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Introduce Your Students to Authors

Many famous authors have birthdays in February, making this the perfect time to share a collection of resources related to well-known authors and their books! The first several websites highlight a single author, while the final few feature many authors and experiences. 

Grades K-6

Margaret Wise Brown

“Goodnight Moon” is a classic that most parents have read aloud to their children. Discover information about the author, Margaret Wise Brown. This easy-to-read biographical sketch discusses her life and her prolific writing talent.

Grades 8-12

Dr. Maya Angelou's Official Website

Dr. Maya Angelou's official website is dedicated to her remarkable accomplishments. Explore news, a biography, photo and video galleries (found under Celebrate 95 Years), and descriptions of the books and films of this remarkable best-selling author.

Grades 1-7

The World of Beverly Cleary

Ramona fans will celebrate this site! Watch the TODAY Show video celebrating Beverly Cleary's 100th birthday and discover a wealth of background information about her books. Share quizzes to see how well your students know the characters.

Grades K-7

Mem Fox: Teaching, Learning, Living

Hear Mem Fox read her stories and get advice and great examples of what to do when you read to children. This author's page has many good suggestions for promoting literacy and a love of reading, as well as writing your own picture book.

Grades 8-12

Jack London Online Collection

Explore this complete site highlighting Jack London. Find answers to frequently asked questions, photographs, a list of his works, lesson plans, and documents like letters, postcards, and telegrams related to his life and work.

Grades 7-10

S. E. Hinton

S. E. Hinton burst onto the literary scene with her book "The Outsiders," written when she was only 17. Her youth and relatable subject matter has always appealed to young readers. This website includes biographical information and more.

Grades 2-9

Avi

The homepage of the official site for juvenile and young adult writer Avi lists his books for everyone from early readers to young adults by genre or topic, such as biography, ghosts, adventure, and more. There’s also a Q&A with the author.

Grades 4-9

Lois Lowry

Find up-to-date information on Lois Lowry's speeches, her new works, her awards, and more. The photo gallery includes pictures of her home, family, travels, and friends. You can email Lois Lowry or read speeches she has given at various functions.

Grades K-7

Storyvoice

Step into the world of imagination as you participate in live storytelling sessions with children's authors that happen multiple times per week. Join the interactive experience as the featured author engages with the audience and answers questions.

Grades 5-9

Book Club for Kids

Take advantage of this weekly, 20-minute podcast for middle school students. Each podcast includes a discussion of a popular book, an author interview, and a celebrity reading. This site also has a wealth of other information.

Grades K-8

Writers Speak to Kids

Learn about techniques and the craft of writing from real authors in this series of videos. Choose from 17 short videos, each less than 5 minutes, that focus on an author and a specific craft, such as writing nonfiction. Each video includes a transcript.

Grades 2-8

Interviews With Children's Book Authors and Illustrators

Get to know your favorite children's and young adult authors and illustrators by seeing and hearing from them directly. Access videos on the site, download them to your device for listening on the go, or listen to them as a podcast.

This Week at TeachersFirst

Join us this Tuesday for our next free OK2Ask virtual workshop. We’re also sharing details about the TeachersFirst 2024 Spring Book Club, a professional learning article related to author studies, and a recent post from our Infusing Technology Blog.