- Picture Books
- Ages 3–7
- Comedy
The Future Book
Part of the Mac Barnett universeOpen the collection
A playful Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris picture book about imagining tomorrow in silly, surprising ways. It is a better fit for families who like deadpan concept books than for readers who need a conventional plot.
- Best for3–7
- FormatPicture
- Length40 pp
- Read aloud~8 min
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Conversational
- Comedic
Tone
- Funny
- Silly
- Whimsical
- Absurdist
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
The future is coming, but what exactly will it look like? In The Future Book, Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris play with that question through a sequence of comic possibilities, absurd predictions, and child-friendly speculation. The fun comes from treating the future as both unknowable and wonderfully ridiculous: a place for invention, jokes, strange images, and big imaginative leaps. Like Barnett's best concept-driven picture books, this is less about following a traditional story arc and more about sharing an idea that keeps opening out in surprising ways. Shawn Harris's illustrations give the humour texture and visual punch, making the book a lively read-aloud for children who enjoy asking what if, spotting jokes, and imagining worlds that do not exist yet.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 9
- 11
- 13
- Best fit · 3–7
- Read aloud · 3–8
- Independent · 6–8
Prose load
Minimal
Visual support
High
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Excellent
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Bedtime
- Reading together
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Nothing in the book is likely to concern most parents. Safe to recommend without preview.
Bedtime suitability
4 / 5 · Bedtime-friendly
Sensitive-child
5 / 5 · Good fit
Graphic intensity
1 / 5 · None
Best for
- Funny picture book
- Concept book
- Mac barnett fans
- Future imagination
- Read aloud comedy
Avoid if
- Needs strong plot
- Wants realistic future explanation
- Prefers soft bedtime only
In the classroom
How it works in school.
A funny, imaginative read-aloud playing with what 'the future' holds — a witty story-time pick.
A book children love that happens to support school — never a stand-in for the texts a class is taught with. Reviewed for the classroom · June 2026.
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
- Adventure and freedom
- Breaking the rules safely
- Magic powers
- Secret world
Why parents love it
- Shared humour
- Beautiful illustrations
- Quick to read
- Great writing
About the creators
About the creators.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
Where you’ll find it
On these reading lists.
Buy or borrow
Pick up a copy.
- Bookshop.org ↗
- Waterstones ↗
- Amazon UK ↗
- Hive ↗
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