Free Author Events for Summer Term 2023
10 May, 2023Beam a little author magic into your classroom in the remaining weeks of this summer term. Introduce your pupils to new books and authors to help create a buzz around books and reading before they head off for the long summer holiday. Or why not get ahead and book onto one of the events from the autumn literature festivals to help kickstart the new literacy year.
Summer term events
Take a look at the Scholastic Schools Live Programme for June and July. Author Kandace Chimbiri will be talking about her book The Story of the Windrush and the inspiring legacy of the Windrush pioneers to celebrate the 75th Windrush Anniversary on 22nd June. Join some of the contributing writers to Dear Nurse: True Stories of Strength, Kindness and Skill on 28th June to hear inspiring stories from their careers as nurses and midwives. Acclaimed author Leah Johnson will be introducing readers to her latest heroine, Ellie Engle, in a pre-recorded event to celebrate her debut middle-grade novel Ellie Engle Saves Herself on 28th June.
Sign up for a Puffin Virtual Visit from Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola on Friday 23rd June to hear how future astronaut and voracious bookworm Rocket takes a stand to save her local library in Speak Up!. Award-winning author/illustrator Ed Vere will be talking about what it means to be an artist and introducing his latest picture book The Artist on Friday 30th June.
Mr Dilly will be talking to a host of special guests for a Super Summer Special on 27th June. Jenny Pearson, Jamie Littler, Caryl Lewis, Jenny McLachlan and Jeffrey Boakye will be live on the day, plus there are exclusive pre-records from Phil Earle, GM Linton, Helen Rutter, Laura Ellen Andersen and Pooja Puri.
Join award-winning author Liz Flanagan on 27th June for a We Are All Storymakers interactive online session based on her Wildsmith series. Liz will talk about her sources of inspiration before inviting children to imagine, sketch and plan elements of a magical story of their own. Suitable for pupils aged 7-11.
Jump into The Breakfast Club Adventures: The Ghoul in the School with author Alex Falase-Koya for a spook-tacular Marcus Rashford Book Club virtual event from the National Literacy Trust on 28th June. Pupils aged 8-11 will have the opportunity to hear about the inspiration behind this ghostly tale, discover some top tips for mystery writing, and create their very own mystery story. There are also free teaching resources available to download that include a copy of the first chapter of the book.
Get ready for this year’s Summer Reading Challenge with Joe Wicks as he shares his love of reading and exercise in a Reading Agency virtual event for pre-schoolers and lower primary-aged children on 29th June.
ReadingZone Bookclub offers a programme of Friday afternoon events suitable for pupils aged 5-12. Still to come this term are Robert Muchamore, who will be introducing his latest Robin Hood adventure series on 30th June; and Natasha Farrant, who will be discussing themes of climate crisis and conservation in her latest novel The Rescue of Ravenswood on 7th July.
Join author Candy Gourlay for a BookTrust Represents online event on 7th July where she will talk about some of the characters she has created, they way they have shaped her stories, and share some tips on how to design characters that make you want to spend more time with them. Suitable for pupils aged 9-12.
Get involved in this term’s football-themed Reading Challenge from the National Literacy Trust and celebrate the start of the FIFA Women’s World Cup with a live event on 20th July featuring Lioness Leah Williamson and a range of footballing authors.
The recording of the June Authors Live event with Jenny Pearson is now available to view as part of the Authors Live on Demand library where you will find over 100 recorded events with authors, poets and illustrators for both primary and secondary schools.
Looking ahead to the autumn
Book one of the free online events from this year’s Baillie Gifford Schools Programme running from 21st – 29th August. All the online events can be watched live or on demand and there’s a stellar line-up that includes the shortlisted authors for this year’s YA Book Prize, co-author legends Sarah McIntyre and Philip Reeve, poet Laura Dockrill and bestselling author and two-time Olympian Matthew Syed.
The Reading Is Magic Festival offers a programme of free online author events for primary and secondary schools. This year’s festival runs from 2nd – 6th October and features big name authors such as David Almond, Joseph Coelho, Tracey Corderoy and Steven Lenton, Cressida Cowell, Catherine Doyle and Katherine Webber, Elle McNicoll and the shortlisted authors for the Adrien Prize, Angie Thomas and Harry Woodgate. Events can be watched live on the day or on demand until the end of the year.
If you are interested in hosting an in-person author event, don’t forget that Authors Aloud, Authors Abroad and Speaking of Books are all organisations dedicated to helping schools spark a love of reading by bringing young people and authors together.