10 Reasons Why You Should Bring Your Kids to a Book Signing Event

Attending a book signing event can be an effective way to foster a love of reading while connecting with a favorite author. Book signing events can offer several unique opportunities that can become treasured memories for kids. For those of you who are lucky enough to live in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania, be sure to check out Let’s Play Books for many book signing and other fun literary events! You can find the Let’s Play Books event calendar here.

10 Reasons Why You Should Bring Your Kids to a Book Signing Event

Here are 10 reasons why you should bring your kids to a book signing event:

1. Connect with Your Favorite Authors

Often authors are quite happy to connect with their readers and fans at a book signing event. Be sure to tell the author how much you enjoyed his or her book! If there is time, consider dressing up as a character from the book to show your support.

Attending an author book signing event is an easy way to connect with an author you love and can be an effective way to encourage future young writers! Clara dressed up as Roller Girl to meet award-winning author and illustrator Victoria Jamieson at @letsplaybooks this afternoon. Clara could not wait to tell her how much she enjoyed Roller Girl and asked for a few pointers on writing a graphic novel of her own. Victoria says the secret to drawing the same characters over and over again is to keep them very simple, and to give the main character a distinguishing feature (Astrid, for example, has blue hair). This makes it easy for readers to identify Astrid as the main character in Roller Girl from panel to panel. Great tips! Thanks for sharing, Victoria, and for taking the time to sign Clara’s book and roller skate!! Special thanks to our friends at @letsplaybooks for hosting such a special event for our local community!! We appreciate all you do to foster a love of reading! ?#readtoyourkids #bestkidsbooks @penguinrandomhouse @penguinbooks #picoftheday #reading #lovetoread

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2. Encourage Future Authors

If your child is interested in writing a book someday, attending a book signing event is a simple way to have lasting impact. For many kids, meeting a published author can be an energizing and inspiring experience!

3. Meet Other Fans

You never know who you will meet at a book signing event! The chances are pretty high that you will run into other fans who support your favorite author, and you just may have other interests in common too.

4. Support Your Local Businesses

If your author event is being hosted at an Independent Bookstore, consider purchasing the authors’ books or other gift items! Not only will you have some great additions to your family’s home library, you will help ensure that more author events take place in your local community in the future.

5. Foster a Love of Reading

Attending an author event can help give insight into all the hard work that went into writing and/or illustrating books. Kids will learn to appreciate the time and effort that went into making some of their favorite stories.

6. Obtain an Autograph

A book signed by your favorite author is a treasure! Most authors are happy to sign their books for fans, and can add your name for personalization.

7. Hear the Book Read Straight from the Author’s Mouth

Often authors will have special story times and read their books (or at least an excerpt). Giving fans the opportunity to hear the story straight from the author’s mouth may even introduce kids to new perspectives on their favorite stories.

8. Buy New Books

If you happen to meet other fans at an author event, or connect with a local Independent Bookstore, they may recommend new books for you to discover! Many times, author events are designed to coincide with new releases from the author, so you may have the opportunity to be one of the first ones to read or pre-order their new book.

9. Opportunities to Ask Thoughtful Questions

Be sure to come prepared with a few thoughtful questions. If the author event is not too busy, you may have the unique opportunity to ask the author for additional insight into their creative process or book.

10. Take Some Photos

Many authors are happy to have a picture taken with them, but be sure to ask for permission first. Don’t forget to hold up a copy of their book for the photo!

Click here to find your local independent bookstore.

Comments

  1. This is such a good idea. I think it would be great to attend book signings with my kids to help foster their creativity and show them they can do what they love. Thank you for the idea!