La porta segreta. Perché i libri per bambini sono una cosa serissima

by Mac Barnett, Carson Ellis (Illustrator), Sara Ragusa (Translator)

“I bambini sono il pubblico più intelligente, coraggioso e onesto che uno scrittore possa sperare di avere. Un bambino medio è un lettore di narrativa molto migliore di un adulto medio”.

Il primo libro “per grandi” da uno dei più importanti autori statunitensi per bambini e ragazzi: un viaggio appassionato – serissimo e ironico al tempo stesso – sul perché è fondamentale scrivere oggi per i più giovani e sulla dignità di una letteratura spesso bistrattata.

Genres: Nonfiction, Books About Books, Essays, Adult, Writing, Parenting, Audiobook

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2026

About the author

Born to non-farmers in a California farming community, Mac Barnett now lives near San Francisco. He's on the board of directors of 826LA, a nonprofit writing center for students in Los Angeles, and he founded the Echo Park Time Travel Mart, a convenience store for time travelers.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's too bad that the people who need to read this book never will, yet those who already know the importance of children's literature will read it. Not that we won't benefit from reading it, because we will, just would be nice if just once, someone would actually come to the realization it is important. Really enjoyed reading this and would recommend it!

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

[Shelby Logan-Reese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow two things:
1. Mac Barnett’s worldview is brilliant
2. He is funny as hell.

This book will vindicate any children’s bookseller or librarian or really any adult who loves young reader books. It gets to the heart of why the books I recommend to children are the books I put in their hands. They’re the ones that aren’t beating them over the head with how to become good adults, they let them lead the experience, while having the time of their life immersed in it.

His overall point that children’s books aren’t a stepping stone to writing “real books” is how every children’s author should approach their work. Kids deserve good books always. And adults should read more good kids books.

And learn a thing or two from kids books.

Quick wonderful read 🤍

A B&N and Edelweiss provided ARC.

[Colton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think my original critique may have been a little influenced by all of the faceless voices shouting out into the void - something that faceless voices are becoming more and more comfortable doing.

I'll say this about what I thought of this book:
Mac Barnett is right (about some things). The essays are well-written critiques on why children's literature should be taken seriously and his theses are understandable. I think where he went wrong is in the sentences used to back up his theses. And I think, after looking through a lot of the social media discourse, that many people who have big opinions about the book and the author haven't actually READ the book but saw someone post a quote and based their entire opinion of both the work and the writer on that one sentence (a sentence that I think is heinous, by the way).

Another thing I think:
We have a literacy problem. And I'm not just saying that because I'm an elementary school teacher who had an entire class of kids who read well-below their grade level this year or because I see students in upper elementary struggling to read decodable texts written for first graders. But we, as adults, have a literacy problem. And social media is the gasoline constantly poured on that fire. We have to do better about forming solid opinions based on criticism of the work, not the weak and lazy modern day "art" of forming a shaky opinion off of 10 words from a ~100 page book.

A final thought:
Mac Barnett is a bit of a snob when it comes to his tastes in children's literature and what he believes to be the gold standard of a well-written children's book. His sentiments are just rewrapped versions of sentiments made by elitists and academics who desire to make the art of writing (no matter for what age group or within what genre) an exclusive club where the inclusion criteria markers are forever pushed out of reach for groups who already know decentering. His waxing poetic about a golden age of children's literature (the mid-twentieth century) is without the critique of the period in its entirety. This would have offered the reader a checkpoint for their understanding that, yes, Goodnight Moon was a children's book that has done well and it was written at a time when a lot of really great children's books were being written, but decentered groups were also decentered from the publishing sphere and weren't having their stories published. So his golden age wasn't golden for many people outside of those within the demographics he finds himself in.

