10 reasons to book me for an author visit
It’s the National Year of Reading here in the UK and there’s no better way to enthuse students about picking up a book than an author visit. Hearing from the person who actually wrote the book, meeting a real author, and understanding a bit more about their inspiration and process can really bring the work alive and be the spark that’s needed for a young person to want to read it.
An author visit does represent an investment though and when budgets are tight, schools and libraries understandably want to make sure they’re getting bang for their buck. There are many brilliant authors out there offering events (and I’ve had the pleasure of seeing many of my contemporaries in action, delighting crowds of kids) but here are 10 things I think I personally can offer you…
1. I’ve got events (and books) suitable for every year group. From KS1 to KS5 there’s something for everyone. That means, if you’re a primary school, and if you can fit the whole of each key stage in the hall, all your students could experience an author visit in just a two-hour slot. If you’re a secondary, I could also talk to almost every year group in a four-hour session. I hope this helps make a visit as cost effective as possible with the maximum number of students reached.
Along with a kid squawking like a chicken, someone always gets married in ‘All the LOLs’ for KS2!
2. My events (and books) are all about reading for pleasure. If the kids are going to read, they need to want to read. I believe the books need to be as appealing and entertaining as any of the other things which vie for their attention. My events reflect that too – fun and energised, with everyone having a great time. When reading is connected to these good feelings, it becomes something we want more of.
3. I’ve a theatre background and use that for my events – they’re super fun and interactive, designed to hold the attention of every student. With a mix of comedy anecdotes, performed readings, interactive elements, contests with prizes, and dressing up (the latter for primary schools) I call these ‘events’ and not ‘author talks’ for a reason.
An interactive synopsis section from my ‘Own the Awkward’ event for KS3.
4. I also offer a range of writing workshops. Like the events, these are all about enjoyment and writing for pleasure. The workshops are carefully structured, and I guide students through the process, ensuring every one of them, whatever their ability, will be able to create some fantastic work.
5. You can mix and match the events and workshops for the time you book me for. Literally, whatever you want, whatever works for you and your students.
Kid happened to have the perfect coat – he had to be the chicken!
6. I make use of the power of laughter. Laughter puts people at ease; it breaks down barriers and shared laughter connects us. I use that to help tackle topics in my events that some people find difficult – like grief in Finn Jones Was Here, coming out as gay in Noah Can’t Even, and homophobia in Boy Like Me.
Y9 enjoying my awkward teenage stories in ‘Own the Awkward’.
7. On that note, yes, these events are all fun and high energy and about enjoyment, but they do also tackle some important topics and will open the door to further conversations with your students. Depending on their age, my books and events cover celebrating differences, equality, censorship and book banning, inclusivity, masculinity, friendship, LGBTQ+ topics, and having the courage to be yourself, rather than follow the crowd. None of those topics are covered in a didactic or heavy-handed way, but use laughter as a way in.
A demonstration of how to dress up for a Glamarama party at my Llama Glamarama event for KS1.
8. My events champion inclusivity. The secondary school events will mean a lot to your LGBTQ+ students and help them feel seen. But every student will get a lot out of them and won’t feel left out just because I’m talking about something they might feel doesn’t apply to them. I do this through telling stories from my own time as a teenager, helping them realise that however each of them might identify, we’re all going through the same sort of things, just in slightly different ways. And whether it’s my event for KS1 about celebrating our own differences and those of others, KS2 and not judging people, or KS3-5 and homophobia and censorship, my aim is to make them all see that the world is a nicer place to live when we take the time to understand we’re all different, and that’s OK, we don’t have to let people divide us, we can all get along and there’s space for everyone.
A busy signing session after one of my KS3 events.
9. There’s a lot of talk about male role models for students at the moment. Here’s what one teacher said of a recent visit I made to their Y10s:
“His speech was excellent as it was not only entertaining, but powerfully honest, compassionate and totally inclusive. He spoke to everyone in the room with conviction and passion, telling uncomfortable truths yet appealing to the basic decency and humanity of all. He was intelligent and articulate; I believe his message will have reached very many of our students in the hall and will make a difference, whether they are part of the LGBT community or not.
I particularly want to say that in the light of speakers coming in to school recently to address issues of masculine role models for our students, Simon James Green hit exactly the right note … I felt that Simon gave us a refreshing example of how a man can communicate without being patronising, sexist or excluding significant numbers of the audience.”
Always happy to pose for selfies and publicity shots, of course!
10. We’ll create a buzz around reading – I promise! Along with the events, which will get whole year groups buzzing, and the workshops, which are usually very special occasions for the selected students, I’m also happy to meet your library gang at lunchtime, or the LGBTQ+ society. We can do a book signing if you want to offer that, I’m happy to be interviewed for the student blog or podcast, and the whole day will be a celebration of the power of books and reading.
How does that sound? If you’re a teacher or librarian who would like to find out more, take a look at my school events page (link below) and do drop me a line if you’d like a talk further. Let’s get the kids reading in 2026!