It is said that there is nothing more powerful than a book in the hands of a child!
But there is something that can be equally as powerful. It is the voice of an author when they speak of the passion, the hopes, and the dreams that are held in the pages of their books. Sometimes it takes an author, with a passion and purpose, to explain why reading and books are so important for hope and change! Below are the literary programs and services we offer to schools across the state.
AUTHORS TO SCHOOLS
Through our outreach program, Authors to Schools, we bring touring authors and illustrators from all over the country into Connecticut schools, spanning grades pre-K through high school. We work with many fabulous authors — Katherine Applegate, Padma Venkatraman, Nic Stone, Victoria Kann, Sharon Draper, Eva Chen, Stuart Gibbs, Randy Ribay, Brendan Kiely… to name just a few!
Participation in the program is easy. Fill out our contact form and we will find a great match for your school's wants and needs.
In addition to the Authors to Schools program, we offer:
IN-SCHOOL & ONLINE BOOK FAIRS
Our curated School Book Fairs offer a mix of diverse titles based on our extensive knowledge of what kids love to read! We offer a seasonal base package, along with add-on age-specific or thematic collections.
Your school receives a cash-back or store credit percentage of all sales revenue generated by the book fair, and families feel great about supporting a local, independent business — a true win win!
We provide promotional flyers and posters, a complete Book Fair Kit filled with supplies, and much much more.
EDUCATORS’ DISCOUNTS AND EVENTS
Educators receive 15% off all purchases made for their classrooms! Simply show your school ID during purchase in-store.
Educators’ Nights: Come hear from our expert kids’ booksellers, representatives from publishers, and education professionals as they share titles that will get reluctant readers clamoring for more books! Learn how to work titles into your curriculum, how to start a school book club, and more. Educators’ events often feature additional discounts, advanced readers’ copies, raffles, and prizes!
TEACHER WISHLISTS & REGISTRIES
Simply create an account on our website and click on "My Wishlists & Registries" in your account to get started. When you set up a Registry list, you can specify quantity, add descriptions, track purchases, and add a private shipping address or pick up your items at our Madison or Middletown locations. If you need help setting this up, email us at books@rjjulia.com.
CURATED SCHOOL LIBRARIES
RJ Julia Booksellers can create collections of specially selected books tailored to your specific needs. Over the years, we’ve developed long-term relationships with both the largest and lesser-known publishing houses and have our finger on the pulse of “what’s out there.” With this breadth of knowledge, we can create the school library of your dreams!
SUMMER READING FUNDRAISER
Encourage your students and families to shop at RJ Julia Booksellers or at rjjulia.com for all their summer reading. WHY? Because your school will receive 10% of all sales generated by summer reading purchases. In addition to receiving 10% of sales back, the top three schools with the highest summer sales total will win $100, $75, and $50 gift cards, respectively. This is a hassle-free, fun, easy fundraiser for your school! Click to learn more!
As your local, independent bookstore, we are flexible and responsive with the goal of meeting each school’s specific needs.
Advanced Listening Copies for Educators
Educators, librarians, booksellers, media/reviewers, and influencers can join our Audiobook Listening Copy (ALC) program for complimentary audiobooks. You’ll get a mix of new and upcoming audiobook releases each month.
- Get access to the ALCs by completing the application.
- If your application is accepted, we’ll let you know!
- New ALCs can be redeemed each month. Once redeemed, they can be downloaded and listened to at any time.
- You’ll receive an email letting you know when new ALCs are available and a reminder to redeem them before they are gone at the end of the month.