But even more important is the way children’s feelings about reading and writing are forever changed. Having an author visit is about much, much more than “This is a real writer, boys and girls.” After all, that’s really just another variation of the celebrity-ization and “Entertain me” values so prevalent in our culture. This is about giving children the direct, joyous, self-affirming experience of writing itself.  Especially if hands-on writing classes, in smaller groups (2-3 combined classes of the same grade), as opposed to large auditorium-sized talks, are included, writing becomes something children want to do, and look forward to doing with delight. In the process, children organically entertain and empower themselves by tapping into the boundless resources of their own experiences and imaginations.