Skype with an Author on World Read Aloud Day!
Hi there! If you’re new to this blog, I’m Kate Messner, and I write books like these:
I also read lots and lots of books, and reading aloud is one of my favorite things in the world. When I was a kid, I was the one forever waving my hand to volunteer to read to the class, and still, I’ll pretty much read to anyone who will listen.
For the past couple years, I’ve helped out with LitWorld’s World Read Aloud Day by pulling together a list of author volunteers who would like to spend part of the day Skyping with classrooms around the world to share the joy of reading aloud. World Read Aloud Day 2013 is March 6th.
Some of you have already sent me notes asking if I’m available to Skype on that day, and I’m so sorry to tell you that I’m not this year – but for the very good reason that I’ll be reading to some kids in person at a school author visit in Vermont on that day. Instead, I’ll offer a sneak-preview video read aloud of two upcoming titles — HIDE AND SEEK (which is the sequel to my mystery CAPTURE THE FLAG and comes out April 1st) and MARTY MCGUIRE HAS TOO MANY PETS (which doesn’t come out until 2014, so I’ll be reading to you from the not-yet-edited draft. Cool, huh?) So if you’d like to share those with your students, just bookmark this page and stop back on March 6th, and the videos will be posted right here.
So now…on to the World Read Aloud Day Skype list! The authors listed below have volunteered their time to read aloud to classrooms and libraries all over the world. These aren’t long, fancy presentations; a typical one might go like this:
1-2 minutes: Author introduces himself or herself and talks a little about his or her books.
3-5 minutes: Author reads aloud a short picture book, or a short excerpt from a chapter book/novel
5-10 minutes: Author answers some questions from students about reading/writing
1-2 minutes: Author book-talks a couple books he or she loves (but didn’t write!) as recommendations for the kids
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 6th. Please note authors’ availability and time zones. Adjust accordingly if yours is different!
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 put a line through his or her name. (Authors, please let me know that if you can!)
World Read Aloud Day – Skyping Author Volunteers for March 6, 2013
Authors are listed along with publishers, available times, and the age groups for which they write. (PB=picture books, MG=middle grades, YA=young adult, etc.)
Anne Marie PaceDisney-HyperionElementary10-12 ESThttp://www.annemariepace.com Crissa-Jean Chappell Flux High School 10am-3pm EST http://crissajeanchappell.com
JoAnn Early Macken Disney-Hyperion, Candlewick Press, Holiday House Elementary 10 a.m.-2 p.m. CST http://www.joannmacken.com Laurel Snyder
Random House Books for Young Readers
K-5 EST
8 am- 2pm
http://laurelsnyder.com Erica S. Perl Random House/Abrams Elementary/Middle School 9am-12pm EST http://www.ericaperl.com Jody Feldman
HarperCollins/Greenwillow
Elementary/Middle School
8am-5pm CST
http://www.jodyfeldman.com Terry Golson ScholasticK-3 10 to 2 EST http://www.HenCam.com Lynn Plourde Dutton, S&S, Down East Elementary EST 9am-noon EST http://www.lynnplourde.com Alissa Grosso Flux High School & Middle SchoolAll day – ESThttp://alissagrosso.com Tricia Springstubb HarperCollinsElementary 10-2 EST http://www.triciaspringstubb.com Lori DegmanSimon & Schuster Elementary 1:00 – 6:00 CST http://www.Loridegman.com Karen Day Random House Elementary/Middle School11am-2pm EST http://www.klday.com
Donna GephartDelacorte Press/Random HouseElementary/Middle School9am-6pm ESThttp://www.donnagephart.com
Sarah Albee(Numerous publishers)Elementary/Middle School10am-3pm ESThttp://www.sarahalbeebooks.com DiannaWingetHarcourtElementary/Middle9am-2pmPSThttp://www.diannawinget.com Erin Dealey Atheneum/Sleeping Bear Press Elementary/Middle School 10am-6pm EST http://www.erindealey.com Sonia Gensler Knopf Middle School/High School 10am-3pm CSThttp://www.soniagensler.com
Nikki Loftin Penguin Older Elementary (Third Grade & up) 11am-2pm CST http://www.nikkiloftin.com Linda Joy SingletonLlewellyn/FluxMiddle/HS
Flexible times PST
http://www.LindaJoySingleton.com Tiffany Strelitz Haber Philomel/Penguin Elementary Time Zone 10am-4pm EST http://www.itsrhymetime.com Margo Sorenson Marimba Books/Just Us Books Elementary K-3 6 AM – 8 AM PST http://www.margosorenson.com Irene Latham Penguin & Macmillan Elementary/Middle School9am-1pm CST http://www.irenelatham.com Carol Weis Simon & Schuster Elementary 11am-2pm EST http://www.carolweis.com Hillary Homzie Simon & Schuster Elementary/Middle School9 am- 12 am PST http://www.hillaryhomzie.com Tami Lewis Brown Farrar Straus & Giroux Elementary 8:30- 2:00 ESThttp://tamilewisbrown.com Wendy Kitts Nimbus Publishing Elementary 9 am-7 pm PST http://www.wendykitts.ca Diane ZahlerHarper CollinsElementary/Middle12pm-3pm ESThttp://www.dianezahler.com Monica Carnesi Penguin/Paulsen Elementary10 am – 3 pm EST http://www.monicacarnesi.com Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic 4th-8th grade9:00AM-11:00AM EST http://www.olugbemisolabooks.com
Greg R. Fishbone Lee & Low Upper Elementary/Middle School Any time http://www.gfishbone.com Natasha Wing Grosset & Dunlap Elementary 9-11 MST http://www.natashawing.com Lizzie K. Foley Dial/Penguin Elementary/Middle School 9:30am-2pm EST http://www.lizziekfoley.com Tanya Lee StoneCandlewick/Henry Holt/PenguinElementary/Middle School/High School10am-2pm EST http://www.tanyastone.com Amy Guglielmo Sterling Pre-school/Elementary (up to 2nd grade)11am-2pm EST http://www.touchtheart.com Leslie Bulion
Peachtree,Charlesbridge
Elementary/Middle School
2-5pm EST
http://www.lesliebulion.com
Mark Jeffrey
Harper Collins
Middle School
Anytime – PST
http://markjeffrey.net Dori Hillestad Butler Albert Whitman/Peachtree/Grosset & DunlapElementary or Middle School 1:00pm-3:00pm CST http://www.kidswriter.com Carmela LaVigna Coyle Rising Moon/Taylor Trade Elementary 9am-2pm MST http://www.carmelacoiyle.com Shannon Delany St. Martin’s Press Middle/High School 9am-2pm EST http://www.ShannonDelany.com Ammi-Joan PaquetteWalker/TanglewoodElementary/Middle School10am-2pm ESThttp://www.ajpaquette.com J&P Voelkel Egmont USA Middle School 10am-1pm EST http://www.jaguarstones.com Melissa Wiley Simon & Schuster/Random House Elementary10am-2pm PST http://melissawiley.com Mina Javaherbin Candlewick/Disney Hyperion Elementary 8:30am-2pm PST http://minajavaherbin.com Kristin O’Donnell Tubb Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan Upper elementary and middle 10 am to 2 pm CST http://kristintubb.com W.H. Beck Houghton Mifflin Elementary/Middle School7-7:45, 12:15-12:45, 4:15-5 CST http://www.whbeck.com Joanne Levy Bloomsbury Middle SchoolElementary/Middle School8:30 EST – 10:30 EST http://www.joannelevy.com Jean Reidy
Bloomsbury/Disney Hyperion
Preschool/Elementary School
10 am – 5 pm EST
http://www.jeanreidy.com Melanie Hope Greenberg Penguin Elementary 9am – 12:00pm EST http://www.melaniehopegreenberg.com
Alison Alison Formento Albert Whitman & Company Elementary 1:00-4:00 pm EST http://www.alisonashleyformento.com Debbie Dadey Simon and Schuster/Scholastic Elementary
9:00-11:00 and 1:00-3:00 ESThttp://www.debbiedadey.com Cynthia Platt Tiger Tales Elementary 10am-1pm ESThttp://scribblingintheattic.com Frané Lessac Candlewick/Holiday House/Lee and Low Elementary/Middle School Author’s time zone: Australia +8 GMT 10:30- 11:00am EST http://www.franelessac.com
Happy reading, everyone!
“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
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