He had the opportunity here to make many great points to adults who are interested in the argument surrounding taking children's literature seriously. He could have talked about book banning or the ever-declining literacy rate or the capitalistic takeover of the publishing realm, but he didn't. He didn't really ask a single question and I think that's the hallmark of a good leader. Ask more questions, Mr. Barnett. Be like the child with wonder and curiosity and exploration. For every statement you make, you should ask two questions. Be more curious than you are sure.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every communication, regardless of form is a mighty act of persuasion. Storytelling, whether to children or adults is no different, and here is where the nugget of Mac Barnett's Make Believe lands.

Every story has an agenda - to teach, to inculcate, instill, ingrain concepts, ideas, fables with a moral, myths (same but at a distance) and cautionary tales full of ethical consequences. Barnett considers many of the 'stories for children' that are available (throughout the fairly recent time of written, published, available books) heavy-handed and disrespectful toward their ultimate audience. His tone leans toward contempt and impatience, with a near accusation of breach of truth-telling. When he hits that ball squarely out of the field, he begins with his real message: honor, respect, and an understanding of equality between the teller and hearer, with the story's foundation built upon the understanding that the true nature of children is they are no different than untainted adults - who were also children once upon a time. He reminds readers we all started in that very first unpersuaded perspective, the one without any other but the simplest agenda or POV - to fulfill the most basic of needs, among which are those of play, joy, and pleasure. That's where our purpose in storytelling the very young, very old, and very human should begin, says he.

Make Believe is a wonderful consideration of the most basic reasons to share stories we tell to each other - especially those told to the youngest and most open of us. Here is a plea to dispel doubt and consider the importance of how our stories are told by remembering our very own youngest, newest selves as we open our mouths, lift our pens and offer pages to those with whom we share life's space, time and experience.

*A sincere thank you to Mac Barnett, Little, Brown & Company, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #MakeBelieve #NetGalley 26|52:41h

[Lorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think going forward every single book I read will now be rated on which of one of the three aunties scale! Children and adult books.📚

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only became aware of Mac Barnett's May 2026 essay compilation Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children due to the recent controversy and where Barnett (especially regarding his role and in his capacity as the national ambassador for young people’s literature in the USA) is coming under increasing both official and unofficial fire for some of the remarks he makes in Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children and in particular for a line in which he seems to declare and to claim that the vast majority of children’s books are so-called crud, are basically pretty much useless, badly written, worthless etc. (basically stating that more than ninety-four percent of children's books supposedly are the latter).

And after having now thoroughly perused and analysed Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children, having both enjoyed as well as generally speaking being in intellectual agreement with the vast majority of Mac Barnett's included essays, with his musings and attitudes about children's literature in and of itself (that Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children is both nicely readable and also contains a lot of intellectual as well as literary merit), I equally and indeed most definitely am kind of shaking my head more than a bit (not so much at the controversy itself regarding Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children but more that Barnett did not manage to consider before publishing Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children how he making use of a "charged" word like crud regarding much of children's literature would or at least could cause uproars and especially in today's USA with its book banning happy tendencies in far too many states, and that even federally, King Donald the Orange obviously wants to pass bills to ban and censor especially children's books throughout the USA unilaterally and this even in and for those states where book banning is totally and utterly frowned upon).

For albeit I definitely do tend to think that Mac Barnett is probably being rather tongue in cheek regarding his "crud" reference in Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children (since the author from whom he gleaned this statement, since science fiction author Theodore Sturgeon in the 1950s claimed that ninety percent of science fiction is crappy, because according to him, pretty much everything is that way), well, there are two quite problematic potential issues which cannot and also should not be ignored (neither by the public nor indeed equally so by Barnett himself). For one, Mac Barnett's tone in Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children regarding the quality of children's literature in general tends to be rather arrogant, is rather dismissive (or at least it sounds this way to and for me even if this might well not be Barnett's intention). And for two, Mac Barnett is in my not all that humble opinion being rather wilfully naive regarding the actual dangers this particular line of Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children (regarding children's literature being crud) might in fact pose and might engender. Because yes and for me, when a famous and respected children's author such as Barnett (and one who is also inhabiting such an important government funded position) makes this type of universal claim (and indeed even if a bit tongue firmly in cheek), this could (and probably even would) easily be used as an "intellectual" tool and as a weapon by politicians, special interest groups, parents, librarians etc. to justify mass book banning and censorship, in particular to get rid of problematic and "controversial" topics/themes, authors etc. (and that this would of course also suddenly be deemed as totally fine and even something inherently necessary since MOST children's literature according to Mac Barnett is supposedly crappy and useless anyhow, and that it will also most likely not matter at all in this case that Barnett does not really mean this all that strongly and that his words are equally so being massively taken out of context).

