• Order a copy or copies of the author/illustrator’s book to read with the class(es).

• Discuss the story and brainstorm questions for the author/illustrator.

• Have students illustrate their favorite scene or scenes from the book and decorate the halls or classrooms with their work.

• Create a banner or welcome sign for the author/illustrator to hang in the school lobby where parents, teachers, students, and the author will see it.

• Send a letter and order form home to parents informing them of the visit.

• Order the author/illustrator’s books and create a display in the school library or lobby.

• Contact your local newspaper about the author/illustrator visit and place a blurb in your school newsletter publicizing the visit.

• Assign “student ambassadors” to greet the author/illustrator and show them around the school.

• Have students welcome the author/illustrator with a performance or recitation of his or her work.

• Have any props (i.e. projector, easel, arts-and-crafts material, microphone, etc.) ready for the author/illustrator.

• Provide refreshments and/or lunch for the author/illustrator.

• Have a question-and-answer time, when the author/illustrator will call on students or choose a question from a hat that the students have prepared in advance.

• Have students write thank-you letters or poems to the author.

• Create a display with photographs of the event in the school library or lobby where parents, teachers, and students can see it.

• Reread the author’s work and discuss students’ favorite moments from the visit.

• Create flyers or posters announcing the date and time of the event. Post them in your store and around the community.

• Invite local schools and daycares to come to the event.

• Order the author/illustrator’s books and create a display in the front of your store with information about the date and time of the event. Click here to learn how to order books.

• Contact your local newspaper about the author/illustrator visit and place a blurb in your newsletter publicizing the visit.

• Post an announcement about the event on your website.

• Put on a readers theater! Have costumes of characters in the author/illustrator’s book that children can wear. Kids can either read passages aloud or act out scenes from the book. Or employees of the store can dress up as characters and act out the story for the audience while the author reads aloud.

• Do a craft! Provide art supplies for kids to paint or draw their favorite scene or character from the book. Display their work in the store window or on a wall in the children’s section.

• Play a game! Book Jeopardy is a great game to play after an author/illustrator reads aloud. Give children the answer and see if they can come up with the corresponding question. This game is especially good for nonfiction books.

• Use one of our guides! Visit our Downloadables page to view our selection of activity and discussion guides to use during an author/illustrator visit.