Authors Who Skype With Classes & Book Clubs (for free!)
The following authors offer free 15-minute virtual chats with book clubs and classes that have read one of their books! (Most also offer more in-depth virtual visits for a fee.) To arrange a virtual visit, check out the authors’ websites for book choices and contact information.  Then ask for their books at your favorite bookstore or visit IndieBound to find a store near you!
For Picture Book & Young Chapter Book Readers 
Beth Anderson
Marsha Diane Arnold
Sarah Aronson
Mike Artell
Natascha Biebow
Deborah Blumenthal
Louise Borden
Donna Janell Bowman
Larry Dane Brimner
Leslie Bulion
Rachelle Burk
Nancy Castaldo
Tracey M. Cox
Katie Davis
Keila Dawson
Erin Dealey
Lori Degman
Elizabeth Dulemba
Kathy Duval
Carol Gordon Ekster
Jonathan Emmett
Jill Esbaum
Carol Gordon Esker
Julie Falatko
Terry Farish
Alison Ashley Formento
Julie Fortenberry
Sonia Clark Foster
Josh Funk
Laura Gehl
Kristin L. Gray
Jenna Grodzicki
Susan Hood
Laurie Jacobs
Lisa Jahn-Clough
Shelli R. Johannes
Rebecca C. Jones
Jacqueline Jules
Jess Keating
Jane Kohuth
Jane Kurtz
Kevin Kurtz
Lindsey Lane
Heather Lang
Kara Lareau
Tara Lazar
Gail Carson Levine
Nancy Tupper Ling
Deb Lund
JoAnn Early Macken
Wendy Martin
Sarah Jane Marsh
Jamie Michalak
Kate Narita
Christopher Silas Neal
Judy Carey Nevin
Kim Norman
Debbie Ridpath Ohi
Wendy Orr
Ammi-Joan Paquette
Erica Perl
Gina Perry
Annette Pimentel
Sally J. Pla
J.L. Powers
Candice Ransom
Elizabeth Raum
Jean Reidy
Mara Rockliff
Madelyn Rosenberg
Barb Rosenstock
Michelle Schaub
Jody Jensen Shaffer
Michael Shoulders
Amy Sklansky
Margo Sorenson
Ruth Spiro
Sarah Sullivan
Jane Sutcliffe
Jennifer Swanson
Debbie A. Taylor
Holly Thompson
Laurie Ann Thompson
Carmella Van Vleet
Nancy Viau
Stef Wade
Laurie Wallmark
Jennifer Ward
Lee Wardlaw
Dianne White
Robin YardiFor Middle Grade Readers (Ages 8-12)
Sarah Albee
John David Anderson
R.J. Anderson
Aubre Andrus
Kathi Appelt
Sarah Aronson
Hannah Barnaby
Tracy Barrett
Nora Raleigh Baskin
Dale Basye
W.H. Beck
Brooks Benjamin
Eric Berlin
Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
Julie Berry
Jenn Bishop
Megan Frazer Blakemore
Karen Blumethal
Ellen Booraem
F.T. Bradley
Larry Dane Brimner
Leslie Bulion
Tamara Bundy
Lisa Bunker
Stephanie Burgis
Rachelle Burk
Kathleen Burkinshaw
Dori Hillestad Butler
Rebecca Caprara
Caroline Carson
Nancy Castaldo
Jennifer Cervantes
Paula Chase
Samantha M. Clark
Melanie Conklin
Lindsay Currie
Debbie Dadey
Elisabeth Dahl
Tara Dairman
Danielle Davis
Katie Davis
Kenneth C. Davis
Karen Day
Julia DeVillers
Jill Diamond
Erin Dionne
Bonnie Doerr
Rebecca Donnelly
Gail Donovan
Jen Swann Downey
Kathleen Duble
Kathleen Duey
Brianna DuMont
Sarah Beth Durst
Peggy Eddleman
Terry Farish
Mary Cronk Farrell
Jody Feldman
Greg Fishbone
Jo Franklin
D. Dina Friedman
Kimberly Newton Fusco
Dee Garretson
Dan Gemeinhart
Karina Yan Glaser
Chris Grabenstein
Mike Graf
Kristin L. Gray
Amy Butler Greenfield
Danette Haworth
Mary Winn Heider
Bridget Heos
Tess Hilmo
Shannon Hitchcock
Bridget Hodder
Sara Lewis Holmes
Amanda Hosch
Jacqueline Houtman
Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Michele Weber Hurwitz
Mark Jeffrey
Janet Johnson
Terry Lynn Johnson
Rebecca C. Jones
Jess Keating
Lynne Kelly
Derek Taylor Kent
Rose Kent
Morgan Keyes
Kristen Kittscher
Jo Knowles
Jane Kurtz
R.L. LaFevers
Irene Latham
Jessica Leader
Lindsey Leavitt
Claire Legrand
Jarrett Lerner
Gail Carson Levine
Debbie Levy
Joanne Levy
Cynthea Liu
Nikki Loftin
C. Alexander London
Dayna Lorentz
Eric Luper
JoAnn Early Macken
Wendy McLeod MacKnight
Diane Magras
Andrew Maraniss
Leslie Margolis
