By Michael McManus
National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Mac Barnett will visit the Pearland area on October 23 as part of his nationwide tour engaging readers through his initiative, “Behold, The Picture Book! Let’s Celebrate Stories We Can Feel, Hear, and See.”
Barnett will visit Alvin ISD’s Liberty Alumni Hall at Freedom Field on Oct. 23, 2025 at 6 p.m. During his visit, he will share his passion for picture books and invite children and adults alike to join him in celebrating what’s vibrant, joyful and inspiring about this quintessential – and highly participatory – American art form. Barnett will showcase the deeply impactful ways picture books blend words and illustrations, and even the turning of a page, to create a uniquely powerful reading experience. “Picture books are a beautiful, sophisticated and vibrant art form, the source of some of the most profound reading experiences in children’s (and adults’) lives,” said Barnett. “What excites me is the living, thinking, feeling kid who exists right now and needs a good story. Magic is what happens at that moment in childhood.”
The event will be free and open to the public. For more information and to reserve your spot, visit beholdthepicturebook.eventbrite.com
In partnership with the Library of Congress and Every Child a Reader, the National Ambassador is an advocate for reading across the country. Barnett, a New York Times-bestselling author of stories for children, is the ninth National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. His work has been translated into more than 30 languages and sold more than 5 million copies worldwide, while receiving many national and international awards and honors.
