The first time I visited with my readers in schools was in 1970. I actually can remember that time in Roosevelt, New Jersey. My first book had just come out, Things that Sometimes Happen.

Since then I’ve visited hundreds of schools. While I still do such visits from time to time (a bunch last week) and enjoy them greatly, more often I’ve been doing Skype visits. Not the smallest reason for these electronic visits has to do with money and time. It’s expensive to bring and pay an author to visit, and these days’ schools don’t have a lot of money for such events. Moreover, even a one-day visit morphs into a three-day stint when you include the travel. In contrast, a Skype visit costs very little, and no travel time is involved. Indeed, I can go to places I never could go, such as a one-room school house (three students!) on an island off the coast of Alaska, a small mining community in Idaho, or a school in Honduras.

But what really makes a Skype visit work is the class-room teacher. Teachers who set these up are enthusiastic, focused, and eager to get their students—all students—involved. Yes, there are things to learn, the basic technology, working with a video camera, dealing with technical glitches (which now and again occur). 

At their best, these visits are relaxed, fun for students and fun for me. But now you’ll have to excuse me. I have to speak to some readers in Mississippi.