School visits and events

I love to visit schools, bookshops and festivals and can come equipped with story sacks, swimming hats, dog biscuits, kazoos, swanee whistles and a variety of craft activities!

In the promotional period for a book, and assuming I can get to you straightforwardly from London, then it may be possible to arrange a single school assembly for the cost of travel and in conjunction with sales that will support a local bookshop.

Outside of those times I charge £350 plus transport for a day’s visit. I tailor-make different sessions and workshops to suit the particular needs of your students, all designed to inspire further work which can be linked to curriculum topics if desired. A book sale and signing can also be incorporated if you wish but my focus will be on encouraging the creativity of your students rather than selling them my titles.

I need to charge as I’m afraid the percentage an author gets from the cover price of a book sale is really not very much at all! I promise your students will enjoy an interactive day full of inspiration; an investment towards their own writing. My books and the activities around them are particularly well suited for years 1-4 but I am always happy to include the youngest and oldest in a school too and can adjust content appropriately.

In the past I have guided classes from first ideas to full drafts of collaborative stories, run crazy careers-in-books hat swapping workshops (perhaps your class contains the marketeers, editors and agents of the future as well as the authors and illustrators?) designed tapir hats, filled out imaginary dog adoption certificates and turned any day into a snow day!

“One of the most inspiring and useful author visits we have had. Polly makes everyone feel like they can be a writer.”

And of course if you run a bookshop or a festival and would like to talk about a one-off event connected to any of my books then please get in touch.