AUTHOR VISITS

interactive • creative play • lots of laughs

From my 10+ years of teaching and speaking experience, I’ve crafted interactive and engaging presentations to inspire life-long readers and storytellers.

HOW TO BOOK A VISIT

To make it super easy to schedule visits with me, I work with HOW NOW BOOKING, a group of educators who are school visit experts. They’ll answer any initial questions you might have and, if you decide to book a visit, they’ll guide you through the whole process including budgets, scheduling, invoices, book orders, etc.

All you need to do is fill out this form to get started.

If you are someone like me who wants to do some research first, you’ll find information about programming, testimonials, and more below.

BOOK A VISIT

THE PRESENTATIONS

The best way to learn is by doing, so I design every presentation to encourage students to develop their own storytelling voices by writing and drawing with me. During our time together, kids will jump out of their seats with ideas, cheer each other on as they share their art, and leave feeling excited to tell their own stories. All of my programs can be adapted for any age and any size of group from small classrooms to large assemblies.

HOW TO MAKE A PICTURE BOOK (K-9)

In this collaborative storytelling presentation, we will use my book HOW TO PEE YOUR PANTS: THE RIGHT WAY as a madlib to write and illustrate our very own picture book together. Kids will leave this visit with a better understanding of how to make a book and proof that they are real storytellers and artists right now. After the visit, I will “publish” the book as a video read aloud and send you a shareable link.

TO CATCH A CHARACTER (K-9)

In this draw-with-me adventure, we will use my book TO CATCH A GHOST as inspiration to catch our very own ghost. Just like an author builds a character, we will use descriptive questions to capture a ghost on the page by drawing them. Then we’ll make up a story about our ghost and have our very own “show-and-tell” to share it. Kids will leave feeling excited to catch even more characters and stories. After the visit, I will “publish” our ghost story as a video read aloud and send you a shareable link.

CRAFTING YOUR CREATIVE FUTURE (9-12, post-secondary)

In this one-hour session, I share all of the things I wish I had known when I was debating about my future like: What should I do with my life? Where does my voice fit (and how do I discover it)? Should I do this as a hobby or as a career? How can I become a published author or illustrator? What is being an author actually like financially, socially, and emotionally? Students will leave with a greater understanding of themselves, their voice, and the strategies they can apply to craft their creative futures.

AUTHOR VISIT TESTIMONIALS

I had the great pleasure of hosting Rachel for a mini author visit today and it was magic. The giggle of kindergarteners when a line in the read aloud hits just right? Gold! Giving fifth grade library leaders space to ask questions then sitting back and hearing where the conversation goes? Priceless.

Christine Wright, Elementary School Librarian, NBCT
Rachel’s warmth, presence and engagement with the kids is 20/10, no notes. She engaged the kinders with sparkle and humor, then pivoted like a pro to have a craft conversation with the big kids. I highly recommend booking her for a visit!

Christine Wright, Elementary School Librarian, NBCT
If you have authors come to your school, I highly recommend Rachel Michelle Wilson the author of "How to Pee Your Pants the Right Way". She recently visited our school and was truly fantastic. She is a gem, and we can't wait for her next book to come out so that we can invite her again.

Stacey Daniels-Carson El. Librarian LWSD
Her crowd control and attention-getting skills were phenomenal. She interacted with the students, encouraging them to think like writers and illustrators. She even sent us a video compiling all the students' work and turned it into a story! Get her before she becomes too famous to come to your library. You won't regret it!

Stacey Daniels-Carson El. Librarian LWSD
Luna and I are huge fans of Rachel! Her book, like her personality, is brimming with humor, warmth, and kindness. We loved "How to Pee Your Pants (the Right Way)" - it's so relatable :) We were so excited when Rachel generously accepted our invitation to visit Luna's school, Eton. She talked to over 100 kids (and teachers and parents too!) about what it's like to be an author.

Qin, Volunteer Visit Coordinator
It can be quite scary to think about writing a book, but Rachel made it so fun and engaging! She helped the kids brainstorm all sorts of crazy ideas, and together they wrote this hilarious and imaginative book called "How to Escape a Dragon (the Right Way)". This is so, so cool! Truly inspiring. It showed the kids how much fun creativity can be, that becoming an author is not that scary after all!

Qin, Volunteer Visit Coordinator
It was truly a delight to have you at our school. Our students loved your book, and our teachers were equally appreciative.

Carolina Harward, Administrative Assistant
This was the most fun ever! Children were literally leaping out of their seats bursting with ideas. Thanks so much, Rachel!

Kristine Techavanich, Public Librarian
Our school absolutely loved having author Rachel Michelle Wilson visit! She was engaging and connected wonderfully with every grade level, from kindergarten through 5th grade. Students were so excited to work with her and loved having the chance to publish their own stories—it was such an empowering experience!

Kayla Little, Teacher Librarian
Rachel did an amazing job incorporating student ideas and making every child feel valued and heard. She was also incredibly easy to work with—organized, flexible, and enthusiastic every step of the way. Her visit truly inspired our young writers and illustrators; I’ve had so many students come up to me afterward to share the stories they’re now writing both at school and at home. We can’t wait to have her back again!

Kayla Little, Teacher Librarian

programming results

I love to show kids that they are storytellers and artists right now. Below are just two examples of the amazing stories kids have written and illustrated during our time together. One is from a group of kindergarteners and the other is fifth graders. (You can find more examples on my instagram @rachmakesbooks.)

BOOK PURCHASES

If you would like me to sign books when I visit, I highly recommend purchasing copies at your local independent bookstore. Many bookstores (like Liberty Bay Books, Brick & Mortar Books, and Island Books) will create an online order page that you can send out to parents ahead of the visit.

You probably want to order your books a month in advance if possible. If you are purchasing a book for a classroom or library, ask the bookstore if they offer an educator discount. Individual orders for families and kids are usually purchased at list price.

If you would like books for a virtual visit, you can order signed copies from my local bookstore Liberty Bay Books.

WHAT I’LL NEED

For in person school visits, I’ll need:

A large board, screen, or projector to display the presentation
An HDMI cable to connect with my laptop (I’ll have an adaptor)
A nearby table for my laptop that is accessible during the presentation (for typing up kids’ ideas)
At least five clipboards and pencils as well as five white papers per presentation
A microphone for large groups

For virtual presentations, I’ll need:

A link to the meeting platform hosted by the school
Someone to help monitor student questions
Papers and pencils for each student to draw along

FUNDING

Here are a few creative ways you can fund an author visit:

Split a full day workshop with a nearby school.
Donate one of your workshops to a nearby title one school for a discounted rate.
Raise additional funds.

Let’s work together to craft an experience that will cultivate your kids’ love of reading and encourage them to make their own stories!