Nan Marino
Sarah Jane Marsh
Laura Williams McCaffrey
Stephen McCranie
Robin Mellom
Laurie Morrison
Rita Murphy
Mahtab Narsimhan
Richard Newsome
Wendy Orr
Alexandra Ott
Ammi-Joan Paquette
Mitali Perkins
Erica Perl
Jen Petro-Roy
Sally J. Pla
J.L. Powers
Sarah Prineas
Katie Quirk
Candice Ransom
Elizabeth Raum
Laura Resau
Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
Yolanda Ridge
Anica Mrose Rissi
Mara Rockliff
Dee Romito
Madelyn Rosenberg
Susan Ross
Dianne Salerni
Augusta Scattergood
Laura Schaefer
Lisa Schroeder
Heidi Schulz
Rachel Searles
Adam Selzer
Liesl Shurtliff
Shari Simpson
Laurel Snyder
Margo Sorenson
Tricia Springtubb
Anna Staniszewski
Nanci Turner Steveson
Amy Stewart
Catherine Stine
Sarah Sullivan
Jane Sutcliffe
Jennifer Swanson
Elly Swartz
Erin Teagan
Holly Thompson
Laurie Ann Thompson
Melissa Thomson
Jennifer Trafton
Anne Ursu
Greg van Eekhout
Carmella Van Vleet
Nancy Viau
Rob Vlock
J and P Voelkel
Beth Vrabel
Lee Wardlaw
Cynthia Willis
Dianna Winget
Barry Wolverton
Barbara Wright
Robin Yardi
Karen Romano Young
Tracie Vaughn ZimmerFor Teen Readers
(Also check out the list of adult authors below; many also work with teens.)
Karen Akins
E. Kristin Anderson
R.J. Anderson
Ann Angel
Kathi Appelt
Heidi Ayarbe
Kim Baccellia
Pam Bachorz
Cyn Balog
Tracey Baptiste
Tracy Barrett
Janice Gable Bashman
Lauren Bjorkman
Deborah Blumenthal
Karen Blumethal
Sarah Rees Brennan
Larry Dane Brimner
Jessica Burkhart
Kay Cassidy
Angela Cerrito
Crissa-Jean Chappell
Paula Chase
Bethany Crandell
Mary Crockett
Ellen Dee Davidson
Kenneth C. Davis
Christa Desir
Stephanie Diaz
Jaclyn Dolamore
Kathleen Duble
Kathleen Duey
Sarah Beth Durst
Debby Dahl Edwardson
Terry Farish
Christina Farley
Beth Fehlbaum
Alison Ashley Formento
Megan Frazer Blakemore
D. Dina Friedman
Margie Gelbwasser
David Macinnis Gill
Lori Goldstein
Carla Gunn
Teri Hall
Brendan Halpin
S.A. Harazin
Sue Harrison
Cheryl Renee Herbsman
Jim C. Hines
Jennifer Hubbard
Jennifer Jabaley
Denise Jaden
Lisa Jahn-Clough
Christine Johnson
Jennifer Kam
Tara Kelly
James Kennedy
Jo Knowles
Daniel Kraus
Nina LaCour
Marie Lamba
Kristen Landon
Lindsey Lane
Mackenzi Lee
Claire Legrand
Anita Liberty
Catherine Linka
Sarah Darer Littman
Cynthea Liu
Dayna Lorentz
Amber Lough
Elisa Ludwig
Eric Luper
Sarah Maclean
Torrey Maldonado
Andrew Maraniss
Leslie Margolis
Peter Marino
Laura Williams McCaffrey
Kate McGovern
Neesha Meminger
Dawn Metcalf
Marissa Meyer
Lynn Miller-Lachman
Megan Miranda
Saundra Mitchell
Mike Mullin
Elisa Nader
Greg Neri
Patricia Newman
Caragh O’Brien
Sarah Ockler
Micol Ostow
Maria Padian
Ammi-Joan Paquette
Mark H. Parsons
Jackson Pearce
Ashley Perez
Mitali Perkins
Erica Perl
Amy Plum
Gae Polisner
J.L. Powers
Laura Resau
Beth Revis
Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
Emily Ross
Lena Roy
Amy Kathleen Ryan
Carrie Ryan
Dianne Salerni
Peter Salomon
Sydney Salter
Karen Sandler
Eliot Schrefer
Lisa Schroeder
Inara Scott
Adam Selzer
Kristina Springer
Alison Stine
Catherine Stine
Laurie Stolarz
Holly Thompson
Laurie Ann Thompson
Tiffany Trent
Melissa Walker
Lee Wardlaw
Carly Anne West
Amy Brecount White
Kathryn Williams
Elaine Wolf
Mary Rose Wood
For Adult Readers
(Also check out the authors listed above; middle grade & teen novels can be great book club selections!)
Michele Albion
Alma Alexander
Amy Alkon
Christa Allan
Charlene Ann Baumbich
Sandra Gulland
Carla Gunn
Sue Harrison
Gail Carson Levine
M.M. Holaday
Sarah Maclean
Andrew Maraniss
Louise Mathewson
Maryann McFadden
Kitty Morse
Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich
Kelly Simmons
Garth Stein
Amy Stewart
Holly Thompson
Gwendolyn Zepeda

