I love doing school visits! In fact, the best thing about being a children’s author is meeting readers.
\nSince being published for the first time I have gained extensive experience in schools throughout the UK, as well as appearing at several major book festivals, including the Edinburgh International Book Festival, and working collaboratively with library services. I have also worked as a classroom assistant at primary level.
\nI am available for in-person & virtual school visits for P3-P7 (Scotland), KS2 years 3-6 (England & Wales).
\nI offer assembly-style talks and classroom-based workshops. A typical day-long visit might include a whole-school assembly followed by two or three workshops on character, plot & settings. Book sales and signings can also be arranged. I can adapt my visits according to age group and class size. Shorter visits are also available. I am happy to tailor my sessions to meet your requirements and can link content to the curriculum.
\n\n
Examples of assembly sessions:
\n'Secrets, seaweed & scoundrels!' (ages 9+)
\n\n
In this visit we’ll learn how & why I became a children’s author and take a peek into my author’s toolkit. Then we’ll look at some of the ways I created the murky, misty world of my most recent book, Haarville, drawing on all of the senses. Along with a reading from the book and a Q&A, there’ll be a chance to create your very own fishy, sea-weedy menu inspired by the foraging skills of Haarville’s townsfolk.
\n'Monsters, mysteries & mayhem!' (ages 7+)
\nIn this visit we’ll learn how & why I became a children’s author and then delve into my author’s toolkit. We’ll also find out why writing funny stories is the best job in the world. I’ll read from one – or maybe even both – of my hilarious monster stories, Help! I Smell a Monster & Whoa! I Spy a Werewolf, and answer your questions in a Q&A. There’ll also be time to create your very own ‘Monster Top Trumps’, or perhaps take part in a wild ‘Werewolf Howl-Off’!
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Virtual School Visits
\nMy virtual school visits are extremely popular. In fact, they enable me to visit schools anywhere in the UK and beyond! A virtual visit can be as long or as short as you like. They are also an affordable way to bring a real-life children’s author into your classroom!
\nI am based in central Scotland near Edinburgh and am happy to travel throughout the UK and overseas!
\nMy fees for author visits are competitively-priced and I can offer discounts for multiple sessions. Please see my website for more details or email me: justin.davies.author@gmail.com
\nWhat they’re saying about me!
\n‘Justin really engaged the pupils. There were lots of laughs and he really sparked their imagination to read.’ Teacher, Lawhead PS, St Andrews.
\n‘What a super opportunity for the children to meet such an engaging author. Fostering a love of books early in a child’s life is such an important thing and Justin really hit the mark today.’ Teacher, Lawhead PS, St Andrews.
\n‘It was fun and amazing, he’s really inspired me to be a writer and to make books at home.‘ Pupil, Lundin Mill PS, Fife.
\n‘I enjoyed the visit because Justin was nice and told us things about writing that I didn’t know. The story was really good.’ Pupil, Lundin mill PS, Fife.
\n‘You have inspired me to be an author when I am older. Since you visited our school I have
been reading twice a day!‘ Isla, Year 4, Gorseybrigg Primary School, Derbyshire.
‘Since you visited our school, you have inspired me to become an author when I am older. I am now reading twice every day.‘ Finley, Year 4, Gorseybrigg Primary School, Derbyshire.
