5 Ways An Author Visit Can Benefit Your Students

When I speak to elementary school parents, I hear one of two things:

--I can't get my child to read. They just hate it.

--My child is a voracious reader---they go through books quickly.

Sounds to me like there's little in-between. But there is. And a visit from an author might just be the thing to solve both sides of the equation.

The benefits of a school author visit:

  1. A child is often exposed to new and different books. While some children are lucky enough to have a visit from their favorite author, most do not. Maybe not as thrilling at first, but children can often find something they haven't read before--something unique and interesting.
  2. A child can find something new that they really like. So many times, I flip through titles online or in a store, and am often hard pressed to find a book I will enjoy. It's often the books that are off-the-beaten-path that I find myself enjoying most.
  3. A child will learn about the writing process. Even teachers will ask me about my process. While it's different for everyone, there are some basics for generating ideas, putting words on paper, practicing writing and learning how books are produced.
  4. A child learns that authors do not live in castles or far-away places. They're often neighbors and just ordinary people that enjoy playing with words and concepts. It may teach them that they can be an author too. In fact, children are often surprised to know that they already are----most who've written papers; even their own books.
  5. An author visit is for parents too. It can get both parents and children excited about somebody new and different coming to their school--and maybe just order them a book or two to try. Children are often more apt to read if they've met the author already---also good for the author!

So, hurray for all the ways an author visit can close the circle between them, their teachers, their parents and most importantly---THEM!

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