Ignite a love of reading in every child

Bring a real author to your classroom.

We connect schools with published children's book authors for unforgettable visits — plus a limited volunteer-visit program for schools that need it most.

Find an author →I'm an author →

✉️ Teachers & librarians: get grant deadlines and author news →

The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake

HOW TO PEE YOUR PANTS: THE RIGHT WAY

Like a Mother Bear: How Jeanne Manford's Words Changed the World for Queer Kids

Dear Ms Guadalupe, Letters to My Librarian

Home Is Calling: The Journey of the Monarch Butterfly

JAWBREAKER

Virginia Wouldn’t Slow Down! The Unstoppable Dr. Apgar and Her Lifesaving Invention

Rump: The (Fairly) True Tale of Rumpelstiltskin

THE DREAM BUILDER'S BLUEPRINT--Dr. King's Message to Young People

Rewriting the Rules: How Dr. Kathleen Friel Created New Possibilities for Breain Research and Disability

Brontosaurus is Back! A Dinosaur's Name and Return to Fame

Lumi drives from London to Lagos: A little car with a brave heart

Kelcie Murphy and the Academy for the Unbreakable Arts

Shad Hadid and the Alchemists of Alexandria

The Quacken

The Moon From Dehradun: A Story of Partition

Woody's Words: Woodrow Wilson Rawls and Where the Red Fern Grows

Lily Lu to the Rescue: Sea Otter's Second Chance

A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen

There's No Ham in Hamburgers: Facts and Folklore About Our Favorite Foods

Zoey Wonders Why: A Sweet Story About Cultural Diversity

Reaching for the Stars: A Mission to Space

For the Win: Poems Celebrating Phenomenal Athletes

Almost Underwear: How a Piece of Cloth Traveled from Kitty Hawk to the Moon and Mars

¡Ay, Mija! My Bilingual Summer in Mexico

Unfathomable: 20 Wild (But True) Stories About the Ocean

Free Throws, Friendship, and Other Things We Fouled Up

Dinosaurs to Dragons: The Lore and Science of Mythical Creatures

For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai's Story

Mela and the Elephant

Friends Beyond Measure: A Story Told with Infographics

The Case of the Missing Carrot Cake

HOW TO PEE YOUR PANTS: THE RIGHT WAY

JAWBREAKER

The Quacken

The Moon From Dehradun: A Story of Partition

Mela and the Elephant

Friends Beyond Measure: A Story Told with Infographics

Simple process

How it works

Find authors

Search by your ZIP, grade level, or subject matter.

Compare and shortlist

Browse vetted, published authors who fit your school's needs.

Reach out directly

Click “Request Pricing & Availability” to connect with the author or their agent, confirm details, and book the big day.

For Educators

Find the perfect author for your class

Browse vetted, published authors by location, grade level, and format. Searching the directory is free for your school, always.

Browse authors →Get educator updates

For Authors

Share your story with the next generation

Set your visit formats and availability — your fees stay private.

Apply to join →

Featured

Authors ready to visit

Browse all →

✦ Founding Author

Elizabeth Eulberg

International bestselling author of books for young readers

3–56–8💻 VirtualTitle I ratesFree virtual Q&A

View profileMadison, WI

✦ Founding Author

Erin Soderberg Downing

Bestselling Middle Grade and Chapter Book Author

K–23–56–8📍 In-person💻 VirtualTitle I rates

View profileMinneapolis, MN

✦ Founding Author

Supriya Kelkar

International bestselling author-illustrator

K–23–56–8📍 In-person💻 VirtualTitle I ratesFree virtual Q&A

View profileMetro Detroit, MI

✦ Founding Author

Liesl Shurtliff

NYT Bestselling author of middle-grade fairytales and fantasy

K–23–56–8📍 In-person💻 VirtualFree virtual Q&A

View profileChicago, IL

Volunteer visits

Free visits, earned — not just handed out.

Most author visits are paid bookings you arrange directly with the author — an important part of how children's authors make their living. Our volunteer visit program is a limited extra: Find an Author offers a small number of free visits each school year, reserved for Title I and severely underfunded schools that demonstrate real need.

Many schools can fund a paid visit. Title I funds, grants, PTAs, and local clubs often cover author visits.

See how to get funding →

Show the need

For Title I or severely underfunded schools — demonstrate why a free visit is truly needed.

Show the commitment

Name a staff lead, describe how you'll prepare students, and plan to sustain the excitement.

Make the day count

Authors give their best; schools give the infrastructure to make it land.

Apply for a volunteer visit →

★ Spring 2027 round: apply by December 15, 2026 for visits January through May 2027.

★ Volunteer visitsHow it works

The author volunteers their honorarium

Travel is not covered. If the author is outside your local area, your school pays their travel, so a local author is the best fit. Use the ZIP search to find authors near you.

★ Limited: we offer a small number of free visits each school year, so they aren't guaranteed.

See application deadlines and details →

Why it matters

Kids read more when reading feels like an event — and when someone they trust sparks it.

Reading for fun drops sharply by age 9. A real author in the room turns reading into something kids want to do.

52%

of kids say they enjoy going to community events that involve reading

70%

of kids name a teacher or school librarian as someone who encourages them to read for fun

63%

of kids get most of their books from a public, school, or classroom library

Source: Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report, 8th edition (2023).

Ready to bring a story to life?

Whether you're a teacher looking for the perfect author or an author ready to inspire the next generation, this is where it starts.

Find an author Join as an author