Since 2001,
More than 90 author and illustrator volunteers have visited 200 Community Nights! Visiting authors read one of their books to families and engage students in a literacy- or art-related activity. Following the author’s presentation, he or she speaks separately to parents about their writing inspirations and aspirations, strategies for reaching a reluctant reader at home, and the author’s writing and publishing process. By the end of the night, authors personally sign books for families.
Each school hosts an Author Visit preview before the event to get students and school staff excited about meeting the author. Some schools decorate their hallways and plan classroom lessons around the author’s featured book.
During the pandemic, we incorporated Author Visits into our Family Room series. We are grateful to have worked with authors and illustrators such as Daniel Handler (AKA Lemony Snicket), Christine Platt, Courtney Davis, James Ransome, Fred Bowen, Sharon Langley, and many more. We also hosted a four-part interactive virtual workshop with Los Angeles Times Book Prize winning author Candace Fleming and Caldecott honored illustrator Eric Rohmann. In this series, families participated in writing exercises and discussed the importance of families writing stories together as a creative outlet.
If you are an author or illustrator interested in scheduling a volunteer visit to one of Turning the Page’s partner schools, please email Jason King.
Featured Authors & Illustrators
TTP is grateful for the many authors and illustrators who volunteer their time and talents to visit with our school communities. We are especially grateful to the Children’s Book Guild of Washington, DC for their partnership in the District and their generous author and illustrator members.
- Kwame Alexander
- Jane Yolan
- Jen Cullerton Johnson
- Debbie Levy
- Sharon Dennis Wyeth
- Courtney Davis
- Jason Reynolds
- Tonya Bolden
- Fred Bowen
- Cokie Roberts
- Erica Perl
- Susan Stockdale
- Adjoa Burrowes
- R. Gregory Christie
- David Miller
- Candace Fleming
- Eric Rohmann
- Janet Nolan
- Lisa Maggiore
- Aaron Reynolds
- Miriam Busch
- Larry Day
- Natasha Tarpley
- Corey D. Williams
- Christine Mapondera Talley
- Jocktavius Montford & Jailah Lewis
- Christine Platt
- Karen Leggett
- James Ransome
- Debbie Wiles
- Mary Quattlebaum
…and more!