosarsky as children's laureate?"

I joined the library!!


From my point of view:

You might like to begin with my previous post about Ursula which I wrote when she was announced as the 2020-21 Laureate.

Poor Teddy illustrated by Gabriel evans

I totally related to Ursula's story Poor Teddy.  I think perhaps one of the kids in my neighborhood had a koala like this except he did not have a music box inside his tummy. I adore the way he is described:

"He was made of kangaroo or maybe rabbit fur, grey and brown and white, stuffed (as I later discovered) with little bits of cork. He had nice shiny soft plastic claws and a black nose like a date and two plastic orange eyes with black pupils that stared at me in a desperate, wet, sad sort of way. Poor Teddy!"

Poor Teddy indeed. What adventures he has and what disasters! And yet he has survived. I smiled when I saw him on the webinar.

For myself, I had a small teddy bear. He also came everywhere with me including for a swim!  Here is a photo - you can see, just like the little Koala in this story, my toy friend also has such sad eyes.

Ursula calls this story a memoir. Snippets of memory are used to make a satisfying story. Ursula explains she shaped the episodes leading to a high point arranging the story elements like a collage. I held my breath when Ursula took her koala to the national park and put him in a tree. Was she planning to abandon him?  I really like the sensitive illustrations by Gabriel Evans. I now discover Gabriel is the illustrator of Roses are Blue by Sally Murphy and a book by a favourite author of mine Tor Seidler (Oh Rats!)

The Birthday Party illustrated by Tohby Riddle

The Birthday party is a short story with characters from previous books. In My father is not a Comedian (1999) and How to be a Great Detective (2004) we meet Claudie and her little sister Griselda. Ursula calls her story 'fan fiction' because she uses the same characters in different situations  Birthday parties are a rich source of ideas for a story especially for a comedy.

In this story I loved the arrival of the teacher. Griselda has invited EVERYONE to her seventh birthday. That means 129 children are in the house. It is chaos and the games Claudie and her friends have organised are not working. Then Mr Ingall (Mr Igloo) arrives and "I suppose by force of his MAGNETIC personality he got Griselda out of the bathroom and lined all the children out in the backyard in a row. Then, one by one, he showed them his glass eye ... "

Christmas Eve illustrated by Kim Gamble

How wonderful to discover Ursula owns the original painting by Kim Gamble. It is a view of Manly which is quite near the part of Sydney where I live.

I also have a personal connection with Kim Gamble.  Many years ago Kim came to my school because he illustrated Our School fete by Louise Pfanner which is based on the fetes at my former school.

Ursula wrote her poem Christmas Eve for a previous issue of The School Magazine.  Ursula loves writing poetry and she says writing poetry allows for  "glimpses of experience" like "shining stones in the water".


The Night Parrot illustrated by Anna Bron

The Night Parrot is set on New Years eve. This story was especially written for Tales of all Kinds. Ursula had an idea that she couldn't develop into a novel - hence a short story. This is a magical story of wishes, new beginnings and warm summer nights. Thea is confused when her father explains mum has had to go to hospital because they might "lose the baby."  When the Night Parrot grants her a wish, "Thea closed her eyes as she always did when she wished. She knew immediately exactly what to wish for. 'Find the baby,' she whispered. 'Please find the baby."

The Statue who came to Dinner illustrated by Andrew Joyner

When Ursula worked at The School Magazine she loved writing plays. In her webinar interview she says: "I love dialogue" "I love the comedy" She wrote a series of plays based on Ovid poetry because she says it is "delightful, strange, funny" yet educational and authentic. Here is a new book of plays by Ursula Dubosarsky which contains eleven of the plays which originally appeared in The School Magazine.

Sylvie Quick and the bouncing Baby illustrated by Andrew Joyner

This Sylvie Quick story was later turned into the book Ask Hercules Quick.

The setting for Sylvie Quick and the Bouncing baby is a big block of flats. Sylvie is a child who does odd jobs to save for something. This was Ursula's initial idea.  The name Quick (I love this) came from meeting a boy at a writers festival. How delightful to fill the apartment block with animals. Why did she include an elk? Ursula just likes the word. I would pair this story with another picture book illustrated by Andrew Joyner - The Swap by Jan Ormerod.

Later Ursula changed her story to a boy called Hercules. She has an idea of using the twelve labors of Hercules as a story framework - way to organise the 'stuff in your head' . So we might see more stories in the future featuring this character.

In the webinar Ursula says authors need to tame all their ideas. It's almost like you have to:  "Pour your brain into an ice tray and stick in the freezer so that it has some shape."

I highly recommend Tales of all Kinds: The World of Ursula Dubosarsky as an essential purchase for all Primary school libraries and classrooms.  Click this link to buy your copy today.

Ursula Dubosarsky 2020-2021 Australian Children's Laureate

Image Source Boomerang Books

2020-2021 Australian Children's Laureate - Ursula Dubosarsky

Here are all the past posts where I have talked about Ursula's books. You can see all her titles on her web site.

Honey and Bear illustrated by Ron Brooks

Jerry illustrated by Patricia Mullins

The Blue Cat

Brindabella illustrated by Andrew Joyner

Little Wars in the anthology The Great War

Leaf Stone Beetle illustrated by Gaye Chapman

Ava Adds illustrated by Annie White

Too Many elephants in this house illustrated by Andrew Joyner

The deep end illustrated by Mitch Vane

Ursula's PhD thesis is titled Post-war place and displacement in Rumer Godden's "The Doll's house" and Mary Norton's "The Borrowers". This really intrigues me because I have been a huge fan of Rumer Godden since I was a little child and the life of those tiny borrowers and their adaption of found objects to make a life under a human house continues to intrigue me.

Take a look at this interview with Ursula from 2014 by Boomerang books and another very recent one with Megan Daley.

I am so excited to report that the theme or focus for Ursula's period as our Children's books Laureate:

Read For Your Life

Here are two quotes from the Sydney Morning Herald today

"... recognising that reading often drops off after primary school and needs to be developed as a lifelong habit. "Sophisticated reading is a dying art, that's the sad possibility," she said."

"Libraries are not just sources of information, they are sources of the imagination," she said. "A library symbolises a space where you would come in and know that reading is important, and you would hope that in a school that is what they think."

Here is some information about the Australian Children's Laureate Foundation

The ACLF’s mission is to:

• to promote the value and importance of reading
• to raise the profile of books in the lives of Australian children and young adults
• to respond to identified needs and issues in the Childrens' & Youth Literature national landscape
• to champion the cause of Young Australians' reading in a consultative, collegial and inclusive way within a cultural framework that showcases the best of Australian Literature for young people
• to undertake selected national projects that will promote these objects nationally

Along with the books I mentioned above here are some picture books by Ursula that you should find in nearly all Primary school library collections:

I also love the series of Aussie Nibbles about Becky - there are six titles - my favourite to read aloud is Fairy Bread. The other titles are The Deep End, Two Gorillas, The Cubby House, The Puppet Show and The Magic Wand.

Here is a very new book by Ursula with joyous illustrations by Andrew Joyner:

Huge congratulations to Ursula Dubosarsky on her new role. I am looking forward to two wonderful years of discussion about the importance of children's books; events involving children and books; and of course advocacy for school libraries!

At the end of February the wonderful NSW School Magazine will publish a new book all about the work of Ursula Dubosarsky - Tales of all Kinds.