I regularly visit schools, libraries, bookshops, and literary festivals. I offer a wide range of in-person and online assemblies, workshops, and enjoy a chatty Q&A/ panel discussion!
My school assemblies are suitable for all primary/ junior school aged pupils (5 to 11 years old), and if you can fit the whole school in the hall, that is absolutely fine with me! My classroom-based workshops tend to be geared towards UK Key Stage 2 (KS2) or Years 3 to 6, which is roughly ages 7 to 11. I’m happy to tailor content to align with particular themes if required.
If you’re considering in-person author visits then London, West Sussex, Surrey, and Hampshire are all easy for me to get to, but I’m happy to travel. I’ve done events outside the UK and, as a Scot, I’m always up for a trip north!
Teacher testimonials from author visits
Author visit bookings and enquiries
If you’re considering me for an author visit or another event and would like to discuss options, you can either email me using the below form or reach out to me on social media.
If you’re ready to go ahead, you can either book direct through me, or I’m represented by Authors Abroad.
Teacher resources
If you’d like to read The Relic Hunters as a class text, I have a downloadable pack of comprehension activities (aligned to the UK Key Stage 2 curriculum) prepared by a very kind teacher, Carol Thomas. I also have a downloadable fun activity pack. Please do get in touch!
Behind the scenes at some author events
Below is a collection of snaps from school visits and book festivals that I’ve done over the past few years. Feel free to scroll!
I was honoured to be invited to join a panel discussion on writing for children at the Arundel Literary Festival alongside the amazing Kathryn Evans and Christine Chambers. Between us we covered all age groups and the discussion was lively with loads of audience interaction. Of course, we forgot to get pics taken on stage, so here we are leaving the venue!
This year, the crazy World Book Day (WBD) week found my school visits clustered around Enfield. As well as assemblies and creative writing workshops, I had several lovely lunches with school book clubs and even one “author club” where I got to see their amazing first books and help celebrate their publication day!
And I’m back for another author visit to the Georgian Gardens Primary School. It’s always special when they are reading your book as a class text, but since they were only on chapter 5 I had to be careful to avoid plot spoilers! So many well thought out questions, and I was mobbed for autographs afterwards. Thanks for another awesome day 🙂
I love Madrid, so being invited to participate in the British Council School “We Love Books” celebrations was a real treat. I also enjoyed meeting the authors working with other years (I was working with Years 3 and 4). This is a 7-form entry school so that was a lot of children!
After our Polka Theatre creative writing event, poet Kimba and I found ourselves back as a double act doing author visits at Woodmansterne Primary School. I was working with Key Stage 2 (KS2) whilst Kimba was with KS1. There were some really good qs during the assembly, including about writing software (I use Scrivener) which the Deputy Head later told me was asked by a boy who would never normally speak up so she was particularly delighted that he was so engaged. I loved being interviewed over lunch – looking forward to seeing the article in the school newsletter!
Yippee, I got sent a batch of professional photos from the Polka Theatre creative writing event, and for once I’m not pulling weird faces!
I used to be a trustee at Thomas’s Schools Foundation, and still remain a strong supporter of the charity, so was delighted to be invited to visit one of their partner schools, St Francis of Assisi Primary School. Although the taxi dropped me at the wrong school, thankfully it was only a short walk to the actual venue and I always leave tons of time before any author visit. And is there any better way to start the day than a whole school assembly where every single hand is in the air?
I have previously featured books by Carol Thomas on this bog (Finding a Friend and A Friend at Christmas, so I was excited to be invited to join her at the very lovely Georgian Gardens Primary School, where they are doing Eternal Seas as a Year 5 read. Question of the day (year?) was “Is that your photo?” it may just be time to update the picture on my website, although I am reluctant to admit to having aged of course.
I was honoured to be invited to participate in the Write Here, Write Now celebrations at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon alongside poet, author, and rap artist Kimba Bush, and actor Alex Stedman. We got to share some amazing stories with the five participating schools, meet the talented young writers, and explore some of their work. Of course, I completely forgot to take any pictures but with all the pupils and parents it was a full house!
Another World Book Day (i.e. week) done! I dressed up as … the author. Next year I’m going to be The Boy in Striped Pyjamas so I have an excuse to be sleepy by the end of the week 🙂
Book signing at The Maze Garden, Sidlesham annual charity event – torrential rain thankfully cleared and the crowds arrived! Love this pic of a young visitor drawing the raffle prize whilst clutching a copy of Eternal Seas 🙂
Guess which book inspired this puzzle? Just one of the fun book-themed activities at schools during the Chichester Festival.
Woohoo! Back in person doing school visits at long last. Ready for a full day of creative writing workshops with Year 3.
I’d have never guessed that World Book Day 2021 would be virtual, but look how we’ve all adapted to online author visits! Here’s a smiley pic and to keep it real, a very (un)glamorous shot of me peering at the screen reading some student work mid-session at The Mall School!
