School Visits & Events

Author Visits & Writing Workshops for Kids

Laura Shovan sitting at a table in a classroom, signing a book and in conversation with a student standing in front of her.

Laura loves doing school, library, and bookstore visits!
To book Laura, please contact Lisa Nadel at Lonni Lane Marketing.

About the Visit

As a former classroom teacher and a longtime poet-in-the-schools, Laura excels at working with young readers and writers. Here a few of her offerings. She can also craft customized presentations for different audiences or to complement your school’s curriculum:

Laura’s presentations also model for educators how to run a poetry workshop. Check out more of Laura’s resources for educators.

Laura is open to author visits at American & English language schools abroad!

Laura Shovan signing books for young students during an author visit.

“For more than a decade, I have had the pleasure of working with and learning from Laura Shovan as our poet in residence. Her love of poetry shines through every lesson. She is truly a master and introduces the students to such a wonderful variety of poems. Each time I work with her, my love of poetry deepens.”

—Karen Hoge, fourth-grade teacher, Howard County Public Schools, Maryland

Laura Shovan, speaker. Woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing red glasses, hoop earrings, a denim jacket over a pink shirt, and a silver necklace with a circle pendant, smiling against a light blue background.

About the Author

LAURA SHOVAN’s debut middle-grade novel, The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary, was a NCTE Notable Verse Novel and a Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book of the Year, and won a Cybils Award for poetry, as well a Nerdy Book Club award. Her son’s experiences as a member of a travel wrestling team were the inspiration for Takedown, which is now on multiple state award reading lists. Her Sydney Taylor Notable book, A Place at the Table written with author/activist Saadia Faruqi, was called “a solid story of unexpected friends coming together to break bread” by School Library Journal. Laura’s most recent book is a collection of poems for kids, Welcome to Monsterville.

Laura teaches for Vermont College of Fine Arts. She and her family live in Maryland, where she is a longtime poet-in-the-schools for the Maryland State Arts Council.

Student Notes & Poems

A student drawing – a face on the left has a sad expression and says 'I don't like poetry.' The face on the right has a happy expression and say 'I love poetry.' An arrow points from the sad to the happy face, with text saying 'You made me do this'.
Student drawing and poem – drawing of a smiling dog with a blue collar, standing on grass, with a green ball nearby. A poem titled "Playful" is written on the dog's body.
A student poetry project about fishing, on a paper cutout of a fish.
A student poetry project about potstickers.

“I am always thrilled to see the poems that the children create under her tutelage.”

—Karen Hoge, fourth-grade teacher

Laura Shovan in front of a classroom of students enthusiastically raising their hands.
School bulletin board welcoming author Laura Shovan for a library visit.
Laura Shovan reading her book aloud in a school library visit.
Laura Shovan signing books for students at their desks, while they read and work on a writing activity.

Let’s Get Started!

Book Laura for Your School, Bookstore, or Library

Please contact Lisa Nadel through the Lonni Lane Marketing website or email at lonnilanemarketing@gmail.com for rates and availability.