The story that went viral earlier this year about the teacher who had the genius idea of installing a basket of books on her school’s bus has a crucial message behind it: Small acts can have a big impact when it comes to fostering a culture of reading in your school and community. When we let students know that reading is worthwhile and empower them to experience it joyfully, it creates a chain reaction of literacy learning. Here are 25 of our favorite strategies for fostering a reading culture.
Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!

1. Leave reminders about books everywhere.

Whether it’s on your classroom bulletin board, or in the hallway, or even on the wall clock, dropping not-so subtle hints about great books gets students’ attention.
Source: @weareteachers

2. Make sure actual books are everywhere, too. Display books attractively in all areas of your classroom to highlight their many uses. Little kids can use books as pretend play props—baby dolls love bedtime stories! Kids of all ages will be intrigued if you leave a field guide near the window for birding or with a cool rock or shell collection.

3. Make your classroom library a sacred—and accessible—space.

Make sure your library is organized to allow kids to get in, find a great book, and get reading immediately. For tons of insight about effective classroom library setup, we’re loving the professional book It’s All About the Books: How to Create Bookrooms and Classrooms that Inspire Readers by Tammy Mulligan and Clare Landrigan.
Source: @sunshineandchalk

4. Ditch the level labels. Yes, it was standard practice at one point to organize classroom library titles by level, but this approach is outdated. Organize your library by topic, author, or genre instead to encourage readers to choose books they will love.

5. Stay up to date on the best books.

There will always be classroom classics that every kid should read, but kids gravitate to what looks fresh and new. Replace worn or dated titles, assess your library regularly for representation, and celebrate new releases and book arrivals as notable classroom events. (Do you need to brush up on the newest, best titles to share with students? WeAreTeachers’ book list archiveshave you covered.)

6. Share those recos.

Source: Bookriot
Create a community in which readers recommend books to each other in visible ways. Create a What I’m Reading bulletin board, highlighting picks from teachers and other school staff (the more unexpected, the better) to model lifelong reading for students. Peer recommendations pack incredible currency, so make sure you have an ongoing way for kids to promote their favorites. (It doesn’t have to be fancy to be effective.)

7. Give lots of book talks. Hearing someone rave about a book immediately makes it more appealing. Give frequent book talks to highlight titles for kids.

