Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen. Photo: Lolly Robinson.This happened a few years ago. Jon Klassen, then a newly minted author-illustrator standing before a gymnasium’s worth of school-
children, selected a shy third grader from the audience to collaborate with him on a piece of spontaneous art. She stood next to Jon...

I’m glad to be here tonight in your company, and I’m glad that our book is in the company of this year’s honorees and the winners of years past. It’s a thrill. I want to thank my agent Steven Malk, an always-trusty advisor, and Balzer + Bray for publishing our...