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Off the grid and not on the maps, it's a place shrouded in fog and steeped in pungent pongs. Everything here smells fishy, especially the town's suspicious new arrivals.\r\n\r\nTwelve-year-old Manx Fearty is an orphan (his family has a terrible habit of dying, terribly), and now he's about to lose their perpetual device shop to sinister newcomers claiming to be long-lost relatives. As he sets out to prove them wrong, Manx finds himself on the trail of a murky, mist-muddled mystery -- and it's one he needs to solve fast, otherwise Haarville is doomed.\r\n\r\nWith the help of his fiercely protective drag-queen guardian Father G (aka the fabulous Gloria in Excelsis), loyal best friend Fantoosh, and oystercatcher-with-attitude Olu, Manx wades through secrets, schemes and some stomach-churning seafood. Can he save both his family's legacy and his town?\r\n\r\nDarkly comic but full of heart, this quirky middle-grade mystery adventure from Justin Davies, award-winning author of Help! I Smell a Monster and Whoa! 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Can she and her uncle sniff out the missing monster before it's too late?\r\n\r\nLancashire Library Service Fantastic Book Award 2021 Winner!","isbn":"9781408355466","cleanIsbn":"9781408355466","asin":"1408355469","cleanAsin":"1408355469","authorId":3480,"listOrder":2,"bookTypeId":7,"bookType":{"text":"Fiction 5-9","listOrder":8,"id":7,"createdOn":null,"createdOnDisplay":"","createdOnAndTimeDisplay":"","createdBy":null,"modifiedOn":null,"modifiedOnAndTimeDisplay":"","modifiedBy":null,"brokenRules":[]},"bookTypeDisplay":"Fiction 5-9","image":"/images/books/29-11-34-43-5261-book-.jpg","imageDisplay":"/images/books/29-11-34-43-5261-book-.jpg","imageOnExternalSite":false,"imageWithoutFilePath":"29-11-34-43-5261-book-.jpg","authorsLink":null,"quantityAvailable":0.00,"allowDecimalQuantityAvailable":false,"price":0.00,"priceDisplay":"£0.00","retailPrice":0.00,"retailPriceDisplay":"£0.00","showRetailPrice":false,"weight":0.00,"taxable":false,"ableToBuy":false,"redirectUrl":"https://www.waterstones.com/book/9781408355466","publisher":null,"publishedYear":0,"pages":0,"language":null,"coAuthors":null,"id":5261,"createdOn":null,"createdOnDisplay":"","createdOnAndTimeDisplay":"","createdBy":null,"modifiedOn":null,"modifiedOnAndTimeDisplay":"","modifiedBy":null,"brokenRules":[]},{"title":"Whoa! 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The Smucks' special gift means only they can do the vital job of caring for the invaluable jellies that Stormcliff depends on.\r\n\r\nBut by Firebloom Eve, there's still no sign of Tally's abilities, or the jellyfish. Determined not to let everyone down, Tally gathers her friends -- anxious Farran, fortune-teller-in-training Colette, and resourceful cliff rat Albert. Together can they bring the island's secrets to light and find the missing jellies before the Firebloom Festival and Stormcliff are plunged into darkness for good?