Activities

Free Virtual Visits with Soaring ‘20s Authors for World Read Aloud Day

Mark your calendars for February 7, 2024 — it’s World Read Aloud Day! 

LitWorld started World Read Aloud Day (WRAD) in 2010 to honor the power and joy of reading. To celebrate, authors and illustrators come together each year to offer virtual classroom visits around the world. 

Several Soaring ‘20s authors and illustrators still have spots available (see below). 

Most virtual visits go something like this:

1-2 minutes: Creator introduces themself and talks a little about their books.

3-5 minutes: Creator reads aloud a short picture book, or a short excerpt from a chapter book/novel

5-10  minutes: Creator answers a few questions from students about reading/writing.

1-2 minutes: Creator book-talks a couple books they love (but didn’t write/illustrate!) as recommendations for the kids.

Before you sign up, most authors request you have the following available.

  • School name, grade level/teacher name, and approximate number of students

  • Platform (ex. Zoom, Google Meet, Skype)

  • Cell phone number for day-of-event emergencies

NOTE: Please pay attention to each creator’s time zone when scheduling. We are located across the US!

To check availability and/or schedule with an individual creator, click on the links below.


Lindsay H. Metcalf

Sign-up link

Book: Outdoor Farm, Indoor Farm

8:30 am-2:50 pm Central Time


Angela Burke Kunkel

Sign-up link

Book (choose one): Digging for Words: José Alberto Gutiérrez and the Library He Built, Penguin Journey, or Make Way: The Story of Robert McCloskey, Nancy Schön, and Some Very Famous Ducklings

8:30 am-3:30 pm Eastern Time


Susan Kusel

Sign-up link

Book: The Passover Guest

8 am-2 pm ET


Candy Wellins

Sign-up link

Book: A Geoduck Is Not A Duck

9:30 am-3 pm CT


Patricia Newman

Sign-up link

Book (choose one): Any of my recently published titles

7:00 am-1:30 pm Pacific Time


Melanie Ellsworth

Sign-up link

Books: Clarinet and Trumpet, Hip, Hip…Beret!, and Battle of the Books

9:30 am-1:20 pm ET


Isabella Kung

Sign-up link

Books: No Fuzzball! and No Snowball!
9 am-1 pm PT

Free Virtual Visits on World Read Aloud Day 2022

Top row, l-r: Kelly Carey, Margaret Greanias, Kjersten Hayes, Kirsten W. Larson
Bottom row, l-r: Colleen Paeff, Julie Rowan-Zoch, Candy Wellins, M.O. Yuksel

Mark your calendars for February 2, 2022 — it’s World Read Aloud Day! 

LitWorld started World Read Aloud Day (WRAD) in 2010 to honor the power and joy of reading. To celebrate, authors and illustrators come together each year to offer virtual classroom visits around the world. Several Soaring ‘20s creators still have spots available.

Most virtual visits go something like this:

  • 1-2 minutes: Creator introduces themself and talks a little about his or her books.

  • 3-5 minutes: Creator reads aloud a short picture book, or a short excerpt from a chapter book/novel

  • 5-10  minutes: Creator answers a few questions from students about reading/writing.

  • 1-2 minutes: Creator book-talks a couple books they love (but didn’t write/illustrate!) as recommendations for the kids.

Before you sign up, most authors request you have the following available.

  • School name, grade level/teacher name, and approximate number of students

  • Platform (ex. Skype, Zoom, Google Meet)

  • Cell phone number for day-of-event emergencies

NOTE: Please pay attention to each creators’ time zone when scheduling, as we are located across the U.S.!

To check availability and/or schedule with an individual creator, click on her name below.

