Did you know that LitWorld’s annual World Read Aloud Day is coming up on March 7th?
“World Read Aloud Day is about taking action to show the world that the right to read and write belongs to all people. World Read Aloud Day motivates children, teens, and adults worldwide to celebrate the power of words, especially those words that are shared from one person to another, and creates a community of readers advocating for every child’s right to a safe education and access to books and technology.” ~from the LitWorld website
Last year, a bunch of us who write books for kids got together and volunteered to read aloud via Skype to classrooms and libraries all over the world, for free. These weren’t big, fancy presentations — just a few minutes of reading aloud, followed by some questions — but they were great fun.
This year, a number of authors have again volunteered their time to read aloud to classrooms and libraries all over the world. If you’d like to have an author visit your classroom or library for World Read Aloud Day, here’s how to do it:
- Check out the list of volunteering authors below and visit their websites to see which ones might be a good fit for your students.
- Contact the author directly by clicking on the link to his or her website and finding a contact form or email. Please be sure to provide the following information in your request:
- Your name and what grade(s) you work with
- Your city and time zone (this is important for scheduling!)
- Possible times to Skype on March 7th.
- Your Skype username and a phone number where you can be reached on that day
- Please understand that authors are people, too, and have schedules and families just like you, so not all authors will be available at all times. It may take a few tries before you find someone whose books and schedule fit with yours. If I learn that someone’s schedule for the day is full, I’ll make a note of it here. (Authors, please let me know that if you can!)
World Read Aloud Day – Skyping Author Volunteers for March 7, 2012
Authors are listed in alphabetical order, along with publishers and the age groups for which they write. (PB=picture books, MG=middle grades, YA=young adult, etc.)
Amy Ackley
Viking Juvenile/Penguin USA
YA
http://www.amyackley.com
Simon and Schuster/Random House/Walker-Bloomsbury
MG fiction/PB/MG nonfiction
http://www.sarahalbeebooks.com Lisa Albert
Flux/Enslow
YA – fiction and nonfiction (plus PB and funny MG in-progress)
http://www.lisaalbert.com R.J. Anderson
Carolrhoda Lab (US) / HarperCollins (US/Canada) / Orchard (UK)
upper MG / YA (Ages 10+)
http://www.rj-anderson.com Alex Bledsoe (Writes for adults but will Skype w/ teens) http://alexbledsoe.com Mônica Carnesi
Nancy Paulsen Books
PB
http://www.monicacarnesi.com Jennifer Carson
L&L Dreamspell
MG
http://www.findawonder.com Stephanie Burgis
Atheneum Books
MG
www.stephanieburgis.com Loree Griffin Burns
Houghton Mifflin/Henry Holt
MG Nonfiction
http://www.loreeburns.com Samantha Combs
Astraea Press/Musa Publishing
YA and MG
http://www.samanthacombswrites.webs.com Carmela LaVigna Coyle
Rising Moon/Cooper Square/Taylor Trade/Rio Chico
PB
http://www.carmelacoyle.com Karen Day Random House MG http://www.klday.com Erin Dealey (Sorry- Erin’s WRAD schedule is full as of 1/30)
Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, Pearson, Unibooks
pb (plus chapt book, mg, & YA in progress)
http://www.erindealey.com Dianne de Las Casas (Sorry – Dianne’s schedule is full as of 2/23)
Pelican Publishing
PB
http://www.storyconnection.net Amy Feller Dominy Walker/Bloomsbury YA http://amydominy.com/ Laura Duksta Sourcebooks PB http://www.LauraDuksta.com Jody Feldman
HarperCollins/Greenwillow
MG
http://www.jodyfeldman.com Alison Ashley Formento
Albert Whitman & Company
PB
http://www.alisonashleyformento.com Margie Gelbwasser
Flux
YA
http://www.margiewrites.com Donna Gephart (Sorry- Donna’s WRAD schedule is full as of 2/15) Random House MG http://www.donnagephart.com. Linda Gerber
Puffin (Penguin Books for Young Readers)
YA/MG
http://lindagerber.com Terry Golson Scholastic PB http://www.terrygolson.com/ Stephanie Greene Putnam/Clarion Chapter books/MG stephaniegreenebooks.com Joan Holub Holt/Aladdin PB/MG http://www.joanholub.com Jacqueline Houtman
Front Street/Boyds Mills Press
MG
http://www.jhoutman.com Kara Lareau Harcourt/Roaring Brook PB http://karalareau.com/ Sarah Darer Littman
Puffin/Scholastic Press
MG/YA
http://sarahdarerlittman.com C. Alexander London
Philomel
MG-YA
http://www.calexanderlondon.com Nan Marino
Roaring Brook Press
MG
http://www.nanmarino.com Peter Marino Holiday House YA http://www.petermarino.sunyacc.edu/ Kate Messner ( Sorry…as of 1/15, Kate’s WRAD Skype schedule is full.)
