Bookstore & Library Event Ideas

Plan Ahead for Your Author/Illustrator Visit


Before 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.
  • Charlesbridge offers a generous co-op plan. Click here to find out how you can supplement your efforts with co-op funds.


Activities for the Visit:

  • 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 non-fiction 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.