Build Reading Confidence
Invite an author to visit your school
Stories from schools that have hosted author visits are compelling—hear a few and you quickly see that the experience can turn even reluctant readers into enthusiastic readers and writers:
“Fourth grade welcomed author Sarah Albee, and we could not have been more entertained and inspired by her! In the words of a fourth grader: ‘I never knew studying history could be so much fun!’"
—Mason, OH
“I’ve had parents approach me and tell me that you were the topic at the dinner table. Students are still checking out your books and all of them have a hold list on them a mile long.”
—Portland, OR
“My students were completely enthralled with Miranda Paul’s presentation. I heard multiple comments from students who were anxious to start on their own writing careers, and it wasn’t uncommon to have several students say, ‘I can’t wait to start writing!’”
—Valley View, WI
“The enthusiasm you generated was phenomenal! You have literally lit a fire in encouraging the students in my class to write. For that, I am eternally grateful."
—Rossville, IL
Statistical research backs this up.
A 2019 study by The National Literacy Trust in the UK reported that students that had authors visit their schools were:
- More likely to be highly confident in their reading and writing
- More likely to enjoy reading and writing
And, young people who enjoy reading are five times more likely to read above the level expected for their age compared with their peers who don’t enjoy reading.
Wow. Five times more likely to read above grade level.
So, how can you bring this powerhouse experience to your school?
Two critical steps
There are two important things you should do to ensure that books are flying off your school library’s shelves after an author visit.
First, invite an inspirational author. Not all children’s writers are powerful speakers; you want to find the ones that are.
Second, prepare for the event. Generate enthusiasm for the author by seeding the idea that this is a big deal.
1. Invite an inspirational author
You want to bring in a children’s author that is not only a great writer, but also an engaging public speaker for children.
The ideal speaker will have developed programs that address specific topics, so you can choose what will be most relevant to your students. Most authors talk about why they became a writer and what it’s like to be a writer, but the more memorable presentations typically address more than that.
Unique Programs
What Does it Mean to Be a Hero?
We often think of superheroes as extraordinary—with special powers and costumes. But most heroes, including the three Miranda Paul has written biographies about, were ordinary kids and adults who made choices to help others and persevere against odds.
Wan Wan Means Woof Woof: The Story of Hachiko Waits
Lesléa Newman’s novel, Hachiko Waits, is based on the true story of the famous dog who spent years waiting at a Japanese train station for his master’s return. In this presentation, she shares how she traveled back to the 1920’s and across the ocean without leaving home.
Audience participation
To demonstrate how stories from the past may be told from many different perspectives, Sarah Albee uses costumes, props, photographs, and volunteers to help dramatize what life in the fourteenth, sixteenth, and eighteenth centuries might have been like.
Which is better, space or under the sea? Let’s vote. With interactive questions and lots of pictures, students will compare and contrast the benefits of each extreme environment. Jennifer Swanson’s exciting program will spark their imagination to have them soaring into space or diving deep into the ocean of exploration and writing.
Testimonials
Look for strong testimonials from schools that have hosted the author in the past. Did they have a good experience? Would they invite the author to their school?
Comments like this are a great sign:
“I have heard so many anecdotes from parents, teachers, and students about how you sparked something for our kids. And of course we’ve had lots of poetry emergencies here in the library–I will definitely need to re-vitalize that section!”
“THANK YOU! The kids had a great time, I haven’t seen that much excitement about writing anything for a long time. You were AWESOME!”
All authors listed on StorySeer have been vetted to be great writers AND great speakers. They all offer a variety of interesting programs and have glowing testimonials from past schools.
Also, remember that you’re looking for the best author for your school. That is going to be different for every school.
Use StorySeer’s author list filters to find picture book authors that focus on STEM or young adult authors with diverse books. Whatever best fits your school and your curriculum goals, you can find a highly-qualified author quickly.
2. Prepare for the event. Make it feel like a big deal.
Let’s say you’ve got a dynamic author lined up. Check! The next step is to let your students know that a really exciting event is coming their way.
The Cooperative Children’s Book Center notes that preparing students “can make the difference between a visit that is dynamic and energizing and one that falls flat.”
Imagine this ...
You’re a fourth grader … you’re hustled off to the auditorium for an assembly about, “What? Writing?” The librarian takes the stage to introduce, “Mrs. who?” who then blathers on about how she became a writer of some book you’ve never heard of before. “Who cares.”
