Tami Charles is the New York Times bestselling author of All Because You Matter and numerous books for children and young adults.

An undergraduate of Saint Elizabeth University, Tami received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies. She went on to earn a Master’s degree in Educational Administration from Farleigh Dickinson University and thereafter became certified in principalship for the states of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Tami pursued her doctoral studies in Educational Leadership at Walden University, where she reached ABD status. For fourteen years, Tami served as a classroom teacher before following her childhood dream of becoming an author.

This would not have happened without the encouragement of her students. During her tenure, Tami and her fifth grade students explored a wide array of diverse middle grade novels and picture books. Doing so inspired Tami and her students to write their own short stories and plays, with some performed for the school and community at-large.

Publishing in 2018, Like Vanessa was Tami’s debut middle grade novel. It went on to earn Top 10 spots on the Indies Introduce and Spring Kids’ Next lists, three starred reviews, and a Junior Library Guild selection. Since then, she has published such titles as Definitely Daphne, Fearless Mary, Serena the GOAT, and Becoming Beatriz to name a few.

Her latest titles include YA novel-in-verse, Muted, which was a Buzzfeed Top 40 pick, and lyrical picture book, My Day with the Panye, which received a starred review from School Library Journal.

Tami’s work has been spotlighted in such outlets as Essence Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Marie Claire, The Today Show, and Good Morning America. When she isn’t writing, Tami can be found presenting at schools both stateside and abroad. As a former educator, Tami understands the true power of teaching. It extends beyond lesson plans, data collection, and testing. Teachers are in a unique position to empower students and cultivate the next generation of writers and thought-leaders.

AWARDS

LIKE VANESSA
2017 Indie’s Introduce Winter/Spring 2018
2017 Kids’ Indie Next Spring 2018
2017 SCBWI Book Launch Award
A 2018 Junior Library Guild Selection
Best New Books of 2018 List, First Book
Project Lit Top 10 Middle Grade List
We Need Diverse Books/ Goodreads “Must Reads” of 2018 List

PRESENTATIONS

For Assemblies
Audiences of up to 150 students, 45-60 minute programs, including Q & A:

* The Write Life!
(Ideal for grades 1-5)
What exactly does an author do? Write a story and publish it right away? Not so fast. The author journey can be a bumpy, but thrilling ride!

* The Beauty of No, the Power of YES!
(Ideal for grades 3 and up)
An exploration of how perceived failure can be the start of something beautiful. Designed to inspire listeners to write down their goals and be FEARLESS in actively pursuing them.

Workshops
Max of 20 students, 60 minutes:

* Ignite Your Inner Author!
(Ideal for 5th grade & up)
Everyone has a story to tell. But when it comes to actually writing it, so many questions arise. Where do I start? What if my grammar is off? And what if NO ONE wants to read this thing?!! “Ignite Your Inner Author” helps writers tackle those doubts head-on. Light the fire inside and find your voice!

* Channel Your Inner Nonfiction Nerd!
(Ideal for grades 5th grade & up)
Nonfiction is all the rage these days. This workshop helps writers create fact-based stories for any topic. There are tons of creative ways to tell a true story!

* Picture Prompt Writing
(Ideal for 3rd & 4th grades)
Story ideas can be found everywhere—especially in pictures! Analyze the picture that sparked the book FEARLESS MARY. Students will have a chance to create their own story using pictures as prompts.

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Website

Availability and Honorariums