And now we’re all tech experts, have a look at this fantastic video the Mall School did as part of our virtual World Book Day celebrations.
Thanks to Covid, this is a socially distanced book delivery of a stack of Eternal Seas books, ready for Sidlesham Primary School’s next class read.
Don’t let Coronavirus put an end to author visits! I just did a great Skype one with Georgian Gardens Community Primary School.
As it turns out, this was my last author visit before lockdown with a series of workshops at Parkgate House School.
I made the World Book Day Wall! Huge thanks to Parkgate House for inviting me to join their celebrations.
Guess I’m in here today! Thanks to The Moat School for such a lovely warm welcome for their author visit and absolutely buzzing workshops 🙂
Gorgeous morning for two more school visits. And I have book chair envy!
First in a series of creative writing workshops at Christ Church Primary School with a wonderfully engaged Year 4.
Really busy Key Stage 2 (KS2) creative writing workshops today ahead of the ParkGate House School competition next week – completely forgot to take any pics – oops!
Lovely to meet my Book PenPals and do a school visit. Here we’re working on one of my favourite book character activities.
A mountain of books signed and ready for the book-loving Year 6 at West Hill Primary School ahead of their creative writing workshop.
First session at the new Clapham venue of the All Write Now creative writing club – we’re doing twisted fairy tales this term – soooo much excitement.
All quiet – waiting for 120 pupils to come back after lunch at Ellingham Primary School for a fun author visit.
I grew up in the Highlands so visiting the lovely new library in Ballater and doing a little reading of Eternal Seas was a real treat.
Very busy creative writing workshop at the wonderful Waterstones Uxbridge store as part of their summer activity programme.
Nearly the end of term but still time for my last few school visits. Great fun at the leafy London school, St Matthias.
Just a few spaces remaining for this creative writing event I’m co-hosting with author Sue Wickstead at the Festival of Chichester.
Amazing Creative Writing workshop at Brackenbury Primary School – what a talented bunch!
Meeting the very lovely Natasha at Chicken & Frog bookstore in Brentwood before our Creative Writing Club.
Another bookstore signing – this time at the super friendly WHSmiths in Chichester, and a rare appearance from my legs – I live in trousers. Can’t recall when I last wore a skirt!
OK, I’ve just finished a whirlwind tour of Crawley doing author visits at Langley Green Primary School, West Green Primary School and Three Bridges Primary School. I’m hoping the teachers got pictures as with over a hundred children in every session I was a bit busy 🙂 Great qs. Including what’s my least favourite food. If you’re wondering, it’s custard!
Loved meeting Year 4 at Milton Mount at today’s author visit. First time I’ve been mobbed for autographs in the playground!
And here I am working in the classroom with Year 5 at Hilltop Primary School. As usual, they managed to catch a whole range of my strange photo faces!
Years 3 to 5 at Seymour Primary asked loads of brilliant qs. So many that I completely forgot to take a picture!
Crawley WordFest on Saturday 16 March 2019 was utterly buzzing. I ran workshops on book cover design, creative writing and badge making so it was a busy day. And one of the Dad’s made me a book cover for the sequel to Eternal Seas!
A gorgeous sunny spring morning at Chichester Free School ready for Key Stage 2 (KS2) assemblies.
And a lovely pic sent to me by a mum of her daughter and friend after today’s school visit. I just love getting pics like these. Shared with permission (of course).
What a way to start Book Week – assemblies for 240 children at Clapham Manor Primary School.
And a grown up book signing … involving wine!
Thanks to the lovely staff at WHSmith in Putney for welcoming me into their store for another book signing.
My first school visit of 2019 was to the wonderful St Paul’s School in Chessington. Despite PowerPoint deciding to change my font so my name looks like Lexj (obviously pronounced Lex-J, like Jay-Z), it was a great afternoon with loads of questions from the years 3 and 4.
Last library visit of 2018 – York Gardens Library. This venue is special to me as I was involved in the campaign to save it from closure a few years ago.
Final school visit of the year – full assembly and two workshops for years 3 to 6 at St Saviour’s Primary School in December.
Preparing for the Sacred Heart Primary School author talk and creative writing workshop with Year 5 in December.
Just a quick snap of an author talk and art workshop at Battersea Library, SW11 in December.
Author talk and art workshop at Katherine Low Settlement Community Centre, Battersea, SW11 in December. Although I can’t promise, I do always try to make time for charity community focussed events – please do reach out if you have one in mind.
Falconbrook Primary School author talk and illustration workshop in November.
Another book signing, this time at The Drift Inn Cafe, East Wittering in October.
Book signing at South Kensington Books, 22 Thurloe Street, London in October.
Book signing at Clapham Books, 26 The Pavement, London SW4 0JA in October.
Crawley Library Book Festival in October.
Lexi Rees, author 