Author Visits

Have books, will travel! I love connecting with kids and their families during author visits. Based on the age and interests of my audience, I create customized presentations—from short Q&As to interactive workshops to full-day school visits. I'm also happy to presell books or bring them along for literacy nights and book fairs. Popular presentation topics include...

Mining Minecraft — Classrooms and libraries are using Minecraft to reinforce STEM, but Minecraft is also rich with creative prompts and story ideas. Girls and boys of all ages—from pre-K through middle school—enjoy "meeting" characters based on Minecraft mobs, as well as exploring (through the five senses) why the Overworld is the perfect setting for a series of adventures. We draw parallels between gaming and reading, which appeals to even the most reluctant readers. 

Celebrating Differences — Joss, my latest American Girl character, is a surfer, a cheerleader, and a girl who happens to have hearing loss. Using Joss's stories as a springboard, I'll talk with kids about the ways in which we're all different—and the ways in which we're all alike. I'll also share some basic ASL so kids can practice fingerspelling and decode a few fun phrases.  

Facts vs. Fiction — Who knows the difference between fiction books and nonfiction books? Early grade-schoolers do, and they love exploring those differences using some of my picture books for young readers. What's even more fun? When I invite the kids to sing along and act out the lyrics!

It Takes Teamwork — From author to editor to artist to designer, it takes a team to create a book. Through engaging activities such as character Mad Libs, a book title brainstorm, a “name that emotion” illustration game, and a break-the-color-code challenge, I showcase those roles and give students a chance to try on different creative hats, too.

The WHO, WHAT, and WHEREs of Writing — Older readers are ready to write! I challenge them to create their own characters, flesh out settings, and push their plots to build tension and excitement. My goal is to give them the tools and inspiration to write a short story of their own—and I'm happy to offer feedback (post-workshop, via email or snail mail) to those who accept the challenge!