Kelly Carey

Book: HOW LONG IS FOREVER?
9 a.m.-4 p.m. Eastern

Margaret Greanias

Books: AMAH FARAWAY or MAXIMILLIAN VILLAINOUS
9:30 a.m.-1:45 p.m. Pacific

Kjersten Hayes

Book: THE ELEPHANTS’ GUIDE TO HIDE-AND-SEEK
8 a.m.-2 p.m. Pacific

Kirsten W. Larson

Books: A TRUE WONDER or WOOD, WIRE, WINGS
11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Eastern

Colleen Paeff

Book: THE GREAT STINK
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Eastern

Julie Rowan-Zoch

Books: I’M A HARE, SO THERE! and LOUIS
8 a.m.-1 p.m. Mountain

Candy Wellins

Books: THE STARS BECKONED and SATURDAYS ARE FOR STELLA
9 a.m.-4 p.m. Central

M.O. Yuksel

Book: IN MY MOSQUE
8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Eastern

Soaring '20s on World Read Aloud Day

Mark your calendars for February 3, 2021 — it’s World Read Aloud Day! 

LitWorld started World Read Aloud Day (WRAD) in 2010 to honor the power and joy of reading. To celebrate, authors and illustrators come together each year to offer virtual classroom visits around the world. This year, teachers and librarians have their pick of 15 Soaring ‘20s creators!

Most virtual visits go something like this:

  • 1-2 minutes: Creator introduces themself and talks a little about his or her books.

  • 3-5 minutes: Creator reads aloud a short picture book, or a short excerpt from a chapter book/novel

  • 5-10  minutes: Creator answers a few questions from students about reading/writing.

  • 1-2 minutes: Creator book-talks a couple books they love (but didn’t write/illustrate!) as recommendations for the kids.

Before you sign up, most authors request you have the following available.

  • School name, grade level/teacher name, and approximate number of students

  • Platform (ex. Skype, Zoom, Google Meet)

  • Skype name or link to virtual meeting

  • Cell phone number for day-of-event emergencies

NOTE: Please pay attention to each creators’ time zone when scheduling, as we are located across the U.S.!

To check availability and/or schedule with an individual creator, click on her name below.


Angela Burke Kunkel

(DIGGING FOR WORDS):
FULLY BOOKED

WRAD+Angela.jpg

Candy Wellins

(SATURDAYS ARE FOR STELLA):
FULLY BOOKED

WRAD Candy.jpg

Carrie Finison

(DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS/
DON’T HUG DOUG):
FULLY BOOKED

WRAD Carrie.jpg

WRAD Elisa.jpg

Elisa Boxer

(THE VOICE THAT WON THE VOTE): Noon-1 p.m. ET


Kelly Carey

(HOW LONG IS FOREVER?):
9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. ET

WRAD Kelly.jpg

WRAD+Kirsten.jpg

Kirsten W. Larson

(WOOD, WIRE, WINGS):
11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. ET


WRAD Kjersten.jpg

Kjersten Hayes

(THE ELEPHANTS’ GUIDE TO HIDE-AND-SEEK):
FULLY BOOKED


WRAD+Lindsay.jpg

Lindsay H. Metcalf

(BEATRIX POTTER, SCIENTIST/NO VOICE TOO SMALL/ FARMERS UNITE!):
FULLY BOOKED


WRAD+Isabella.jpg

Isabella Kung

(NO FUZZBALL!):
FULLY BOOKED


WRAD Joana.jpg

Joana Pastro

(LILLYBELLE, A DAMSEL NOT IN DISTRESS): FULLY BOOKED


WRAD+Julie.jpg

Julie Rowan-Zoch

(LOUIS): FULLY BOOKED


WRAD+Rajani.jpg

Rajani LaRocca

(SEVEN GOLDEN RINGS/MIDSUMMER’S MAYHEM/RED, WHITE, AND WHOLE): FULLY BOOKED


WRAD Saira.jpg

Saira Mir

(MUSLIM GIRLS RISE):
FULLY BOOKED


WRAD+Susan.jpg

Susan Kusel

(THE PASSOVER GUEST):
9 a.m.-3 p.m. ET


WRAD+Vicky.jpg

Vicky Fang

(LAYLA AND THE BOTS/I CAN CODE/INVENT-A-PET):
FULLY BOOKED


Can’t connect with a Soaring ‘20s creator? Find more available authors on author Kate Messner’s website.