School & Library Visits
Inspiring young learners to read, imagine, create, and write.
Bring the excitement of reading and writing to your school with an engaging author visit from Stefanie Hohl! As a children’s book author, literacy advocate, and educator, Stefanie offers interactive author presentations and hands-on writing workshops for grades K–5. Students get a behind-the-scenes look at how books come to life, explore their own story ideas, and build confidence as young writers. Visits are available for individual classrooms, grade levels, or school assemblies.
Author Talks
Grades K-2
So You Want to Be an Author?
60 minutes • $500 in person
What does an author actually do? In this fun, interactive presentation, Stefanie takes students behind the scenes of being a children's book author. Using her own books and experiences, she shows students how authors find ideas, create stories, work with illustrators and editors, and turn their ideas into books that can be shared with readers.
• Discover where authors get their ideas
• See how an idea grows into a story and eventually a book
• Meet the people who help turn a manuscript into a finished book
• Learn what it's really like to write, revise, publish, and share books
• Discover how anyone can be a storyteller
Grades 3–5
Behind the Book: Life of an Author
60 minutes • $500 in person
What is it really like to be a children's book author? Stefanie takes students behind the scenes of her life as an author and creator, sharing how ideas become manuscripts and what happens after the writing is finished. Through stories from her own career, students discover that being an author involves much more than simply writing a book.
• Discover where authors find ideas and inspiration
• Go behind the scenes of how a book is written, revised, illustrated, and published
• Hear how Stefanie turned an idea inspired by her own child into ABC See, Hear, Do
• Discover the surprising jobs authors do beyond writing
• Learn what it's really like to make a career out of creating books
Writing Workshops
Grades K-2
Big Ideas, Little Writers
60 minutes • $500 in person
Where do authors get their ideas? In this interactive writing workshop, students will discover that stories can begin with something they see, remember, wonder about, or imagine. Stefanie will take young writers through playful activities that help them develop their own story ideas, create characters, and begin bringing their stories to life.
• Discover where authors find story ideas
• Explore characters, settings, and problems
• Use imagination and simple prompts to develop an original story idea
• Create a character and begin a story of their own
• Share their ideas and build confidence as young writers
Grades 3–5
From Idea to Story
60 minutes • $500 in person
What makes an idea worth turning into a story? In this interactive workshop, Stefanie takes students behind the scenes of her own writing process and gives them practical tools for developing their own fiction. Students will discover how authors turn simple ideas into compelling stories—and will have the opportunity to begin creating a story of their own.
• Discover how authors find and develop story ideas
• Create compelling characters with wants, needs, and problems
• Explore setting, conflict, and plot
• Turn a basic idea into a scene or story plan
• Discover what really happens during drafting, revising, and rewriting
Visit Details
Classroom or Assembly: Presentations are available for individual classes, grade levels, or school assemblies.
Q&A Included: Every visit includes student Q&A about books, writing, and being an author.
Book Orders & Signings: Schools may arrange book orders and author signings.
Multiple Sessions: Book multiple presentations and receive a 10% discount.
Custom Presentations: Available for an additional $200 fee.
Travel Fees: Travel fees are based on mileage from Pittsburgh, PA.
Reviews
“Stefanie strikes the perfect mix of reading aloud, movement, interaction, and singing to engage and excite wiggly preschoolers about her books. She has a true talent for sharing stories with little ones, and I would highly recommend her Storytimes!”
-Adriene Rister, owner of Spark Books, Aspinwall, PA
"Stefanie hosted a Storytime at the Sandy, UT Library to do a reading of her book, The Remember Tree. Miss Stef held the attention of the large crowd with songs and even a controlled snowball fight. Stefanie was easy to work with, and we couldn’t wait to get her book in our library system for future holiday use."
-Melissa Jenkins, Youth Services Librarian, Sandy Library
"Stefanie's lively ABC See, Hear, Do Storytime was a hit with the children and their parents. The kids were thoroughly engaged, and the material and pace were perfect for the preschool crowd. I highly recommend her presentation!"
-Susan Claus, Northland Library, Children's Department Manager
“We love Miss Stef’s storytimes! She keeps the kids engaged and always has fun crafts for them to do.”
- Penguin Bookshop