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Uses of Author Interviews
for School Librarians (Elementary)

Host award-winning authors and illustrators each week in your library,

for example …


Support reading activities in all content areas,

for example …

  • Science classes learn from natural science illustrator Steve Jenkins
  • Math lessons are enhanced with MathStart author Stuart Murphy merging pictures, words, and numbers
  • Social Studies units on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are enriched with Bryan Collier discussing Martin's Big Words

See more uses for
elementary school librarians

What is an Author Interview?

  • Author Interviews are interviews with authors and illustrators in video, audio, and written formats.
  • Meet-the-Author Programs are filmed by TeachingBooks.net in the homes and studios of award-winning authors and illustrators to enable readers to connect with the author the moment they are studying a book.

Authors talk about:

  • Writing
  • Journaling
  • Working with ideas
  • Doing research
  • Bringing history to life
  • Being a professional author

Illustrators reveal:

  • Diverse art techniques
  • Approaches to book design
  • Illustrating fiction and nonfiction
  • Being a professional illustrator

Share how you use Author Interviews as a School Librarian.*

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*By submitting your ideas you agree to allow TeachingBooks.net to publish your suggestions so other educators may learn from you about using multimedia book and author resources.

Here are some curricular uses submitted by educators…

  • "I use Author Interviews to introduce—or enhance—an author study."
    - Linda from New York
  • "When doing an author study (usually following a class's reading of an essential literature book), I play the video or audio recording. Then I show the books we have by that author and explain where they are located. It really promotes those books when students come for check out."
    - Jill from Minnesota
  • "I use the Author Interviews to put the author's 'face' and real-life setting out front for my students to connect with."
    - Dawn from North Carolina
  • "Author Interviews assist in the discussion and learning about authors and illustrators. The many formats will reach students with a variety of learning styles and learning abilities."
    - Alicia from Georgia
  • "Author Interviews serve as a model and an inspiration for children to see how an authentic author writes. Students view the whole process from start to finish. They may follow or explore an author's style."
    - Graziella from New York


  • "I use Author Interviews to:
        * Book talk new books
        * Introduce a book to reluctant readers
        * Learn about award-winning books
        * Allow students to make connections to books
        * Give classroom teachers ideas for their lessons on math & science
        * Collaborate with classroom teachers
        * Help students who are audio/visual learners
        * Enhance technology use in the classroom/library"
    - Carol from New York
  • "Both exposure to more authors AND expanding the students' understanding of how authors perceive the art of writing are large possibilities during a time when hosting authors is not an option. Also, being able to offer information in more than one format reaches more students with their various learning styles. This opportunity is amazing and much appreciated."
    - Beth from Kentucky
  • "When doing an author study (usually following a class's reading of an essential literature book), I play the video or audio recording. Then I show the books we have by that author and explain where they are located. It really promotes those books when students come for check out.."
    - Jill from Tennessee
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