Chris Barton
Award-winning, bestselling, Austin, TX-based author of books for young readers.
About Chris
I’m an author of more than two dozen published books for young readers. My books — both fiction (SHARK VS. TRAIN) and nonfiction (WHOOSH!) — have been celebrated on more than two dozen U.S. state lists and received national honors. I have visited hundreds of schools across the country and internationally and spoken at conferences and festivals in several states. Doing author visits is one of my favorite parts of my job, because it allows young audiences to see that authors are (more or less) ordinary people, to see that becoming an author is within their reach, and to see that it's possible to find a career you love so much that you're excited to share it with a crowd just like them.
Books
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What educators say
“Chris was personable and engaging with our entire student body. He was genuine and kind to every student who he spoke with and truly made a lasting impression.”
“As an educator and facilitator, I really appreciated Chris’s grasp of the Q&A portion. Sometimes this can get out of hand, and then the presentation ends, and it is a bit messy for dismissal. Chris handled the Q&A like a pro. He answered the questions, warned of 'time for one more,' and then had a slide or two to end the presentation purposefully. I really appreciated this way of purposefully ending and setting the students up for success for an organized dismissal.”
“A teacher texted me in the middle of the fourth grade presentation to tell me she absolutely loved how Chris presented the practice of writing to our students. I loved how he made a point to let students know how important they are – no matter what they look like or their background.”
Visit formats
What a visit includes
For my presentations this year, my hosts can choose from We Match!, How to Make a Book (About My Dog), What Do You Do with a Voice Like That?, Dazzle Ships, Glitter Everywhere!, and Moving Forward—as well as from my spring 2027 picture book releases Not Today, Blue Jay (fiction) and Sweet! (nonfiction). My "Write What You'd Love to Learn" presentation provides an overview of me and my work as an author, after which I read from one of those books and use it as a jumping-off point for an age-appropriate discussion of research, revision, and/or collaboration. While there's a lot to be said for the intimacy of a smaller audience, there's no limit on the size of crowd that I'm comfortable speaking to. Grade levels can be combined for my sessions or kept separate—whatever works best for my hosts. The length of each presentation is flexible as well—I can go a full hour with older students, but the closer to kinder they get, the more we might want to keep the session nearer to a half-hour (and to schedule the session for earlier in the day). My sessions end with Q&A, which we can wrap up before the scheduled end time if the audience's focus and attention start to flag.
Fees vary by format, travel, and your school's needs. Reach out directly for a quote and open dates.
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