8. Dial up the fun factor.

Gimmicks tend to work with kids. Add a fun reading-themed element to your school to spark excitement about books. This book vending machine got rave reviews from kids. Repurpose an old gumball dispenser into a poem vending machine or make your own from recycled materials.
9. Read aloud to all ages. What’s the one practice that should happen in classrooms at every grade level (plus, we’d argue, at assemblies, faculty meetings, and parent events, too)? Reading aloud. You’re really never too old to enjoy being read to, and reading aloud a compelling title is one of the BEST ways to promote enjoyment of books. To get re-inspired, check out The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction by the Wall Street Journal children’s book reviewer Meghan Cox Gurdon.

10. Make reading a social activity. Reading is a solitary pleasure, but reading in a community makes it even better. Ask compelling questions and give kids plenty of low-stress opportunities to talk about books. How about encouraging Lunch Bunch book clubs?

11. Try a whole-school read.
There’s a special connection created by shared book experiences. Scale this phenomenon. Elementary school classes can all read aloud the same title. Classics like E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web appeal to a wide range of ages and have curriculum tie-in possibilities for any grade. Middle and high schools can select a title everyone reads to provoke important community conversations and build empathy. Check out the One School, One Book program website for ample resources.
Source: @busybrizzywithfirsties

12. Incorporate literacy into your morning announcements. Get kids to stop chatting and start listening to the announcements with a fun literacy-themed component each day. Share a quote from a favorite book or book trivia fact. Or, share a joke of the day to build vocabulary and show students the fun of word play.  

13. School leaders, be literacy leaders. School administrators set the tone in a school in so many ways. Make sure authentically promoting reading is one of them. Be that principal who’s always carrying a book around, excited to talk about it with students. Be that principal who invites students into your office to browse your principal’s bookshelf or pick out a book to keep as a birthday treat.

14. Connect kids with authors. It’s so powerful for kids to realize that books are created by real people. In-person author visits can be expensive, but virtual visits are a fantastic option. Author Kate Messner offers an extensive list of authors who Skype with classes for free. Writing to authors can also be a powerful exercise for kids. This post has some helpful tips.  

15. Make it reading for the win.
Everyone’s loving the March book madness ideas on social media, but you don’t need to stop there. Organize a book pennant race during the World Series, a book Super Bowl (who will play the halftime show?), or host the Library Olympics à la Mr. Lemoncello. Who says reading can’t be a sport?
Source: @ramonarecommends

16. Roll out the red carpet.
Source: Patch.com
Participating in a book award process as a class or school generates excitement about great titles and builds community around reading. Join in with one of the many state book award programs, submit a class nomination for the Nerdy Book Awards, or create your own. Do it up right: paparazzi, a red carpet, sunglasses, and feather boas are totally appropriate when you announce the big winners.

17. Take on a challenge. A good challenge can build intrinsic motivation for reading. (Plus, checking off items on a list IS a reward, as to-do list addicts everywhere know.) Challenges can also encourage readers to try out books they might not otherwise have chosen. Brightly is a reliable resource for monthly reading challenges, or create your own.

18. Tap into the power of social media. There are lots of ways to use Insta, Twitter, and Snapchat to get kids excited about reading and connect with the wider reading community. Have kids join the #bookstagrammer ranks to recommend books to others or create fake profiles for book characters. Even the act of publicly logging page-number progress or books read on a book-driven social platform like Goodreads can be motivating.

19. Change it up with theme days. Inject a little novelty into reading time by planning special themed reading days. Grabbing a flashlight to curl up and read in a blanket fort on pajama day is a perennial favorite. You could also try a reading picnic outdoors, a book-themed treasure hunt in which the treasure is a stack of new books for your classroom library, or a fractured fairy tale day.

20. Host a community read aloud day.
What’s even more exciting than a teacher reading aloud a fantastic book? A firefighter reading it. Or a police officer. Or a local athlete, news anchor, or even a notable school face like the custodian or a favorite bus driver. Put the call out for volunteers to grab their favorite titles and spend time sharing them in classrooms.
Source: @theextraelementaryteacher

21. Celebrate book holidays. There are plenty of other reading-themed celebration days in addition to Read Across America Day. How about bringing World Book Day to your school and ask everyone to dress up as a favorite book character? Or honor Día, (Children’s Book Day), a national celebration that promotes literacy for children from all backgrounds. Need more ideas? This month-by-month list of book-themed holidays has plenty.

