Ready, set, go - plan a visit!

Get Ready!
When you schedule presentations:
April will do up to three presentations a day, either talks or writing workshops. (The limit on writing workshops is about 50 just to give students a chance to share. No limit on talks.)
The ideal length of time for either a talk or a workshop is about 60 minutes.  Shorter can be done, but it's shorter. 
Allow for small breaks between sessions, but avoid large chunks of "down time." Most authors would rather keep up the momentum, instead of having an hour or more between sessions or an especially long lunch break.Take into account how long it might take for students to arrive and get settled.

Where should you have the presentation?

• Libraries are ideal - they have that "book atmosphere" and usually have nice acoustics and lighting.
• Auditoriums can also be good, but it can be a little more difficult to make a connection with hundreds of kids. 
• Cafeterias can work, although the acoustics can be iffy. 
• If April will be giving multiple presentations, try to do them at one location. It's difficult to move equipment from room to room quickly to set up for successive talks.

Decide if you want to sell books:

• If you are going to sell books, allow enough time to order books in advance. Some publishers need four to six weeks lead time.
• You can either work with Scholastic, a local bookstore or order directly from the publisher. April can give you more detailed information.  
• Most publishers offer a 40% discount to schools. Most allow unsold books to be returned (even with a signature as long as it's not personalized), so you won't be out the money if you order too many.
• If you work with a local bookstore, they might be willing to take on creating a flyer and handling money in exchange for selling books at full price. 
• Send home flyers at least a week before the visit. 
• Order some extra books for kids who are too shy or aren't organized and will want to buy signed books when April is gone.
• If you sell out of books, have April sign some Avery labels so that books can be ordered afterward and still have a signature inside.
• Allocate some time for book signing, and let April know if she needs to built it into her presentation. 

Set the stage for a successful visit at least a month in advance: 

• Make one of her books an all-staff read. This really ramps up the excitement. 
• Tell the students April is coming. It sounds obvious, but she once walked into a library and found that students didn't know who she was or why she was there. Nobody bothered telling them! 
• A genius idea I got from a librarian in Idaho - have students nominate themselves to be on the "April committee."  Then they can dream up and execute getting the word out, coordinating the event, welcoming the author, etc. It's a win-win. 
• Have students write down questions to ask at the end of the presentation. 
• Put her books on display in the school library. 
• Put a display of book covers up in the hallway.
• Have classes read the books and write book reports or think up questions to ask April. (You can find a discussion guide for Girl, Stolen here.)
• Have drama students perform reader's theatre of the first few pages of a book. 
• Throw a contest and have the winners receive autographed books.
• Have an art class make posters, banners, and bookmarks welcoming April. 
• Have a writing class make black-out poetry from one of her pages (instructions here). 
• Have a writing class write reviews of April's books.
• Arrange for the students on the school paper to interview April.
• If April is having lunch with a group of students, think about whom to invite. Don't just stick to the best students. With the right books, reluctant readers can become students who love to read..
• Call the local newspapers. Maybe they'll send a photographer and/or reporter to cover the event. If they don't, take pictures yourself and submit them. (Read an example of a recent newspaper story about April here.)

 

• Get Set!
• If April is herself to your school, give her careful directions, including where to park. Consider marking off a saved parking spot if parking is tricky. 
• Give her a phone number or two in case of emergency. 
• April needs projector that can connect to a computer and a screen. She will bring her computer and an adapter to connect it to the projector, as well as a clicker.  
• Have a microphone ready unless the room is really small.  
• Have a couple of bottles of water on hand. Talking is thirsty work! And in the afternoon, a Diet Coke or even a non-fate latte can help April keep her energy up. 
• If you want to give April treats to take back to her hotel room (especially if she is in the area for a long time), healthy treats make her feel better in the long run. 

Go!

• Make sure teachers stay with the students throughout the entire presentation to avoid April having to deal with discipline issues.  Some kids are going to act up. If a student is disruptive, have someone step in and take care of the situation. 
• Give April lunch, even if it's a cafeteria lunch. What is really fun is when the school chooses 10-35 kids (they don't have to be the best students who always get picked, but perhaps the kids you think will most benefit) and awards them "Lunch with the Author."  Set them up in a room with pizza or sandwiches. April always appreciates a Diet Coke (or even a latte!), because Portlanders like their caffeine. 
• Have her check ready on the day of the visit. Don't make April have to track somebody down at the end of the day and ask for the check. 
• There are a few things you can do that April might really appreciate:
  •  Invite educators from neighboring schools to watch the presentation.
  • If April does a good job, email her a letter saying so. It can be used to get future bookings.
  • Tell other principals, librarians, and teachers about a successful visit. And keep the kids informed when April's future books are published.

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