Chris Barton

This summer will mark 25 years since I began the (eight-year!) process of making THE DAY-GLO BROTHERS. Thank you, Lori and your students, for reaffirming that it was time well-spent.

Snuffleupagus in the movie poster for National Treasure.

nic cage movie posters but with muppets: thread

Covers of author Chris Barton’s first 25 books

My first bookstore event of 2026 is just 8 days away! I’m excited to be spending next Wednesday evening, 1/14, with some great people at Nowhere Books in San Antonio. If you plan to be there, too… WE MATCH!

Details: nowherebookshop.com/event/2026-0...

Mapping Texas Book Bans SY 25-26 - Google My Maps Mapping Texas Book Bans SY 25-26

I made an interactive map! This is a look at the effects Tx book-banning laws have had just *since the end of last school year*. I made it because it's easy to hear a shocking story about a book ban and then forget it and lose the larger picture.
www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...

All the college kidlit conferences (2026 edition!) - Bartography My updated list of U.S. College- & University-Sponsored or -Hosted Children's and Young Adult Literature Conferences, Festivals, & Symposia.

Every so often, I update my as-comprehensive-as-I-can-get-it list of children's literature conferences and festivals hosted by U.S. colleges and universities. For 2026, that time has arrived! chrisbarton.info/all-the-coll...

YouTube video by Chris Barton Chris Barton author-visit excerpts, fall 2025

I was asked recently to create a 4-minute video clip showing what my 45-minute (give or take) school-visit presentations look like these days, and THAT WAS HARD. But I finally managed to edit it down to these 238 seconds, and I’m actually pretty happy with what I came up with. youtu.be/4yY5mkVIkOg

Cardiff couple invited man in for Christmas, he stayed for 45 years An arrangement Rob and Dianne Parsons thought would last a few days ended up changing their lives.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Happy birthday, Mike!

A post from Texas Freedom to Read Project featuring Grinch arms pointing to a class communication from a Boerne ISD kindergarten teacher that reads: “Dear Families, We regret to let you know that we are going to have to cancel our classroom book exchange for the winter party. Due to the passage of HB 900 and SB 13, we have been informed that books would need to be vetted before being sent home with students. With the quick turnaround, this won't be possible. If your child has already sent in a book, it will be returned to you. Our room parents have worked hard and we will still have plenty of fun and engaging activities at our winter party. Thank you for your understanding”

Please don’t take your eyes away from the damage book banning laws are doing in Texas. In Boerne ISD, a kindergarten class was forced to cancel its planned holiday party book exchange due to HB900 and SB13.

Just something to keep in mind as you travel this week — or any week: Someone you’ve never met might really appreciate your watching out for them. Or might be watching out for you. There’s no better gift.

I’d already been so glad that I could help, so happy that I had an opportunity to show a stranger the same sort of kindness that I’d want someone to show my kids if any of them got into a jam while far from home. But hearing about the book was a nice bonus.

This past week, I received a thank-you message from the person whose Thanksgiving hadn’t been lousy after all — and the news that their nephew would be receiving one of my books for Christmas.

When gate agents arrived, I coordinated with them and with the walletless traveler to arrange for a friend of the traveler to come pick up the wallet and arrange for its reunion with its owner.

I looked at the driver’s license and went into research mode. In short order, I found a social media profile for that person, sent them a message, and received a grateful midflight reply.

I found a wallet in the Denver airport recently. It was a few days before Thanksgiving, I was super early for my flight home, and there it was, a couple of seats down from where I waited at an almost entirely empty gate.

And I thought, “Someone’s about to have a really lousy holiday week. Unless…”

It was not, but if there were three of you keeping this band from me, that’s starting to smell like a conspiracy…

I learned about Hem just a couple of weeks ago, from another (now ex-) Bostonian. I don’t know where you all have been keeping them, but I’m glad word has finally reached me a quarter-century later…

And the 2025 Endies Endpaper Awards Go To . . . Announcing the winners of the 2025 Endies Endpaper Awards.

Very exciting news: WE MATCH! is now 1/4 of the way to having an EGOT!

I mean, I’m assuming that the “E” in EGOT stands for Endies…

100scopenotes.com/2025/11/26/a...

I was so glad to be here to this moment. Congratulations, Frank, and here’s to all the good work to come from those you’ve inspired!

Backbeats: Sam Lay by John Lingan on Apple Music Playlist · 10 Songs

For the next three weeks I’m going to share individual playlists for the 15 chapters in BACKBEATS.

First up, blues legend Sam Lay, who came to Chicago as part of the Great Migration and played with Walter, Wolf, Muddy, and at the “Dylan Goes Electric” concert. King of the “double shuffle.”

Are you at NCTE? Don't worry Dr. Ann made you a great chart.

Saturday, November 22 1:15–2:30 PM Panel: Count on It! Math-Themed Books That Will Ignite Math Lovers and Entice Math-Averse Students Location: Room 707 Sarah Albee (Author) Chris Barton (Author) Shruthi Rao (Author) Ann Marie Stephens (Author and Educator) Moderator: Susannah Richards (Educator)

Saturday, November 22 2:45–4:00 PM Panel: Making Brave and Bold Writing Choices Location: Room 105 Jennifer Vincent Chris Barton Adam Gidwitz Sharee Mille Jasmine Warga Jennifer LaGarde

Seeing how full the #NCTE25 schedule is makes me realize how dependent I’ll be on friends’ posts to let me know which sessions to attend—and how helpful it might be to put that info out there myself.

So, here’s where I’ll be on Saturday. What should I see in the meantime?

Trading card (front and back) for Bozeman, character in the picture book WE MATCH! by Chris Barton and Sharon Glick. Breed: mastiff and miscellaneous hound mix Nicknames: Bozey, Bozo, Bozer, Bulldozer Weight: 85 pounds Age: 6 months Birthday: November 11 Littermates: 7 Walks: Not as far as you'd think-might need to be carried! Drools: A LOT! Grooming Tip: Don't forget to check the face wrinkles! Howls: Not yet! But has never really had a reason .. Fireworks: ARR-OOOOOOOO!!!

(I’m so glad we didn’t name this character “Billings” or “Missoula”!)

Best Sellers November 9-15 1. "We Match!" by Chris Barton, $18.99

WE MATCH! is big in Bozeman, Montana, the home city of illustrator Sharon Glick. Folks there have shown our book loads of love at our August launch and at our three public library and elementary school events this past week. Thank you, Bozeman! www.bozemandailychronicle.com/arts_and_ent...

They all wanted copies of WE MATCH! and I wanted them all to have copies of WE MATCH! so… we matched!

We’re a small library, so we have a physical suggestion box- or patrons just ask me. I bring in probably 8/10 requests- it really does work!

If something you love is the product of someone in the U.S. who is self-employed or who owns or works for a small business, you need to understand how dire things are about to get.

That thing you love is in jeopardy (if it wasn’t already).

$2,341.96.

That’s what Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas says my wife and I will pay for our monthly health insurance premiums in 2026.

This year, for the same coverage? It’s been $899.72.

So, what are we calling this? Trump Tax? Trump Hike? Trump Gouge? Trumpremiums?

Whatever, I hate it.

You’re in the Statesman now? Sweet! (I mean, not this particular story, which is hitting me very personally…)

That’s some good company — thank you so much, Nancy!

(Ernie is listening, too.)