I visit lots of schools, libraries and literary events every year - I'm often booked up several months ahead, but I always try to fit in last minute requests too. You can book me using the Contact Me page above, or you'll find me listed at the National Centre For Language & Literacy , Children's Writers In Education, myschoolbookclub.co.uk and others. 

I've had plenty of experience with groups of all sizes, from single classes to whole school assemblies. I'll gladly talk on almost any book‐related topic you choose, but I currently have three or four 'off the peg' sessions, each of which lasts 45 minutes – 1 hour. 

• The first is aimed at KS2, and is called "Stories And How I Write Them". It's a light-hearted, interactive talk, covering the basics of how pupils can plan a story, as well as a guide to the work of a writer, followed by a short Q&A.

• For KS2 and KS3, there's "Story Mechanics", which takes stories apart, looks at how they work, and puts them back together again as a way to help pupils understand how fiction is constructed. (Content is adaptable for different age groups).

• For Years 5, 6 and 7, there's "How Books And Writing Began", which is a look at how and why writing developed around the world, from cave paintings to Gutenburg's printing press and beyond.

• Also for Years 5, 6 and 7, there's a “History Of The Detective Story”, a guide to the major milestones in the genre and the writers who created them. This is focused on literary history and famous writers rather than on pupils' own writing.
  

I charge a fee for a visit (based on Society Of Authors guidelines), plus travel expenses, although I've been known to waive the fee if circumstances allow. I normally request that copies of my books be made available for pupils to buy, before the event and/or on the day (which I can arrange).

I've also written a number of books for schools, including titles in guided reading and SEN ranges for both KS1 and KS2. For a full listing, see the bibliography on the About Me page.

Teachers have regularly told me that the Saxby Smart books are an ideal choice for Shared Reading. Each story is easily readable in one week (there are three stories in each book), and the quiz questions in each story are good for keeping the whole class on their toes! These eight titles are best suited to Years 4, 5 and 6.

For Years 3, 4 and 5, Jeremy Brown: Spy might be a good choice. This also contains three complete stories, each of which can be completed in a few sessions.

As classroom follow-ups for my visits (or to use as a standalone resource), I've devised a downloadable file in PDF format called "How I Write A Story".

It's a brief run-down of how I approach the subject, and includes classroom activities, points for discussion etc. There’s a second version available, which highlights detective stories and ties-in with my “Saxby Smart” books. Both are suitable for KS2.

Feel free to use these files as you wish - they're black and white, and A4 sized, so you can print and photocopy them easily. They're entirely free of charge, but if you find them useful, do let me know, so that I can keep them as relevant and up-to-date as possible. Just click on the links to access the files (or right-click and save it to your hard drive). 

Comments from teachers: 
“Brilliant stuff... a great resource, many thanks for that” 
“Very useful... my Year 5s enjoyed trying out the activities”

Before visiting a school or library, I can supply a free personalised A4 flyer, which can be given out to pupils/parents to tell them all about the event. I'll also add a personalised 'looking forward to meeting you' message on the home page of this website, for when pupils log on in class before the visit.

Where possible - current supplies permitting! - I'll bring bookmarks or other giveaways to school visits, so that all pupils can get a small freebie.

I can 'visit' your class through the internet, via webcam and Skype. This is an ideal option when you're short of time (or you're not in the UK!), and it's cheaper too: normally free. The only disadvantage is that I can't sign pupils' books! However, I'm always happy to sign by post.