The Future Book

Illustrated by Shawn Harris
Hardcover
$19.99 US
| $26.99 CAN
On sale Mar 03, 2026 | 40 Pages | 9798217033171
Age 4-8 years | Preschool - 3
Reading Level: Lexile 500L

See Additional Formats
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.
"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
MAC BARNETT, the 2025-2026 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, is a New York Times-bestselling author of stories for children. His work has been translated into more than thirty languages and has sold more than five million copies worldwide. Mac's books have won many prizes, including two Caldecott Honors, three New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Awards, three E.B. White Read-Aloud Awards, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Germany’s Jugendliteraturpreis, China's Chen Bochui International Children's Literature Award, The Netherlands' Zilveren Griffel, and Italy's Premio Orbil. He is the co-creator, with Jon Klassen, of the Looking at Picture Books Substack, as well as Shape Island, a stop-motion animated series on Apple TV+, based on their bestselling Shapes series of picture books. Mac lives in Oakland, California View titles by Mac Barnett
© Lauren Harris
Shawn Harris is an award-winning creator of books for kids. His authorial debut, Have You Ever Seen A Flower, was called a “stunning tour de force…” by The New York Times, and was the recipient of a Caldecott Honor. The National Museum of Wildlife Art awarded Shawn’s cut-paper art in A Polar Bear in the Snow (by Mac Barnett) the Bull-Bransom Award for excellence in the field of children’s book illustration with a focus on nature and wildlife. Harris has illustrated a number of other books, including Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers, and Everyone’s Awake by Colin Meloy. Shawn lives in Northern California, where he also likes to write songs, surf, and play racquetball. View titles by Shawn Harris

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.)

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About

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.

Reviews

"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

Author

MAC BARNETT, the 2025-2026 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, is a New York Times-bestselling author of stories for children. His work has been translated into more than thirty languages and has sold more than five million copies worldwide. Mac's books have won many prizes, including two Caldecott Honors, three New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Awards, three E.B. White Read-Aloud Awards, the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Germany’s Jugendliteraturpreis, China's Chen Bochui International Children's Literature Award, The Netherlands' Zilveren Griffel, and Italy's Premio Orbil. He is the co-creator, with Jon Klassen, of the Looking at Picture Books Substack, as well as Shape Island, a stop-motion animated series on Apple TV+, based on their bestselling Shapes series of picture books. Mac lives in Oakland, California View titles by Mac Barnett
© Lauren Harris
Shawn Harris is an award-winning creator of books for kids. His authorial debut, Have You Ever Seen A Flower, was called a “stunning tour de force…” by The New York Times, and was the recipient of a Caldecott Honor. The National Museum of Wildlife Art awarded Shawn’s cut-paper art in A Polar Bear in the Snow (by Mac Barnett) the Bull-Bransom Award for excellence in the field of children’s book illustration with a focus on nature and wildlife. Harris has illustrated a number of other books, including Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers, and Everyone’s Awake by Colin Meloy. Shawn lives in Northern California, where he also likes to write songs, surf, and play racquetball. View titles by Shawn Harris

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.)

Photos

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additional book photo
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