Name: Why a good book is a secret door
Uploaded: 2014-09-17T15:00:03Z
Duration: 16 min 50 s
Description: Childhood is surreal. Why shouldn't children's books be? In this whimsical talk, award-winning author Mac Barnett speaks about writing that escapes the page, art as a doorway to wonder -- and what real kids say to a fictional whale.

Childhood is surreal. Why shouldn't children's books be? In this whimsical talk, award-winning author Mac Barnett speaks about writing that escapes the page, art as a doorway to wonder -- and what real kids say to a fictional whale.

Mac Barnett: Why a good book is a secret door

Why a good book is a secret door

A whimsical pirate supply store fronts a creative writing center, blending fiction with the real world to inspire young writers.

A child's repeated messages to a fictional whale underscore the deep emotional connection readers can have with stories.

Harnessing the power of stories, an author illustrates how fiction fosters a liminal space of wonder, blending truth and fantasy.