School Author Visits in the UK and abroad
Over the past six years, Company Director, Trevor Wilson, has been co-ordinating school author visits, Festivals, and theatre shows in the UK and abroad with some of the UK’s most highly respected children’s authors, poets and illustrators.
Contents
Our Mission
What We Do
What We Offer
Key Booking Features
What Schools Are Saying About Us
Book Samples
Publishing Department
Our mission
Our mission is to provide the highest quality inspirational school author visits from some of the UK’s leading educators that will enhance and support the quality of education provided in your school.
From Bradford to Bangkok, Derby to Dubai, Birmingham to Brazil and everywhere else in between, Authors Abroad co-ordinates more than 2,000 UK school visits and more than 300 international schools visits around the world, inspiring children from over 50 nationalities about reading and writing.
Work in the UK - What We Do
• We plan all school author / poet visits working closely with each school to meet their individual needs – this may involve working with just one year group or working across different Key Stages
• We provide information sheets on each author, poet etc; and provide letters to go out to parents informing them of the visit – this usually includes information on book signing as well
• We provide sample plans of what a typical school day would involve – i.e. a large school presentation followed by a series of workshops. We put schools in direct contact with the visiting author to plan the finer details of the visit
• For the majority of our authors we arrange for books to be brought to the school or they will bring books on the day themselves
• We cater for all age groups from KS1 to KS4 and match individual authors, poets to specific target groups.
• The majority of our authors are also able to offer inset days for staff or twilight training sessions after school
• If we are unable to meet your specific requirements for an individual author (mainly due to unavailable dates) we can offer a range of suitable alternatives
• We are able to offer ‘authors in residence’ courses, working with a school over a longer period of time
• We are able to put together a bespoke package of authors-poets-illustrators working together for a specific Book Week in your school or provide someone for that ‘special event’
• We take care of all invoicing relating to individual visits
• The Authors Abroad team have a wealth of knowledge regarding our authors and we are always available to give help or advice to make sure your day runs smoothly.
• Our aim is to take as much of the load off the shoulders of the hosting school as possible. Ring us at any time!
Work overseas (Authors Abroad) - What We Do
Since starting work with overseas schools more than five years ago, this side of our work has grown out of all recognition – we are now the leading provider of author visits to International Schools from the UK. At the moment Authors Abroad works with over 300 International Schools from Vietnam to Brazil and China to Russia. We have built up a loyal network of schools who rely on Authors Abroad to supply top quality author visits.
• Authors Abroad work closely with individual schools to make sure that all expectations and specific needs are met – this can be quite challenging in International Schools due to the variety of nationalities catered for and the level of English of the children we work with
• We try to provide authors / poets etc who can work across different Key Stages from primary to secondary
• We often provide in service training sessions as part of the visit or after school presentations to the parental body – a valuable part of any author visit!
• Authors Abroad often take care of travel arrangements (visas if required) and accommodation depending on the nature and length of the visit. This can be very time consuming for librarians and Heads of Department
• Authors Abroad arranges the shipping of books from the UK prior to the arrival of the visiting author – this aspect of our service is much valued by our school hosts. We work with the UK’s top shipping agency of books worldwide as well as many companies based in the host countries
• Information about the authors is sent out to each school and sample letters for parents about the visit and the book signing opportunity are also included
• Fees are kept to a very ‘sensible’ level and are regarded as the most competitive available – that’s why we are rebooked year on year. Individual packages can be discussed so that prices include all travel, accommodation and the shipping of books (this is what we normally do)
• We are happy to provide recommendations from any school we have visited and encourage new schools to do this
• All schools are invoiced ahead of the visit and clear banking details are provided regarding overseas money transfers
• We often ring schools direct and discuss the finer points of every visit to make sure all will run smoothly – there is always someone to talk to at Authors Abroad for any reassurance required
• Authors Abroad also works extensively with British Council and with major overseas organisations (ECIS, African International Schools Association, COBIS etc) in providing key note speakers at Conferences or Festivals
What We Offer
• Professional people who are highly regarded and experienced
• Presentations / workshops to suit all age groups
• Inspiring, interactive presentations for large groups
• Stimulating workshops for smaller groups
• In-service training for staff / parents
• Extended residency work
• Personalised book signing
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Key Booking Features
• All the people we work with can offer half day or full day school author visits and occasionally weeklong residencies in a school
• All age groups are catered for: from ages 1-101!
