Author visits to schools connect students to literature in profound ways. Students (and teachers) are excited to meet the people who create the books they read.

For students, they learn authors are real people...just like them. Sometimes they are are shocked to learn real authors revise their work just like they do. Student knowledge of books in the library is expanded and librarians often see a spike in books being checked out. “I can’t keep your books on the shelf since you’ve visited,” I’ve been told many, many times.

For teachers, author visits reinforce classroom curriculum. I show a slide with the word “Revision” during my talk to older students. Invariably, teachers look over at their students, shake their heads and say, “I told you so. Real authors revise just like we do in our classroom.” Teachers tell me their students get a boost in their writing confidence following my visit to their school.

As I visit schools from New Mexico to Germany, I am often surprised (and uplifted) by what school staff and parents say and do with students to prepare them for an Author Visit. My plan is to share what I discover as I travel.