Welcome to the home for Penguin Young Readers Group's author and illustrator appearances. We want to help you to bring someone great to your school or library, and everything here should help you do so easily.
Look below for an information sheet on planning visits, our author/illustrator listing, our author/illustrator request form, and more information you'll need once your visit is scheduled. Don't forget to check out our featured author of the month!
If you are interested in having an author or illustrator visit, take a look here to see what you need to know and how to make it happen! To see an example of a schedule for an author appearance, click here .
View our online listing here and choose out a few authors and illustrators you might be interested in hosting. Once you have a few authors in mind, please fill out the online request form here.
Once the event is scheduled and you have a finalized and signed contract, you'll need to get ready for your author appearance! You'll need to organize transportation, have equipment ready for the presentation, provide a schedule to the author/illustrator, and prepare the payment. You should also have books available to sell – we encourage you to go through a local bookseller, an institutional wholesaler (if you use one), or order directly from Penguin (find out how here)
Jim Arnosky, author of The Brook Book (Putnam, 2007) and Dolphins on the Sand (Putnam, 2008) is an accomplished presenter and has been making appearances at schools for many years. Look below for a clip of his presentation, a note from Jim, and a Q&A about what his appearances. You can also download a Brook Book Educator's Guide by clicking here.
If you are interested in having Jim Arnosky visit your school or library, please use the online request form or send an email to the Author Visits Coordinator by clicking
here with possible dates, your school name, location, details about the day, and your contact information.
Check back soon for a video featuring Jim Arnosky!
The purpose of my work is to get children to learn to love this world and all the marvelous creatures that inhabit it. There's a lot of science in what I do, but there's a lot of my heart in it as well. When I leave a school, the children and the librarians and teachers all have gotten to know me better and I have gotten to know them too.
We keep putting pins on a map to mark the places where we've been. It is covered with pins North, South, East and West. And we'd love to add a pin for your city or town.
—Jim Arnosky
Penguin: What is a typical appearance like with you?
Jim Arnosky: A one hour presentation consists of talking about some of my books, drawing a few pictures, singing and playing my guitar and telling a few adventures I have had while researching in the out of doors. Usually, there is time for students to ask some questions. For varying ages, I have varied age-appropriate presentations. But all have the same elements – stories, songs, drawings, and books.
Penguin: What can schools and libraries do to ensure a successful appearance?
Jim Arnosky: By making the students aware of my 106 books and by explaining to them that the author who is coming is also an artist who, along with his wife Deanna, researches all his paintings in the wild.
Penguin: Do you enjoy traveling to other parts of the country for appearances?
Jim Arnosky: We enjoy traveling. And we prefer making appearances to more than one school in an area. Many times a group of schools and libraries work in conjunction to bring me. Sometimes this is the best way for schools who can't afford an author visit on their own.
Penguin: What do you hope children will come away with from your presentation?
Jim Arnosky: My whole life took a turn toward travel, adventure, cultural and Nature study upon hearing the songs of the early folk groups. I hope to create this sort of life long passion in children with one of my books, songs, or a visit to their school.
Penguin: What was your most memorable appearance?
Jim Arnosky: My most memorable experience was a visit to a school on the military base in Fort Huachuca, Arizona. It was right near the Mexican border and far from the path most authors travel. Deanna and I drove a day to get there. When we arrived, one of the soldiers, a Navajo who had been waiting to see me, came up to me to thank me for all the wonderful books I've created that his children enjoy. That was enough to make my day. Then when the classes I spoke to each came into the library wearing Crinkleroot hats singing my Crinkleroot song, it brought tears of joy to my eyes. Thank you Fort Huachuca.
Do you have questions about an author visit or comments about this page? Please contact the author appearance coordinator.