Chronicle Books/Scholastic/Walker-Bloomsbury
PB/Chapter books/MG http://katemessner.com Saundra Mitchell
Houghton/Delacorte/HarperTeen
YA
www.saundramitchell.com
Note: Though Sandra writes for older readers, she says she’ll happily read other people’s picture books to elementary classes, too!
Mike Mullin
Tanglewood Press
YA
http://www.mikemullinauthor.com Richard Newsome
Walden Pond Press
MG
http://www.richardnewsome.com
Ammi-Joan (A. J.) Paquette
Tanglewood/Walker
PB/MG
http://ajpaquette.com J.L. Powers
Cinco Puntos Press
Young Adult Fiction
http://www.jlpowers.net Sarah Prineas HarperCollins (US), Quercus (UK, India, Aus) Middle grade http://www.sarah-prineas.com Kim Purcell
TRAFFICKED
Penguin/Viking Feb 2012
YA
http://kimpurcell.com Jenn Reese
Candlewick
MG
http://www.jennreese.com Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich Scholastic MG http://olugbemisolabooks.com/ Barb Rosenstock
Dutton/Dial
PB
http://www.barbrosenstock.com Lisa Schroeder
Sterling/Aladdin/Simon Pulse
PB/MG/YA
http://www.lisaschroederbooks.com Alan Silberberg
Aladdin/ Hyperion
MG fiction
http://www.silberbooks.com Ruth Spiro
Dutton
PB
http://www.ruthspiro.com Linda Urban
HoughtonMifflinHarcourt
PB/MG
http://www.lindaurbanbooks.com Greg van Eekhout
Bloomsbury Children’s Books USA
Middle grade
http://www.writingandsnacks.com Padma Venkatraman
Penguin Young Readers Group
MG/YA
http://www.padmasbooks.com Natasha Wing Holt/Running Kids PB/Chapter Books http://www.natashawing.com/ Kathleen Damp Wright
Barbour Books
MG
http://TheSaveSquad.com
For authors…
How to be added to this list: Are you a traditionally published author who would like to Skype into classrooms & libraries to read aloud to kids for free on March 7th? Just leave me a comment with your name, publisher(s), the age groups for which you write, and a website where teachers & librarians can find contact information. Please use this format to keep things simple:
Kate Messner Chronicle/Scholastic/Walker-Bloomsbury PB/Chapter books/MG www.katemessner.comFor teachers & librarians:
Are you new to Skype? Wondering how a Skype author visit works? Click here to read a blog entry about my students’ virtual visit with the fantastic Laurie Halse Anderson. It includes an overview of how a Skype chat with an author might work, as well as tips for teachers, librarians, & book club organizers to help your virtual visit run smoothly. Check out my SLJ feature, “An Author in Every Classroom: Kids Connecting with Authors via Skype. It’s the next best thing to being there.”
Thanks – and happy reading, everyone!
Hi Kate,
Once again, I’m amazed at your generosity about putting together an event like this. Since we got to talk with Laurel this fall about Bigger Than a Breadbox, I’d love to have you stop in on this read aloud day.