Now I am glad that Mac Barnett has responded to the controversy regarding Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children and has acknowledged that his wording, that he choosing to use the insulting moniker crud, and to label (even if not being all that serious) over ninety percent of children's books as being crud is and reads as weirdly snarky and potentially hurtful (but I also still do not really think that Barnet has any idea regarding just how potentially dangerous his little bit of pointed irony and sarcasm might well be for authors, publishers, librarians and also for children, for young readers themselves). Therefore, while I would generally be rating Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children with solidly four stars, the controversy (and that Mac Barnett has albeit kind of playfully but also rather entitledly labelled over ninety percent of children's literature as lesser, as basically being cruddy), this does pretty much rub me the wrong proverbial way and also for this reason makes my rating for Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children only three stars (and that I equally so think that this is pretty generous on my part as well).

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful book. I urge all readers to pick this up. I will include a section that I found to be superb.

“The distinction between literary and commercial fiction – so rigorously policed in the adult marketplace – is much weaker in kids’ books, where the most ambitious and significant artworks can also expect to be widely read. Today in the United States, two of the bestselling picture books each week are Where the Wild Things Are, published in 1963, and Goodnight Moon, published in 1947. Both are strange and experimental literary works. This is sort of the equivalent of Ulysses and The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson being among the books most widely read by American adults, which, sadly, they are not. Where the Wild Things Are and Goodnight Moon certainly benefit from their reputation as classics. But I think it helps that they’re usually not shelved in a section labeled “Classics.” You’ll often find them face out next to picture books written by internet celebrities or starring the snowman from Disney’s Frozen. This makes Goodnight Moon not just easier to find, but also easier to approach – the label “Literature” attracts some readers but intimidates many too.”

[Allie Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puts into words why I really enjoy working in children’s books!!

[Veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I libri per bambini hanno tanta dignità e importanza tanto quanto quelli per adulti.
I bambini sono persone, come gli adulti, e i libri creati per loro meritano la stessa qualità e dedizione dell' editoria per grandi.
Che bel libro, mi ha dato un nuovo punto di vista su questo tema.

[Marta Cava]

Aquest és un llibre que hauria de llegir tothom que menysprea la literatura infantil o els qui creuen que els llibres per als menuts han de ser eines didàctiques per ensenyar. Malauradament, només el llegirem les persones que valorem i sabem què ha de ser la literatura infantil

[Amy Dickinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This articulated so many of my thoughts about the importance of books for children, and it did so in a way that is both funny and well informed. This is a treasure and so many of the words he shares here validated me and empowered me in how I will relate to and read with children. Loved it so much.

Thanks to Hachette and Edelweiss for the ARC!

[Ben Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

When we dismiss children's books, what were really doing is failing to recognize the potential of children. It's a literary crime of a much greater magnitude. If you don't think children's books are real books, on some level you don't think children are real people.

I think I may give this book as a gift a lot.

[Katy O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a longtime school librarian, I loved every word of this book. And the detailed analysis of Goodnight Moon? YES PLEASE!

[Bart Moeyaert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruim een meter van mijn boekenkast is voorbehouden aan ideeën van schrijvers. Ik tik mezelf graag op de vingers en stuur mijn visie dan bij.
Naar dit boek keek ik al een tijdje uit. Teleurgesteld was ik niet, want Mac Barnett gaf me een paar inzichten, maar hij wist me ook te schokken.
Hij schrijft dat 94,7% van de kinderliteratuur ‘crud’ is. Rommel, dus. Barnett kadert het binnen zijn exposé, maar het cijfer is extreem, en hij doet er de kinderliteratuur mee tekort. Ik denk: auw.

