Picture book author Mac Barnett has been named the Library of Congress' new ambassador for young people's literature. He discusses what the role means when engaging kids in reading can be a struggle.

Behold, the picture book! The great and glorious literature hiding in humble places all around us: on the bottommost shelves of bookcases, in teetering stacks around kids’ bedrooms, inside plastic ...

The author of more than 60 books for young readers and 2011’s “Picture Book Manifesto” that challenged creators and their publishers to energize the category, Barnett became the 2025–2026 national ...