Tuesday, March 24, 2015

TED Talk Tuesday: Mac Barnett and Why a Good Book is a Secret Door

I dare you to watch Mac Barnett's TED Talk and not 1. Laugh and 2. Be Inspired. :)

I double-dog-dare you, in fact.

I love Mac's reverse take on the through the wardrobe--how he wants to bring fiction alive, into real life. And I LOVE how he (and Dave Eggers with 826 Valencia) achieve this.

Wait until you meet Riley and her magic melon. And the pirate supply store. And Nico with his pet whale Randolph.

Can't see the @TEDtalks? Click here.
I'm going to call it wonder. It's what Coleridge called the willing suspension of disbelief or poetic faith, for those moments where a story, no matter how strange, has some semblance of the truth, and then you're able to believe it. It's not just kids who can get there. Adults can too, and we get there when we read.--Mac Barnett
Wonder. Yup, that's it.

So, this is a TED Talk for anyone who has found the TARDIS in real life (do make sure to go inside), or felt like they were inside the Harry Potter world when traveling to London.

Adults CAN get there. And we can take people there through our writing.

Our house loves BATTLE BUNNY and all the awesome Meta-ness that @MacBarnett creates. I hope you check out some of his books for even further inspiration!

Oh, and there is an 826 Boston, so if you are local, consider tutoring.

So, what inspires you? What books lead you through the wardrobe door and come to life for you? What characters live on in your mind long after you close the book?
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9 comments:

  1. Christine BennettMarch 24, 2015 at 2:53 PM

    Love this video and your post- thanks for sharing!

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    1. Heather KellyMarch 25, 2015 at 7:56 AM

      Thanks for stopping by and you're welcome! Mac has such a way with words--whether he's talking or writing--it is a great video.

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  2. Kelly PolarkMarch 24, 2015 at 5:05 PM

    Mac Barnett is such a brilliant writer and funny guy! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Heather KellyMarch 25, 2015 at 7:57 AM

      Kelly--he is sooo funny and brilliant--you're right. And heartfelt--he's a hat trick! :)

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  3. JillianMarch 25, 2015 at 12:31 AM

    Aw love that video. Thanks for sharing. I always look for Ted talks related to books or reading in any way, so I love this.

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    1. Heather KellyMarch 25, 2015 at 7:58 AM

      Jillian me too! TED Talks about books and reading really inspire me and my writing. Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  4. Tom M FranklinMarch 25, 2015 at 1:50 PM

    Absolute genius.

    Now I have to go and find all of his books. (And find a way to leave a message for Randolph!)


    -- Tom

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  5. Tom M FranklinMarch 25, 2015 at 1:52 PM

    Oh -- wait! He wrote Battle Bunny with Jon Scieszka! That was one of the best picture books I'd read in years. Such an imagination...

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    1. Heather KellyMarch 26, 2015 at 6:47 AM

      I agree--he has a great imagination!! And I like how his books tend to appeal to a wide age range--we bought Battle Bunny for our 10-year-old, who reads it again and again. The humor is awesome. :)

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