Gillispie School was thrilled to welcome Mac Barnett, New York Times best-selling and award-winning author of children’s literature, this week. His books have been translated into more than 30 languages, sold over 5 million copies worldwide, and continue to be favorites among young readers everywhere. Recently nominated as the ninth U.S. National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature by the Library of Congress and Every Child a Reader, Mac brought his warmth, humor, and love of storytelling to our campus.
Students in Grades K–2 enjoyed lively readings of The Three Billy Goats Gruff and an exclusive peek at his unpublished adaptation of the book Rumpelstiltskin. Older students in Grades 3–6 laughed along with excerpts from The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza and The Terrible Two. In addition, Grade 4 had a writing workshop where they brainstormed genres and began developing their own stories by combining two genres.
The day ended with Gillispie students and their families lining up excitedly to meet Mac Barnett in person, get books signed, and take photos with one of their favorite authors.
A huge thank-you goes to our librarian, Ms. Long, whose planning—beginning all the way back in 2024—made this special event possible.
During his presentation, Mac told our students:
"Some authors don't want to share their secrets with kids because they're worried that they'll grow up one day and write even better books than they did. Well, I already know that you're going to do this... so I'm going to share my super secret with you."
Moments like this remind us of the power of author visits. They show our students that their stories matter and inspire them to see themselves as future writers and storytellers.
Our heartfelt thanks to Mac Barnett for sharing his talent and inspiration with us.