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Now we’ve come to the main reason for our low esteem for children’s books: our low esteem for children. We don’t recognize children’s books as a real art form because we don’t think children are capable of understanding art. The ideal of the connoisseur, dominant in the West since the Renaissance, tells us that an appreciation of literature is cultivated after many years of careful study. And our bias as adults convinces us of our superiority to children in almost every way. Sure, we all agree that children are precious. Oh, we love kids! But ours is a culture that dotes on children without affording them meaningful respect.”

A passionate, funny plea for better children’s literature, from a talented author eager to defend his audience from the incursions of well-meaning but overbearing adults. It’s laughable to me that he generated a “controversy” by declaring that 96% of kid lit today is trash, something which seems plainly true to me, as I consider the vast differences between reading A.A. Milne aloud to my children and the passages of Dog Man and other garbage like it that they haul home. Kids deserve better books! Thankful for Mac Barnett for saying so in such a compelling manner.

[Ceanray · Rating 4 out of 5]

“children’s books are books that are for children”

seems obvious, and yet I didn’t realize how many children’s books (mainly in picture books, imo) are weirdly didactic, preachy, or just straight up bad until I started interacting with them on a regular basis as an adult.

I adored this book, and largely agreed with it except Barnett’s romanticism about the ‘40s-70s era of children’s publishing. While there are indeed many classics from that era, kids of all races and backgrounds deserve to see themselves represented in truly excellent stories.

The controversy over the 94.7% comment was stupid and ironically taken out of context. Perhaps reinforcing the point that adult literacy matters too!

[John Caleb Grenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, the criticism out there of this book is kind of embarrassingly unfounded? Even more than I expected. This book is timely, pertinent, and I’d say even 75-80% of the jokes land 😂. Packs a lot into a long-essay-length book, a strong manifesto of sorts for how we as adults should be invested in children’s literature, somehow, by not really even being all that preachy or didactic about it. He just presents information and speaks his mind, and I truly hate to see the adulthood-crushed whimsykillers out there trying to make anything wrong with this book. It’s lovely and important.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do I like Mac Barnett's children's books - 100%
Am I upset about the 94% crud remark - no, I read it for what it's worth and agree a LOT of what you'll find at the big box book stores is crud. We read a lot of books, we buy a lot of books, I've noticed a big increase in what is available at our big box store and I've walked out often without purchasing anything.
Now, if I go to our small, local book store they are much better at bringing quality books into the hands of readers.
I still found this book to be very pretentious and somewhat off putting.

[Pari · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Since the invention of the printing press, children's books have been a battleground between those who want to tell kids what to do and those who want to tell them stories.”

The children want to be entertained and to be treated with respect, they don’t want to be pandered to and have lessons shoved down their throats! They deserve to experience real art, to play, to be treated with dignity, and to arrive at meaning on their own terms:)

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this! I listened to the audiobook version and was barely halfway through when I ordered myself a physical copy because I knew I’d want to spend more time with it. Such a beautiful, thoughtful, and funny book about what makes great children’s books and why adults should put more effort and care into creating truly wonderful ones for kids.

There is SO much didactic stuff in children’s books these days. My son never gravitates towards books with a message, he just loves books about things he loves, like trains and trucks, or good stories that are fun to read. I sometimes get annoyed by really preachy kids’ books that are forcing a message on you, so I definitely agreed with Mac Barnett’s take on kids’ books needing to be more experimental, flexible, and weird and focus less on teaching children. Some of our favorites have no message at all! Like Atticus Catticus by Sarah Maizes, or Oh No, George! by Chris Haughton. They’re just really fun to read, and funny too!