\r\n\r\nThis illuminating middle-grade mystery adventure from award-winning author Justin Davies is full of jeopardy, joy and jellyfish! Firebloom is a bright and brilliant standalone novel set in the same imagined world as Haarville.","isbn":"9781782509646","cleanIsbn":"9781782509646","asin":"178250964X","cleanAsin":"178250964X","authorId":3480,"listOrder":1,"bookTypeId":8,"bookType":{"text":"Fiction 8-13","listOrder":9,"id":8,"createdOn":null,"createdOnDisplay":"","createdOnAndTimeDisplay":"","createdBy":null,"modifiedOn":null,"modifiedOnAndTimeDisplay":"","modifiedBy":null,"brokenRules":[]},"bookTypeDisplay":"Fiction 8-13","image":"/images/books/29-11-34-06-5881-book-.jpeg","imageDisplay":"/images/books/29-11-34-06-5881-book-.jpeg","imageOnExternalSite":false,"imageWithoutFilePath":"29-11-34-06-5881-book-.jpeg","authorsLink":null,"quantityAvailable":0.00,"allowDecimalQuantityAvailable":false,"price":0.00,"priceDisplay":"£0.00","retailPrice":0.00,"retailPriceDisplay":"£0.00","showRetailPrice":false,"weight":0.00,"taxable":false,"ableToBuy":false,"redirectUrl":"https://www.waterstones.com/book/9781782509646","publisher":null,"publishedYear":0,"pages":0,"language":null,"coAuthors":null,"id":5881,"createdOn":"2025-05-29T11:32:16.3426055","createdOnDisplay":"Thursday, 29 May 2025","createdOnAndTimeDisplay":"29 May 2025 11:32","createdBy":"justin.davies.author@gmail.com","modifiedOn":null,"modifiedOnAndTimeDisplay":"","modifiedBy":null,"brokenRules":[]}],"bookTypesDisplay":"Fiction 5-9, Fiction 8-13","organisations":[{"text":"Society of Authors","listOrder":0,"authorId":3480,"organisationUrl":"https://www2.societyofauthors.org/","id":1879,"createdOn":null,"createdOnDisplay":"","createdOnAndTimeDisplay":"","createdBy":null,"modifiedOn":null,"modifiedOnAndTimeDisplay":"","modifiedBy":null,"brokenRules":[]},{"text":"Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators","listOrder":0,"authorId":3480,"organisationUrl":"https://www.scbwi.org/","id":1880,"createdOn":null,"createdOnDisplay":"","createdOnAndTimeDisplay":"","createdBy":null,"modifiedOn":null,"modifiedOnAndTimeDisplay":"","modifiedBy":null,"brokenRules":[]}],"engagements":[{"authorId":3480,"date":"2023-11-21T00:00:00","fullName":"Clare Dormer","fullNameAndDate":"Clare Dormer : Tuesday, 21 Nov 2023","fullNameAndOrganisation":"Clare Dormer (St Mungo's Primary School)","firstNameAndOrganisation":"Clare (St Mungo's Primary School)","organisation":"St Mungo's Primary School","organisationOrNameIfNull":"St Mungo's Primary School","email":"clcdormer@glow.sch.uk","address":"United Kingdom","postcode":"FK10 1DN","fullAddress":"FK10 1DN","fullAddressOrEmailIfPresent":"clcdormer@glow.sch.uk","phone":"01259 452320","contactDetails":"e: clcdormer@glow.sch.uk p: 01259 452320","engagementClientType":null,"engagementType":{"text":"Workshop","listOrder":0,"active":true,"id":4,"createdOn":"2018-02-18T17:16:23.228582","createdOnDisplay":"Sunday, 18 Feb 2018","createdOnAndTimeDisplay":"18 Feb 2018 17:16","createdBy":"Seed Method","modifiedOn":"2020-04-22T10:12:34.5868731","modifiedOnAndTimeDisplay":"22 Apr 2020 10:12","modifiedBy":null,"brokenRules":[]},"curriculum":{"code":"KS2","text":"Age 7 to 11","codeInBracketsIfNotNullAndNotEqualToText":"(KS2)","textAndCode":"Age 7 to 11 (KS2)","listOrder":3,"id":3,"createdOn":"2018-02-18T17:16:22.925584","createdOnDisplay":"Sunday, 18 Feb 2018","createdOnAndTimeDisplay":"18 Feb 2018 17:16","createdBy":"Seed Method","modifiedOn":"2018-04-08T08:19:51.737931","modifiedOnAndTimeDisplay":"08 Apr 2018 08:19","modifiedBy":null,"brokenRules":[]},"message":"I am looking for an author visit for whole school assembly 5-10 year olds. Workshop / reading.\r\nBook week Scotland would be good which is 3rd week in November.