If you still have availabilities, let me know. I have 2 language arts classes, but could always work it out with my teaming partner to gather both groups together at same time if it makes it easier for you. Possible times for us:
11:45 – 12:45, 1:40 – 2:10, 3:10 – 3:50.
I teach in Dublin, Ohio (EST), and I teach language arts to 5th graders. Once you let me know if this can work, I’ll DM you with skype name and phone number.
Thanks again for the offer. Happy New Year!
Karen
Kate,
World Read Aloud Day was such a fantastic experience last year! I connected with the most amazing teachers, librarians and students. I’d be delighted to participate again. It will be fun to share a sneak peek of Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen a week before it comes out.
Here’s the info: Donna Gephart, funny MG fiction for Random House, perfect for upper elementary and middle school. http://www.donnagephart.com.
Kate, thanks for expanding the reach of World Read Aloud Day by organizing this wonderful opportunity for authors, teachers, librarians and students!
Thanks, Kate, I will pass this on to our school librarian as we haven’t yet skyped with an author and it is about time we did.
Great idea Kate! I love skyping with schools. Please add me to the list:
Erin Dealey (Twitter: @ErinDealey)
Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, Pearson, Unibooks
pbs– plus chapt book, mg, & YA in progress
http://www.erindealey.com
Great idea, Kate! I love skyping with schools. Please add me to the list:
Erin Dealey
Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, Pearson, Unibooks
pbs–plus chapt book, mg, and YA in progress
http://www.erindealey.com
What a great idea, Kate. Please add me to the list.
Nan Marino
Roaring Brook Press
MG
http://www.nanmarino.com
Thanks for the advance warning on this. Two months MAY be enough time to round up the technology for one classroom to see this. Sigh.
Super idea! I would love to be added to the author’s skype list for that day!
Barb Rosenstock
Dutton/Dial
picture books
http://www.barbrosenstock.com
Dianne de Las Casas
Pelican Publishing/Founder of Picture Book Month
PB
http://www.storyconnection.net
Dear Kate,
How nice of you to do this. I’ve skyped into schools after taking that lovely “class” you gave us at NESCBWI – “Skype me up Scottie” I think you called it and I’d love to be added to your list.
Thanks very much!
Padma Venkatraman
Penguin Young Readers Group
MG/YA
http://www.padmasbooks.com
I would love to participate! Please add me to the list as well:
Mônica Carnesi
Nancy Paulsen Books
PB
http://www.monicacarnesi.com
Thanks!
I’d love to participate and read from my debut novel, biographies, or in-progress picture books and middle grade novel. As a library assistant, I’m also interested in scheduling someone! 🙂
Lisa Albert
Flux/Enslow
YA – fiction and nonfiction (plus PB and funny MG in-progress)
http://www.lisaalbert.com
@LisaWrites4Kids on Twitter
Hey Kate–
Jennifer Fosberry of My Name is Not Isabella passed this along to me and I would love to participate! My picture books are I Love You More and You Are a Gift to the World. More information about my school programs is available here http://www.LauraDuksta.com/schoolvisits though I realize this will be primarily reading. Sounds great! Let me know if you need anything else from me. Have a Bright and Blessed 2012!
Keep Reading, Keep Shining!
Laura
Just added you, Laura – thanks for letting me know!
Kate!
So great of you to do this again. I had fun with this last year.
Thanks!
Jody Feldman
HarperCollins/Greenwillow
MG
http://www.jodyfeldman.com
Hi Kate – thanks for doing this! You rock!
Please can you add me to the author list? It’s also my birthday – and I can think of no greater way to celebrate than by promoting reading and literacy : )
Sarah Darer Littman (@sarahdarerlitt)
Puffin/Scholastic Press
MG/YA
http://sarahdarerlittman.com
Hi Kate – thanks for organizing this! I’m the author of “Tillie Lays an Egg”
Scholastic Press
My author page is here: http://www.terrygolson.com/
my book page is here: http://www.tillielaysanegg.com/
live-streaming cams on my chickens and goats here: http://www.HenCam.com
Would love to participate in this! Here is my info:
Margie Gelbwasser
Flux
YA
http://www.margiewrites.com
I’d love to participate in this. Thanks for doing this, Kate!