I was frustrated and annoyed by the discourse that sprang up online this week surrounding his “94% crud” comment in the book. It seems like people took it VERY personally and are projecting their own issues onto it. When you read it in context he’s clearly 1) being funny and doesn’t mean it literally and 2) pushing the genre, and adults, to do better for kids who deserve stories that delight and move them. He’s not saying we don’t need diverse books or that only white dudes should be published. Plus there’s so much terrible AI-generated slop going into self-published children’s books now, it’s genuinely upsetting 😩

Anyways! This was a lovely, thought provoking book. Read it for yourself and see what you think. He definitely made me see Goodnight Moon differently. I may never look at a children’s book the same way again.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

[Paula]

Let me start by acknowledging that this book was not written for me. I am a children's literature professional - a buyer, a librarian, a reviewer, a bookseller, and an author. This book was written for the lay reader, and apparently, according to the author's note, the lay reader in Italy. Ok. So it is natural that the author would cultivate a tone of authority. If I were reading a book about real estate law (and I would likely only ever read one and only one), I would want the author to be the biggest expert on real estate law ever. And also to write in a lively, conversational tone, which Mac masters and which would be an unexpected delight in any book about real estate law.

However - and obviously there's a however here - you can do that while acknowledging other viewpoints. Acknowledging your personal position as a successful, white, young, celebrated, cisgendered dude and admitting that your point of view has been shaped by that - doesn't surrender your authorial authority.

Because that's my beef here. Everyone I know has beef with this book, mostly because Mac, who I've known for almost his whole book-writin career, makes a glib, over-clever statement about his suspicion that an overwhelming percentage of children's literature is "crud." Honestly, that statement should have been challenged by an editor. Any editor. Or one of the fellow white creators whom he thanks in the author's note and who presumably read at least pieces of the manuscript.

But my irritation with Make Believe is that, despite having a near-encyclopedic knowledge of children's literature and its history, Mac wrote this book as more show-off than show. Mentions of other authors who have thought deeply about the role of children's literature are thin on the ground. E.B. White and his fight with NYPL librarian Anne Carroll Moore gets a mention, but although there's a lot about what a drag stories with morals are, I didn't see any mention of Maurice Sendak, who was marvelously cranky on that subject.

And while searching for "good" beginning readers, Mac dismisses alllll contemporary offerings and reaches for Frog & Toad. Work a little harder, man. Maybe at the time he was working as a tutor, beginning readers were mostly formulaic and boring, but what's it hurt to mention that since that time, there's been an absolute explosion of wit, representation, and fun in those early series books. Kelly Starling Lyons! Pam Munoz Ryan! Saadia Faruqi! A few name checks would have gone far.

Disappointed is what I am. Disappointed because I know he knows better. Because he didn't make the effort to lift all boats. Because he thoughtlessly gave fodder to those who don't care about kids and only care about control.

Write a sequel, my friend. Write "Make Sense: On Giving Children the Stories They Want."

[Patrizia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un saggio che parla di libri per ragazzi (è giusto classificarli così?) dedicato agli adulti che hanno dimenticato com'è essere bambini. Personalmente, per professione e per passione, leggo molti libri per bambini e spesso sono molto più interessanti e coinvolgenti rispetto a quelli scritti per un pubblico adulto. Ho anche letto libri di autori conosciuti che hanno tentato di scrivere per i bimbi con risultati non sempre eccellenti (sottovalutano la "categoria"?? Può darsi).
I ragazzi danno molto e si aspettano altrettando. Ascoltano, pongono domande, fanno riflessioni, provano emozioni che, se ci soffermiamo ad ascoltarli, stupiscono e meravigliano: è un periodo della vita indimenticabile, da proteggere.
Dopo la Rundell anche Barnett cerca di far aprire gli occhi sulla letteratura dedicata all'infanzia e tenta con questo saggio di smuovere i pregiudizi e aprire le menti. Lettura consigliata.

[Hernovelidea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book spoke to my librarian soul. Also "Every aunt thinks she is the cool aunt".

Update: In the first two days of publication this book has raised a lot of hackles. I reread and still stick by my 5 stars. I do agree Mac was a bit haughty but I also agree that most children's books are not good and everything we give to children to read does not have to be a lesson. Reading for the sake of reading is a joy and one we should give to children more often.