What if instead … a month before the assembly, your class read one of the author’s books together ... discussed why the author might have made the character act one way instead of another way … you were able to check out another of the author’s books from the school library … the school announcements included one fun fact about the author every morning for a week. By the time assembly day rolls around you are SO EXCITED to meet this author! “Can you believe it, Mom? She’s coming to talk in my very own school!”
Shannon Hale, New York Times best-selling author of more than 30 books, says: “Schools where the educators prepared the students for my visit, the assemblies went 1000x better. When kids are prepared for an assembly, and the author presentation is a good one, those kids never forget. They remember that author, that assembly, those books years later. And for so many of them, that moment is the one that made them want to be a reader after all.”
If we want students to be so enthusiastic about reading and writing that they are five times more likely to read above grade level, then we’ve got to make sure they’re ready to hear the author’s message.
Creative ways to prepare for an author visit
Teachers, librarians, and parent groups can build excitement with simple activities prior to the author visit.
This should not be a burden that takes away from instructional time. There are lots of ways to tie the author’s work to existing curriculum goals.
It can be as simple or elaborate as you want to make it.
Even an hour or two will pay off.
Simple Steps
- The simplest approach can make a huge impact. Just reading a picture book or two, or one chapter, and discussing it will familiarize students with the author.
- Many authors have activity suggestions on their websites. This could become a full author study or be a topic for one day’s ELA lesson.
- Then have students prepare thoughtful questions for the author. This is a great way to have students consider elements of writer’s craft. “Why did you choose this setting for the story?” “What kind of research did you do as you developed this character?”
Beyond the Basics
- Art projects tied to the themes of the author’s books can reinforce the main ideas. They also are a visual reminder of the upcoming special event.
- Remind students of the upcoming visit in small ways, like a bulletin board in the front hallway.
- Include “fun facts” about the author in the morning announcements.
- A themed costume day is a fun way to tie back to the author’s work.
We’ve got your to do list right here
StorySeer helps make prep work manageable with our timed to do lists.
When you schedule an author visit through StorySeer, we’ll provide you with short lists of things to do: 90 days prior, 14 days prior, the day of the visit, etc. This helps you make sure everything goes smoothly without a last minute scramble.
That seems like a lot of work. Help!
Whether you are new to hosting author visits at your school, or you’re an experienced pro, StorySeer is here to guide you. We also recommend that you form a small team of people to co-lead the event.
StorySeer has the tools to help
StorySeer not only provides a to do list, we’ll also help you cross items off your list.
From little things, like drafting parent communication emails, to big things, like managing a book sale to put the author’s books in the hands of families–we’re here to help.
Form a team
To ensure that all students are prepped and excited for the big day, it’s best to have some help. Typically, two parent leaders and two to three teachers can work together to rally the school.
Administrators should be kept in the loop to ensure that space is available for the event, school signage is approved, and all relevant teachers weave the author visit into their instructional plans.
Are there ways an art teacher, music, or PE can incorporate the author’s work into their plans?
Sounds expensive.
Think of an author visit as an in-school field trip. Just like destination field trips, an author visit can be paid for with a variety of funds.
Many PTO’s have funds set aside for field trips. Buses are expensive. An in-school author visit (no buses required!) could replace one field trip for the year.
Ask for parent contributions for the in-school field trip. Parents are often asked to contribute a small amount to offset the cost of a field trip. Just $3-5 per student could cover the cost of the author visit.
Host a used book sale fundraiser. Hemmeter Elementary in Saginaw, Michigan has successfully funded author visits by asking families and community members to donate used books. They then sell the books for $1-2 each at an annual used book sale. Bonus: students get more books to read at home!
You can also partner with other schools in your area to reduce travel expenses for the author. When an author buys one plane ticket to visit three nearby schools, you can split the cost. StorySeer can help you reach out to other schools to find partners.
Ignite the spark
At an author visit, students learn “that author person” is a real person, just like me.
Their first draft wasn’t perfect. Even their fiftieth draft was rejected by twenty-four publishers before it became a book. Persistence pays off.
The person who wrote that book is not just a professional author. They have a personal life and a history that they incorporated into that book. I have a story to tell too.
Literacy is so critical to students’ success.
Students who have author visits at their school are 45% more likely to enjoy reading. And students who enjoy reading are five times more likely to read above grade level.
You’d be hard-pressed to find another field trip with those results.