Greg van Eekhout
Bloomsbury Children’s Books USA
Middle grade
http://www.writingandsnacks.com
I’d love to be added to the list. Thanks, Kate!!
Jenn Reese
Candlewick
MG
http://www.jennreese.com
Thank you for this. I have been wishing to have an author visit in my classroom and you have inspired me to request such a visit for World Read Aloud Day.
Happy to hear it!
Sounds wonderful! Please add me to the list.
Carmela LaVigna Coyle
Rising Moon/Cooper Square/Taylor Trade/Rio Chico
PB (ages 3-8)
http://www.carmelacoyle.com
Mike Mullin
Tanglewood
YA
http://www.mikemullinauthor.com
Mike Mullin
Tanglewood Press
YA
http://www.mikemullinauthor.com
Thank you for offering this opportunity! It’s a win-win-win experience for all. Thanks again!
Heidi Bee Roemer
Henry Holt Books for Children/NorthWord Press
PB/Poetry/Nonfiction
http://www.HeidiBRoemer.com
Hi Kate- Just to let you know that my Skype visit has been booked! I’ll be at the La Canada Elementary School in Southern California. If the kids are lucky, it will be snowing here and they’ll get to see a New England winter (my backyard is wired for WiFi, so I can walk around out there with my iPad during the visit. Fun!)
Terry Golson (author of Tillie Lays an Egg)
Michael Scotto
Midlandia Press
PB/Chapter books/MG
http://www.michaelascotto.com
I’ve already got a couple visits lined up for the day, but I would love to fill up my date card. 🙂
I would love to participate! Please add me to the list.
Amy Ackley
Viking Juvenile/Penguin USA
YA
http://www.amyackley.com
Thank you!!!
Just added you, Amy – thanks for letting me know!
Re: Skype and World Read Aloud Day:
I write for young adults and have published with Holiday House.
I added you to the list, Peter – thanks for letting me know!
Hey Kate,
I’m a little late to the party, but would love to included on your list. Is it too late? This is such a wonderful idea–I’m just sorry I’m flying so far below the radar that I missed it until now.
Just added you, Amy – thank you for letting me know!
Hi Kate, I’m booked for my Skype visit. Please put a line through my name so that I don’t have to disappoint anymore teachers!
Kate,
I love this idea. Please add my name to your volunteer list.
Stephanie Greene
Princess Posey early chapter books (Putnam)
Owen Foote chapter books (Clarion
Sophie Hartley midde grade novels (Clarion
Moose and Hildy early readers (Marshall Cavendish)
This is most awesome. All the very best to everyone who’s participating – have fun!
Hi Kate,
After I added myself to the LitWorld guest readers list I forgot to ask you to add me to your list. I hope I’m not too late. Thank you so much for doing this again!
Jean Reidy
Bloomsbury and Disney Hyperion
Picture Books
What a wonderful idea! By any chance, do you have a similar endeavour for authors who write in other languages? I believe all the authors listed write in English. Please correct me if I am wrong 🙂
I do believe all these authors write in English – and while some of our books have been translated, we’re not necessarily fluent in those languages. Perhaps this is something we could work on for next time – I’ll ask the WRAD folks about it. Thanks for raising this issue!
Is this available in the uk? Or is there a uk version?
Yes – many authors can make their schedules work to Skype with the UK – just give it a try!
Kate, thank you for this opportunity.
My goal, as a mother and ex Teacher’s Aide, is to HOOK KIDS on READING
So far I have 11 published books.
My latest 4 are with Guardian Angel Publishing
3x are rhyming picture books.
1x is a young teen adventure set in the Aussie outback. ( I grew up in Australia but now live in Oregon)
Margot Finke
http://www.margotfinke.com
http://hookkidsonreading.blogspot.com/