First Draft Episode #351: Mac Barnett

Mac Barnett, two-time Caldecott Honor and #1 New York Times bestselling author of picture books like Extra Yarn and Sam and Dave Dig a Hole with illustrator Jon Klassen, and the Jack book series with illustrator Greg Pizzoli. Mac joins us to talk about The Great Zapfino, his new picture book with illustrator Marla Frazee (hear her First Draft interview here).

Links to Topics Mentioned In This Episode:

• In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak

• David Foster Wallace, author of Infinite Jest and A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again

• The Stinky Cheese Man by Jon Scieszka, illuistrated by Lane Smith

• Wanda Gág, author of Millions of Cats

• Margaret Wise Brown, author of Goodnight, Moon (hear Mac and other writers talk about Margaret Wise Brown and Goodnight Moon on this Remember Reading podcast episode)

• The Far Side by Gary Larson

• Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson

• Mystery Science Theater 3000

• Billy Twitter and His Blue Whale Problem by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Adam Rex

• Dinotopia, A Land Apart From Time by James Gurney

• 826LA and its Time Travel Mart

• Dave Eggers, author of The Circle, What is the What, and A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius and founder of McSweeny’s and the 826 Literary non-profit

• No Country For Old Men (movie)

• Dear Genius by Ursula Nordstrom

• Steven Malk, Mac’s literary agent with Writer’s House

• The Picture Book Manifesto

• “Picture Books No Longer a Staple for Children,” by Julie Bosman for the New York Times

• Carson Ellis, author and illustrator of bestselling picture books Home and Caldecott Honor book Du Iz Tak?, talks about her newest picture book, In the Half Room.

• The Horn Book Magazine

• Marla Frazee, two-time Caldecott Honor-winning author and illustrator of The Boss Baby, A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, All the World, and many more. She joins us to talk about the Farmer series: The Farmer and the Clown, The Farmer and the Monkey, and The Farmer and the Circus, out now. Hear her First Draft interview here.

• Jon Klassen, Caldecott Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the I Want My Hat Back series, who is back with a book he wrote and illustrated: The Rock From the Sky. Hear his First Draft interviews here and here.

• The Real Dada Mother Goose: A Treasury of Complete Nonsense by Jon Sciezka and illustrated by Julia Rothman

• cover-reveal-the-three-billy-goats-gruff-by-mac-barnett-and-jon-klassen.html"> The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen

• The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Shawn Harris

🎙️ Enjoy this episode? Check out…

• Jon Scieszka, former National Ambassador for Children’s Literature and New York Times bestselling author best known for picture books with illustrator Lane Smith, including The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, Math Curse, and more. Hear his First Draft interview here.

• Ben Zhu. author, illustrator, and founder of Gallery Nucleus, talks about his debut picture book, Dessert Island. Hear his First Draft interview here.

• Oliver Jeffers, visual artist, climate activist, and author and/or illustrator of several New York Times bestselling picture books, including The Day the Crayons Quit, How to Catch a Star, The Fate of Fausto, and Here We Are, joins us to talk about his newest picture book, There’s a Ghost In This House. Hear his First Draft interviews here and here.

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