Looking at Picture Books

Looking at Picture Books

Home
Book Recommendations
Deep Dives
Picture Book Craft
Archive
About
Where the Wild Things Are
Jon and Mac consider: annoying Sendak quotes, Mac's high-school bully, gutter talk, a photo of Maurice looking good in a white tee, ambiguity…
 • Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
Goodnight Moon
Jon and Mac consider: the plight of the picture book author, wildlife trafficking, tangenting, disappearing socks, death, life, and mush
 • Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
Jon's Eyes
(The ones he draws. Settle down.)
 • Jon Klassen
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Jon and Mac consider: worms, the generative tension between tidiness and chaos, why we feel affection for this caterpillar, brightness, science vs…
 • Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
Six Board Books
The snow melts.
 • Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
The Making of Rumpelstiltskin
Carson Ellis joins us! Mac sings! Like, you can listen to him singing.
 • Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
Millions of Cats
Jon and Mac consider: a breakthrough in book design, rivers of cat blood, children's stories about old people who love each other, and whether Wanda Gág…
 • Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
Three Really Great Moments in a Book
"All Kings can jump like this."
 • Jon Klassen
Frog and Toad
Jon and Mac consider: cookie memes, are Frog and Toad picture books?, mismatched best friends, font talk, "Tossed Salad and Scrambled Eggs," resting…
 • Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
Go, Dog. Go!
Jon & Mac consider: a big dog party in a tree, teaching kids to read, surrealism, the "jerk bucket," a little party in a field in Canada, the hidden…
 • Jon Klassen and Mac Barnett
Dipping into the Darkside
Darkness in children's literature
 • Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
Rhythm in Picture Books
What is it? How do you get it?
 • Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen
© 2026 Jon Klassen & Mac Barnett · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture