Interactive Author Visit with Black Latinx Bilingual Author

I have over 10 years of experience as a speaker. I lead interactive and engaging author visits that encourage student participation. My main goal is to inspire children to read, write, and create. My presentations are custom tailored for the specific age group of your students, therefore they are suitable for students from kindergarten to college. As a bilingual speaker, I'll be glad to present in English, Spanish, or Spanglish.

Below is a list of the sessions I lead:

1) Read Aloud, Q&A, and Readers’ Theater: Interactive read-aloud, a Q&A session, and opportunities for students to act out story scenes for K-3 [OR]

2) Read Aloud, Q&A, and Missing Page Activity: Interactive read-aloud, a Q&A session, and creative writing activity during which students produce an additional “missing” page of the story for K-3 [OR]

3) Read Aloud, Q&A, followed by a Discussion About Your Story Ideas: Interactive read-aloud, a Q&A session, I will introduce students to fun strategies authors use to find and develop story ideas for K-3. [OR]

4) Read Aloud, Q&A, followed by a Discussion About Celebrating Identity and Diversity through Story: Interactive read-aloud, a Q&A session, and then we’ll talk about how stories can be used to celebrate our diversity. Finally, we will write our own diverse identities into stories for K-3. [OR]

5) Read Aloud, Q&A, followed by a Discussion About Picture Book Creation: Interactive read-aloud, a Q&A session, and we’ll talk about the parts and elements of picture books. Then students will create their own picture books as author-illustrators for K-5. [OR]

6) Read Aloud followed by an Author Talk and Q&A: Presentation about lessons learned on the journey to becoming an author and Q&A about books. I will answer questions like: How long does it take to write a book? Do you have to find your own illustrator? How does a book get into a bookstore? What is an agent's role? What is a query letter? What is an editor’s role? Who else is involved in the process? (THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE STUDENTS, ADULTS, and EDUCATORS)

Alyssa Reynoso-Morris is a queer Afro-Latine/x Dominican and Puerto Rican storyteller. Her ability to weave compelling stories has opened many doors for her as an author, speaker, and resume writer.

She is also a mother and community organizer. During the day she works with community members, non-profit organizations, and government officials to make the world a better place.

Then she puts her writer’s hat on to craft heartfelt stories about home, family, food, and the fun places she has been. She is the author of Plátanos Are Love, The Bronx Is My Home, and Gloriana Presente: A First Day of School Book.

Alyssa was born and raised in The Bronx, New York, and currently lives in Philadelphia, PA with her partner and daughter.

Alyssa served her community as the Chief of Staff for her local State Representative. Together they worked to bring funds to the district, pass legislation, and organize events to ensure constituents’ needs are met.

Prior to this, Alyssa interned for Parvati Swayamrojgaar, a microfinance organization working to break the poverty cycle in the slums of India, taught English at an orphanage in Tanzania, and facilitated the establishment of the Women’s Witness Protection Program for the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda.

She also assembled a team of 70 volunteers that worked to build an aquaponic unit (a system that grows fish and crops without waste) and a water purification system in an under-resourced community in the Dominican Republic. Her team fundraised, wrote grants, and developed lesson plans focused on sustainable development.

As for her writing journey, she was awarded a Yuyi Morales Diversity and More Merit Scholarship in 2020 for the Craft and Business of Writing Children's Picture Books course offered through the Children’s Book Academy. She earned a Las Musas Mentorship and an Editor-Writer Mentorship from The Word for picture books in 2020. She was also selected as a mentee through the PB Chat Mentorship program but withdrew due to being offered representation.

Alyssa’s amazing agent is the talented Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez at Context Literary Agency. Alyssa is also an active member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

Alyssa is honored to be a Musa with LAS MUSAS BOOKS. Their mission is to spotlight the contribution of Las Musas in the evolving canon of children's literature and celebrate the diversity of voice, experience, and power in our communities. Las Musas Books shares resources and invaluable information about the publishing industry through its website, podcast, and webinar series. They also offer a mentorship program that I was a part of; I’m excited to pay it forward and mentor a future Hermana.

Alyssa is also a member of KidLit In Color, which is a group of traditionally published BIPOC creatives. We nurture one another, amplify diverse voices, and advocate for equitable representation in the industry. Our work includes picture books, chapter books, and middle-grade fiction and nonfiction.

She hopes you enjoy her stories.