Discover how author studies spark excitement for reading. Engage students with videos, quotes, and Book Creator activities from award-winning authors.

Reading comes alive when we purposefully engage in conversations with our students about an author’s life and writing process. And, we learn about new books.

What Is an author study and why does it matter?

An author study places all students on an equal playing field, as it’s not about reading levels or test scores. In a nutshell, it’s an opportunity to get to know a ‘real person’ who loves writing stories. Within these Authors’ Studio books, the authors share their writing process through original video clips, quotes and photos. By embarking on this journey, we cultivate a positive culture for reading by letting all students be part of the conversation as they share their individual voices.

Classroom Conversation graphic featuring children’s author Barb Rosenstock surrounded by colorful speech bubbles with writing advice. Quotes include: ‘Writing is a dialogue with yourself on the page,’ ‘You belong in the room,’ ‘Writers are artists who have to make their own clay,’ ‘The delete key is my friend,’ ‘I believe in the power of stories to help all people,’ ‘Writing needs to be approached as an art,’ and ‘Writing is revising. You can’t write unless you’re going to improve. The process is the improving part.

Quotes from Barb Rosenstock about the writing process

Benefits of author studies

Build excitement and motivation for reading

When students learn about an author’s inspirations and challenges, books come alive. They begin to see stories not just as text, but as windows into creativity and imagination.

Engage students in conversations about authors’ lives

Students love to ask, “Why did the author write this?” or “How did they come up with that character?” Author studies open the door to these conversations, making reading more interactive.

Create an equal playing field for all readers

Because it’s not tied to reading levels, every student can contribute ideas, questions, and reflections. Everyone’s voice matters.

Encourage student voice and choice in learning

Author studies naturally support student-centered learning. As students reflect on writing styles, story themes, and personal connections, they share their ideas in creative ways.

Collage of children’s book covers with the heading ‘Let’s Hear From You.’ Students are invited to circle the books they have read or want to read. Titles include Behold the Hummingbird!, Countdown 2979 Days to the Moon, Daring Dozen, Exquisite, Mars Is, Swish!, Dazzlin’ Dolly, A Computer Called Katherine, Some Days Are Yellow, Blast Off!, Ocean Blue, The Music in George’s Head, Astronaut Annie, and others.

Check out the books author Suzanne Slade has written. Which ones should our class read?

Using Book Creator for author studies

Book Creator adds a powerful layer to the author study experience. Students will not only have the opportunity to come face to face with an awesome author, but will now have the opportunity to demonstrate their thinking skills within the Book Creator platform. Through standards aligned activities, students can utilize text, video, audio and drawings to identify the main idea, character traits, story sequence, and so much more.

Step by step lesson plans allow teachers to walk through each lesson and encourage student voice and choice. Check out these lesson plans for The Noisy Paint Box by Barb Rosenstock and remix her book below to teach this lesson in your classroom or library.

Two-page spread featuring the book The Noisy Paint Box by Barb Rosenstock and Mary Grandpré. The left page shows the book cover with labels ‘Grades Preschool–Grade 5’ and keywords ‘Creativity, Sounds, Imagination, Art, Curiosity.’ A description explains that the story is about artist Vasya Kandinsky, who explored his art with sounds and vibrant colors, and notes that the book won a Caldecott Honor Award. The right page, titled ‘Let’s Hear From You: Character Traits and Text Evidence,’ has four empty dashed boxes for students to fill in.

After reading The Noisy Paint Box, students can demonstrate their learning.

Featured authors in Authors’ Studio

We’re thrilled to launch Authors’ Studio with five incredible, award-winning authors who collectively have written more than 200 books:

Jill Esbaum
Barb Rosenstock
Suzanne Slade
Pat Zietlow Miller
Matthew Cordell

These authors share their writing journeys through original video clips, quotes, and behind-the-scenes stories that inspire students to think like writers. Many of their titles are also available on Sora and Epic!, making access even easier.

You can find them all in our Discover Literacy library.

15 Science Projects for Book Creator classrooms

Book Creator for the High School Classroom

And stay tuned — Candace Fleming, and Kelly DiPucchio are coming soon!

How to get started with Authors’ Studio

It’s simple to bring author studies into your classroom or library:

Pick an author and remix any of the featured books to fit your teaching goals. Find them all in this library.
Introduce the author using quotes, videos, and background information.
Assign interactive activities in Book Creator to help students capture and share their learning.

Why Authors’ Studio saves you time and inspires students

Teachers and librarians are busy — and finding engaging resources takes time. That’s why Authors’ Studio was designed as a one-stop shop to make it easier to spark excitement for reading.

With everything at your fingertips — author interviews, videos, lesson plans, and ready-to-use student activities — you can focus on what matters most: helping students fall in love with books.

Join the conversation

We’d love to hear how you’re using Authors’ Studio in your classrooms and libraries. Share your stories, suggest new authors to feature, and imagine the possibilities as students across the globe join in collective conversations about reading.

Together, we can inspire a new generation of readers and writers — one author at a time.