• Group sizes are not a problem – all of our team are highly experienced and enjoy working with groups of 100 to 500 people
• Affordable fees. These vary from author to author – please contact us to discuss
• Most special requirements can be met if we are informed well in advance
• We provide publicity material for each author to help you spread the word prior to a visit
• Free book signing. All visitors bring books with them on the day of their visit and are happy to personalise copies for the children.
• We are happy to provide contact details of previous schools visited – word of mouth is our best form of recommendation!
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What Schools Are Saying About Us
"The talk around the school, in this day of budget cuts and limited money for enrichment activities, has not been 'that was good' but 'we must get him back, that was amazing.' I can honestly say through the rhythm, dynamics, enthusiasm and poetry of Donavan, every child who met him was touched and responded - a big deal in our school.
Thank you."
– Kylie Cederblad, The Foreland School (a school for profound, severe or complex learning difficulties), Broadstairs, Kent, UK
"Our author's visit was a huge success and all of the children had a lovely day. Thank you again for organising a wonderful day."
- Milly Cogan, Literacy Coordinator, St Peter & St Paul C of E Primary School, Leicester, UK
“Your team do a fantastic job to ensure that poetry (and Literacy in general) can be a lot of fun! It has been a pleasure. Your company is very efficient and easy to work with...which makes our job much easier! Many thanks from all of us.”
- Eimear Davis, Deputy Head Teacher, St. Mary's Catholic Primary School, Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK
“Our day was excellent. The children particularly enjoyed the whole school performance and it was great to see all children (and staff!) participating with enthusiasm. The poetry workshop sessions allowed every single child to achieve and they all produced a poem to be proud of, many of which are now copied out and displayed in classrooms. A super day! Thank you!”
- Nicky Aston, Headteacher, Eastern Green Junior School, Coventry, UK
“Thank you so much for arranging a visit to us today. The author was absolutely fantastic- both staff and children had a wonderful time. I would be happy to recommend her to other schools, as everyone involved in the day was very impressed. All the juniors were talking of nothing else and the year four's, who took part in the workshop, were especially proud of the poems which she helped them to write. Thank you so much for a great day!”
- Stephanie Chatfield, Literacy Coordinator, St. Thomas More Catholic School, Chatham, Kent, UK
“A huge thank you for yesterday's workshop - the author went down a storm! The pupils wouldn't let him leave as they all wanted his autograph! Many thanks again - I'm sure we'll be contacting you again in the future!”
- Charlotte Cantwell, Literacy Coordinator, Tranmere Park Primary School, Leeds
Book Samples
If you would like to purchase copies of the books written by any of our authors, please click here to find out how to contact us and we will arrange for shipment of books within a few days.
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Publishing Department
Authors Abroad has continued to grow its own publishing company, Caboodle Books.
Year on year Caboodle Books has increased its imprint and now has an extraordinary catalogue of books and distinguished authors such as Brian Moses, Val Bloom MBE, Chris White, Alan Gibbons, Terry Caffrey, Nick Toczek, Ian Billings, Rob Parkinson, Liz Million, Donavan Christopher and Roy Apps to name but a few.
All books published by Caboodle Books are done on a jointly owned basis between the author and Caboodle Books. This unique method of publishing allows the author to retain full control of his/her books and also makes the publishing costs very affordable. Sale of the books is given a huge amount of support due to the fact that Caboodle Books is able to sell the books online as well as directly to the schools that the author visits.
If any new author / poet would like to discuss this in more detail please phone Trevor Wilson on +44 (0) 1535 656015, or email him at trevor@caboodlrbooks.co.uk
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