"Every day we make more children. Let us also make new children's books!"

[DaNae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many picture books, and other books for children, are written with adults in mind, and are bent to their sensibilities. An unpopular option, I know. Before I ever read Mac Barnett’s opinion on this topic, I’d already expressed it in throughout many of my reviews on Goodreads. I can’t deny it. I’m not trying to hurt anyone feelings - it’s just an opinion I strongly hold. I’ve meet so many people who neither read, nor have children in their lives, who’ve professed as fact that they will someday write a picture book.

I was lucky enough a few years ago to serve on an ALSC book committee. One of the highlights of my life. I was sent untold boxes of picture books. I quickly learned that most of what came to my doorstep were either versions of affirmations - you are good enough, be yourself, don’t let anyone tell you your hair, eyes, size, skin make you less. Or were didactic dramatizations of how to be a good person. Some were done better than others. But here’s the thing, I work in a big room full of these books and others. Children wander through all day, pursuing (ransacking) the shelves. Not one of them has asked me to find a book that validates who they are or will help them be good for grandma. They want jokes, silliness, surprises, and endless weird and true facts. They want excitement, intrigue, spookiness, and sly reveals. Many of the same thing adult readers, who don’t read memoirs, want from their adult books.

My only quibble with Barnett’s POV is that children really do love trash. (I think he said kids should be allowed to read non-literary books, but it goes beyond that) I would say 75% of my students are the most happy with book on how to do Minecraft, and optical illusion, and a yellow-framed Weird but True. The only way they will walk out with a story is the one I implanted into their brains during story-time.

The parts of this book about Margaret Wise Brown, and Maurice Sendak at the Sesame Street meeting are not to missed by Children’s lit nerds.

52 Book Club 26: 49) From the 800s of the Dewey Decimal System

[Mike S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mac Barnett writes really cool books for kids. Smart, funny, silly, and often paired with the illustrations of Jon Klassen. I saw this on the pre-pub list and got really excited. I'm sure I read a LOT more "picture books" than the typical 46-year-old dude who doesn't have kids of his own...it goes with my profession, but also? I absolutely LOVE a good, clever, silly, fun, whimsical, or beautifully-illustrated book for kids.

It takes all of a couple hours at most to read the three essays that constitute the chapters and bulk of the book. It's about kids books, but it's also about how we constantly underestimate kids' abilities and needs and wants. It's about how kids books don't need to have some high-minded concept or moral or educational component. It's about how so often kids are more observant than adults, don't have a lifetime of biases and pretensions, and can truly see and understand great art just as much as an adult or whoever thinks appreciating art takes "training." It's about how kids deserve great books and how we as a society kind of ghettoize writers who write for them.

I think this is an IMPORTANT little book for educators, for children's librarians, for administrators, for parents, for readers who love great books and think that kids deserve and have a right to cool shit just as much as "grown ups" do.

[Maureen Grigsby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about children’s books, and the author believes that there are entirely too many bad children’s books published. Although in my opinion he came across as a bit pompous, I did enjoy his knowledge of children and their ability to suspend belief in order to accept the most absurd storylines.

[Rachael Marsceau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Mr. Barnett's brain and his books so much.

[Jordan Steyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

“when we read, we make believe” !!!

i think you should read this if you work around books, even if you don’t spend a lot of time with children’s books

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

A personable conversational essay that reminds us children need good stories. Not morally righteous stories, or stories to mold children to manner, nor stories that otherwise patronize their intellect. Instead, children’s book authors should meet kids on equal footing and design stories that make use of a child’s unique ability to imbue stories with dream potential and make a spiritual commitment to make believe, to play with language and form and convention in ways that broaden our (adults & kids!) conceptions of possibility.

Oh, I just love the sentiment! Also, I learned a new favorite word: ensorcelled.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I kept waiting for The Giving Tree to be mentioned. I loathe that book. This made me think maybe the problem is me. 😂 The Goodnight Moon analysis was fascinating as well. These essays really capture the specialness of books written for children (at least good ones).