22. Get books in kids’ homes. The power of book ownership is unparalleled for kids. Host a book giveaway event with your school’s book fair to make sure all kids get to bring home new books, even if they can’t buy them. Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp’s book Game Changer! Book Access for All Kids has tons more ideas for getting books in kids’ hands (plus lots of online resources you can unlock with a hard copy purchase).

23. Celebrate libraries of all sizes.
Source: littlefreelibrary.org
You can’t beat the charm of a Little Free Library . Involve students in bringing one to your school or other community location, or create a list of existing local ones kids can seek out. Give your public library every shout out possible, too. Meet with your local librarians to determine barriers to kids’ public library use and work together to overcome them.

24. Provide virtual read-aloud alternatives.
Of course, there’s no perfect substitute for a snuggled up, in-person read aloud, but if you’re worried students don’t have anyone to read to them at home, offer an online substitute. The Internet loves Texas principal Dr. Belinda George, who hosts the Tucked-in Tuesday read aloud for her students each week via Facebook Live. Check out the WeAreTeachers Storytime series, too! 

25. Highlight and support literacy champions in your wider community.
Source: Barbershop Books
We love hearing stories of literacy-themed community programs, like barbershops stocked with books, or efforts to bring books to places kids tend to hang around waiting, like the laundromat. Identify places where your students spend out-of-school time and offer to partner with community members to get kids reading when they’re not in class.

Teacher/Librarian Tips
​
By Michelle Luhtala and Dan Ambrosio | February 12, 2013

​Not everything you need to know about school librarianship is taught in graduate school. No matter how comprehensive the training for school library certification is, there are a few aspects of teaching that may still surprise you. What follows is a top 10 list of what to expect as a newbie school librarian—areas in which you may have little training, despite colleagues’ assumptions that you, the rookie, have mastery.
Number 10: Assume the best. With the exception of Montana, every state in the union has passed antibullying legislation since 1999. These laws mandate teachers to report incidences of bullying, intimidation, and harassment. While this may seem logical, new teacher librarians may not always find it easy to understand the developmental idiosyncrasies of student interactions. Distinguishing bullying from other behaviors can prove challenging, and overreporting can undermine collegial partnerships and students’ receptiveness to library services.
Number 9: Be flexible. Most flexibly scheduled school librarians do not have access to special education students’ individualized education plans and therefore are often unfamiliar with these students’ diagnoses and recommended accommodations. But in inclusive instructional settings, school librarians teach all students, sometimes with limited support from special education teachers. Although this is beginning to change, too many K–12 librarians still have to intuit students’ instructional and socioemotional needs and then modify lesson plans.
Number 8: Set measurable goals. Incentivized by the Race to the Top federal education grant program, teacher evaluation are, in many instances, based on student achievement on standardized tests—tricky business for a teacher librarian. Although studies demonstrate the positive impact of one or more school librarians on achievement, teacher evaluations require school librarians to provide a measurable correlation between their work and their students’ success. This requires careful planning, goal setting, and pedagogical work.
Number 7: Build community. Seldom is there more than one school librarian assigned to a given building. Cultivate a professional learning community within and beyond your district to offset that isolation.
Number 6: Master the standards. Learn standards such as Common Core State Standards, American Association of School Librarians’s Learning For Life, the International Society for Technology in Education’s National Educational Technology Standards, and the Partnership for 21st Century Learning—all critical in K–12 education. Most states also have their own standards, and districts have their own curricula. School librarians who develop expertise quickly emerge as district leaders.
Number 5: Publish and flourish. Those who share online what they learn, as well as what their students are accomplishing, are likely to earn recognition and build stronger partnerships.
Number 4: Promote and protect. School librarians are expected to embed digital citizenship, profile management, and online safety into the core curriculum. Promote your programs through participatory platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter effectively models sound profile management practices for learners.
Number 3: Connect learners. Twenty-first-century learning calls for communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. When school librarians connect students with other learners, teachers, and experts, they give students a chance to hone those skills.
Number 2: Be the solution. New school librarians know they are instructional partners, but until teachers perceive the them as facilitators, they will tend to refrain from collaborating at all. Establishing relationships can be slow and frustrating work for a rookie librarian.
Number 1: Balance the old and the new. Some traditional responsibilities—cataloging, for example—are more important than ever in the digital landscape. Of course, there are also new responsibilities—also driven by technological innovation, such as helping teachers find the right tool for an instructional objective—that are now part of school librarians’ workload.