The Future Book

Author Mac Barnett On Tour
Illustrated by Shawn Harris
Look inside
$19.99 US
RH Childrens Books | Knopf Books for Young Readers
24 per carton
On sale Mar 03, 2026 | 9798217033171
Age 4-8 years
Reading Level: Lexile 500L | Fountas & Pinnell L
Sales rights: US, Canada, Open Mkt

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NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Every other book was written in the past. But this book? This book was written in the future.

Do you want to know what the future is like? Turn the pages to get a glimpse at the world of tomorrow and its unexpected words, strange social customs, and mind-blowing colors!

From the award-winning duo Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris comes a funny, visionary picture book that kids will want to read again and again.
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★ "Stock up well on this sure-fire crowd-pleaser, and brace yourself for a local evolution of language." —Booklist, starred review

★ "A nonsensical, surreal, and silly picture book....[Harris'] playful use of color imbue the future with joy and humor. Fans of The Book that Almost Rhymed by Omar Abed should add The Future Book to story time rotation." —Shelf Awareness, starred review

"Ideal for reading aloud at storytime....It doesn’t take a fortune teller to predict the laughter that will emanate from this world of tomorrow." —Kirkus Reviews

"An earnest first learning book that’s rendered in electric colors....it’s a solemnly silly look at social norms—and the authorities who decide them." —Publishers Weekly

"Two award-winning authors make for an explosive combination in this crowd-pleasingly zany story that is sure to be a story hour hit." —School Library Journal

"Barnett’s expert comedic pacing brings the silliness to another dimension....the visual humor has plenty of sly moments, sure to be appreciated on repeat visits....The future is weird; buckle up." —The Horn Book

"This silly book is sure to have kids screeching with laughter in a storytime....The book as a whole pokes gentle fun at both current society and sci-fi media that relies too heavily on fictional, incomprehensible neologisms." —The Bulletin

Classroom Activities for The Future Book

Classroom activities supplement discussion and traditional lessons with group projects and creative tasks. Can be used in pre-existing units and lessons, or as stand-alone.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

About

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Every other book was written in the past. But this book? This book was written in the future.

Do you want to know what the future is like? Turn the pages to get a glimpse at the world of tomorrow and its unexpected words, strange social customs, and mind-blowing colors!

From the award-winning duo Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris comes a funny, visionary picture book that kids will want to read again and again.

Photos

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Praise

★ "Stock up well on this sure-fire crowd-pleaser, and brace yourself for a local evolution of language." —Booklist, starred review

★ "A nonsensical, surreal, and silly picture book....[Harris'] playful use of color imbue the future with joy and humor. Fans of The Book that Almost Rhymed by Omar Abed should add The Future Book to story time rotation." —Shelf Awareness, starred review

"Ideal for reading aloud at storytime....It doesn’t take a fortune teller to predict the laughter that will emanate from this world of tomorrow." —Kirkus Reviews

"An earnest first learning book that’s rendered in electric colors....it’s a solemnly silly look at social norms—and the authorities who decide them." —Publishers Weekly

"Two award-winning authors make for an explosive combination in this crowd-pleasingly zany story that is sure to be a story hour hit." —School Library Journal

"Barnett’s expert comedic pacing brings the silliness to another dimension....the visual humor has plenty of sly moments, sure to be appreciated on repeat visits....The future is weird; buckle up." —The Horn Book

"This silly book is sure to have kids screeching with laughter in a storytime....The book as a whole pokes gentle fun at both current society and sci-fi media that relies too heavily on fictional, incomprehensible neologisms." —The Bulletin

Guides

Classroom Activities for The Future Book

Classroom activities supplement discussion and traditional lessons with group projects and creative tasks. Can be used in pre-existing units and lessons, or as stand-alone.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)