Top-selling children’s book author Mac Barnett, the Library of Congress Ambassador for Children’s Literature, is visiting Concord schools Monday and Tuesday on a national tour.
Concord is one of five places Barnett chose for his national tour to share his passion for picture books, after Ox Bow Elementary librarian Sarah Hooley applied. He was scheduled to spend Monday with that school’s students and Tuesday he’ll do a 6 p.m. event for the public at Concord Junior High.
Barnett sees the picture book as one of our great literary forms but he says we often overlook it, partly because we underestimate children and we don’t think they’re capable of appreciating great art. He’s always found the opposite to be true.
“They’re great at noticing things," Barnett says. "Their senses are so much keener and they tell the truth, right? Famously. Bluntly. They want answers and they’ll tell you what they think. What I just described, that’s a great reader of fiction too. That is a great audience for art. And of course these are the very earliest books that kids read.”
Barnett says studies have shown a huge drop in the number of kids who say they read for pleasure. He sees introducing them to high-quality picture books as critical.
”And I think that’s where we come in as authors," Barnett says. "That’s the work that we can do to address this, and as adults who read books to kids. We have to give them vivid, beautiful, exciting, funny, sad books that they love.”
Tuesday evening Barnett will read three books, discuss them and take audience questions. The Elkhart Public Library, who’s hosting the free event at the junior high, asks you to RSVP in advance on their website.
