Just Because

Mac Barnett is a New York Times bestselling author of over 60 children’s books, including Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, Extra Yarn, How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? and the Shapes series, all illustrated by Jon Klassen; Just Because illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault; A Polar Bear in the Snow illustrated by Shawn Harris; John’s Turn illustrated by Kate Berube, as well as the Mac B., Kid Spy series and The First Cat in Space graphic novels. His books have been translated into over 30 languages and sold more than 5 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, and several international prizes. He is the co-creator, with Jon Klassen, of Shape Island, a stop-motion animated series on Apple TV+, based on their best-selling Shapes series of picture books. Mac lives in Oakland, California. His website is macbarnett.com and his Instagram handle is @macbarnett.

Isabelle Arsenault is an acclaimed illustrator whose work has achieved international recognition and won many awards, including the Governor General's Literary Award. She was shortlisted for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2020 and was nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2021. She is the illustrator of Just Because by Mac Barnett, a New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year, Captain Rosalie by Timothée de Fombelle, The Mouse Who Carried a House on His Back, by Jonathan Stutzman, and most recently Just One Little Light, by Kat Yeh. Isabelle Arsenault lives in Montreal, Canada. Find her online at isabellearnault.com or on Instagram as @isabelle_arsenault.