Mac Barnett - The Best-Selling Author on the Magic of Children’s Books, Falling in Love With Fatherhood, & What It Means To Be A Man

Mac Barnett - The Best-Selling Author on the Magic of Children’s Books, Falling in Love With Fatherhood, & What It Means To Be A Man

From The MOTHER Podcast with Katie Hintz-Zambrano by Katie Hintz-Zambrano

January 15, 2026 · 1h 6m

About this episode

Mac Barnett discusses his journey as a best-selling children's author and his experiences with fatherhood.

Mac Barnett is the best-selling, award-winning author of over 60 kid-lit titles that are beloved by moms, dads, and kids alike. This includes the Shapes Trilogy (illustrated by his good friend and frequent collaborator Jon Klassen), Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, Extra Yarn, The Wolf, the Duck, and the Mouse, The First Cat in Space—and many, many more. Raised in Northern California by a single mother who encouraged a love of reading, Mac’s books have sold over 5 million copies worldwide and h...

People in this episode

Host: Katie Hintz-Zambrano

Guest: Mac Barnett

Topics covered

  • children's literature
  • fatherhood
  • parenting
  • men's roles
  • book publishing

Keywords

  • Mac Barnett
  • children's books
  • fatherhood
  • parenting
  • kid-lit
  • book sales
  • literature

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Shapes Trilogy, Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, Extra Yarn, The Wolf, the Duck, and the Mouse, The First Cat in Space

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