\r\nWhat would the price for this be?\r\nThank you","enquiryOnly":false,"engagementConfirmedDisplay":"confirmed","oppositeEngagementConfirmedDisplay":"unconfirmed","ipAddress":"92.20.146.205","responseDateTime":"2023-08-31T21:38:39.4917665","feedback":null,"feedbackFromClientOn":null,"bookingConfirmationFromClientOn":"2023-09-07T07:16:58.2997773","showFeedbackOnWebsite":false,"showFeedbackOnAuthorsProfile":false,"organisationUrl":null,"hideFromAuthor":false,"id":8120,"createdOn":"2023-08-31T21:38:38.1828711","createdOnDisplay":"Thursday, 31 Aug 2023","createdOnAndTimeDisplay":"31 Aug 2023 21:38","createdBy":"251aa1de-a4f6-4b2e-8d47-f540933708c7","modifiedOn":"2023-08-19T21:43:39.0434334","modifiedOnAndTimeDisplay":"19 Aug 2023 21:43","modifiedBy":null,"brokenRules":[]},{"authorId":3480,"date":"2024-02-02T00:00:00","fullName":"ELLIS MCGINTY","fullNameAndDate":"ELLIS MCGINTY : Friday, 02 Feb 2024","fullNameAndOrganisation":"ELLIS MCGINTY (Cleland Primary School)","firstNameAndOrganisation":"ELLIS (Cleland Primary School)","organisation":"Cleland Primary School","organisationOrNameIfNull":"Cleland Primary School","email":"ellismcg1991@gmail.com","address":"26 Main Street, Cleland","postcode":"ML1 5QN","fullAddress":"ML1 5QN","fullAddressOrEmailIfPresent":"ellismcg1991@gmail.com","phone":"07727633233","contactDetails":"e: ellismcg1991@gmail.com p: 07727633233","engagementClientType":null,"engagementType":{"text":"Workshop","listOrder":0,"active":true,"id":4,"createdOn":"2018-02-18T17:16:23.228582","createdOnDisplay":"Sunday, 18 Feb 2018","createdOnAndTimeDisplay":"18 Feb 2018 17:16","createdBy":"Seed Method","modifiedOn":"2020-04-22T10:12:34.5868731","modifiedOnAndTimeDisplay":"22 Apr 2020 10:12","modifiedBy":null,"brokenRules":[]},"curriculum":{"code":"KS2","text":"Age 7 to 11","codeInBracketsIfNotNullAndNotEqualToText":"(KS2)","textAndCode":"Age 7 to 11 (KS2)","listOrder":3,"id":3,"createdOn":"2018-02-18T17:16:22.925584","createdOnDisplay":"Sunday, 18 Feb 2018","createdOnAndTimeDisplay":"18 Feb 2018 17:16","createdBy":"Seed Method","modifiedOn":"2018-04-08T08:19:51.737931","modifiedOnAndTimeDisplay":"08 Apr 2018 08:19","modifiedBy":null,"brokenRules":[]},"message":"We are looking for a children's author to come and chat to the kids about the stories they have written, do a reading or work with children on some writing techniques!","enquiryOnly":false,"engagementConfirmedDisplay":"confirmed","oppositeEngagementConfirmedDisplay":"unconfirmed","ipAddress":"92.40.193.178","responseDateTime":"2023-09-28T09:21:41.5887384","feedback":null,"feedbackFromClientOn":null,"bookingConfirmationFromClientOn":"2023-10-05T08:12:31.6390047","showFeedbackOnWebsite":false,"showFeedbackOnAuthorsProfile":false,"organisationUrl":null,"hideFromAuthor":false,"id":8263,"createdOn":"2023-09-28T09:21:40.5475472","createdOnDisplay":"Thursday, 28 Sept 2023","createdOnAndTimeDisplay":"28 Sept 2023 09:21","createdBy":"d0b2ccb5-f1e4-485c-ad34-e529007b3c5e","modifiedOn":"2023-09-18T11:15:21.3665085","modifiedOnAndTimeDisplay":"18 Sept 2023 11:15","modifiedBy":null,"brokenRules":[]}],"authorInShortList":false,"booksIntroduction":"I write fiction for ages 7+. My most recent book, Haarville, is a darkly comic, mystery adventure for ages 9+.\r\nMy first two books, Help! I Smell a Monster & Whoa! 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