Mr Dilly Meets – Free Virtual Author Events for Primary Schools
Inspiring Reading, Writing, and Creativity in Classrooms Nationwide
Over 600,000 primary school children in more than 7,000 schools have already experienced the magic of Mr Dilly Meets — fun, free, and inspirational live virtual author visits beamed straight into classrooms across the UK.
These exciting online events bring the wonderful world of children’s books, authors, poets, and illustrators to life through lively chat, engaging read-alouds, draw-alongs, and more. Each live stream event celebrates creativity in a colourful, energetic way that encourages reading for pleasure, inspires curiosity, and supports literacy learning — with a huge burst of laughter and fun along the way.
All events stream via the Mr Dilly website, embedded via YouTube — no downloads, sign-ins, or special software required.
For over four years, Mr Dilly Meets has been an integral part of many schools’ reading and literacy programmes, making Mr Dilly Meets a perfect partner in the nationwide drive to encourage and celebrate reading through the National Year of Reading 2026 and beyond.
With a packed calendar of new events each term, Mr Dilly Meets continues to grow as one of the the UK’s leading free virtual author programme for schools.
Why Schools Love Mr Dilly Meets
FREE to join – accessible for all schools, no matter the budget
Live interaction with celebrated children’s authors, poets, and illustrators
Inspires reading for pleasure and supports creative writing in the classroom
Curriculum-linked – from literacy to cross-curricular themes like myths, STEM, and the environment
Flexible and easy to access – join live from your classroom with a single link
Memorable experiences – lively, funny, and packed with ideas children remember long after the session
Replay available – most events include replay access for flexible classroom use
🎥 Want to catch up on past Mr Dilly Meets? See the full archive on our Past Events page (updating - coming soon)— watch author live streams anytime, on demand.
Upcoming Mr Dilly Meets – Free, Fun & Inspirational Virtual Author Visits for Primary School
Mr Dilly Meets: Little Big Stories - Adventures for Young Readers | KS1 and Lower KS2
📅 Tuesday 19 May • 11:00am BST
👩🏫 KS1–Lower KS2 (ages 5–8) • FREE
📺 Watch live or on-demand (7-day replay)
⏱️ Run time: approx. 1 hour
Join Mr Dilly for a fun, imaginative livestream designed especially for younger and emerging readers.
This event celebrates the joy of reading through adventure, mystery, humour and creativity — helping children discover that stories can be exciting, funny and full of imagination.
🎙️ Featuring
Laura Ellen Anderson (pre-recorded) — Star Kitties
Magical kittens, friendship and a fun-filled mystery adventure.
Meg McLaren (live) — Watts & Whiskerton
A clever and charming detective mystery with a dog-and-cat duo.
Jennifer Bell & Sarah Horne (live) — Buck & Ears Pirate Detectives
A hilarious pirate mystery packed with clues and puzzles.
Gareth Hopkins & Beatrice Blue (live) — Super Mega Tortoise
A funny, heartwarming story about friendship and finding better ways to have fun.
🌟 What to Expect
• Live author chats and readings
• THREE draw-alongs with Laura Ellen Anderson, Sarah Horne & Meg McLaren
• Mystery, adventure and puzzle-solving fun
• Highly illustrated and early chapter book storytelling
• Plenty of ideas to spark creativity and imagination
🎯 Why Take Part?
✔ Perfect for emerging and reluctant readers
✔ Encourages reading for pleasure from an early age
✔ Supports creativity through drawing and storytelling
✔ Introduces a range of accessible, engaging books
Mr Dilly Meets: Gods, Monsters & Epic Adventures | KS2 & Lower KS3
10 June 11:00AM -12:15PM BST
KS2–Lower KS3 (ages 8–13) • FREE
Watch live or on-demand (7-day replay)
Run time: approx. 1 hour 15 mins
Join Mr Dilly for an epic fantasy-themed livestream packed with myths, monsters, magical schools, dangerous quests and unlikely heroes.
From Olympian battles and ancient legends to portals, prophecies and chaotic magical adventures, this fast-paced event celebrates the fantasy stories that spark imagination and inspire children to dive into reading.
Featuring
⚡ Thiago de Moraes — Welcome to the School of Gods
A hilarious, highly illustrated fantasy adventure set in a chaotic school for young gods.
🏺 Clare Pollard — The Othernauts
A funny and action-packed retelling of Jason and the Argonauts full of monsters, whirlpools and mythical mayhem.
🗻 Ash Bond — Peregrine Quinn and the Battle for Olympus
An epic fantasy adventure packed with portals, gods, danger and high-stakes quests.
🌙 Ross MacKenzie — The Uninvited
A gripping magical adventure filled with mystery, danger and powerful magic.
🐉 Amy Sparkes — The Unchosen One
A hilarious fantasy quest where the “Chosen One” really doesn’t want the job.
What to Expect
• Live author interviews and readings
• Mythology, monsters and magical world-building
• The interactive “Myth Mash-Up” fantasy story challenge
• Whole-class fantasy games and quickfire challenges
• Creative prompts and imaginative storytelling ideas
• Plenty of inspiration for fantasy fans and young writers
Why Take Part?
✔ Encourages reading for pleasure through fantasy and adventure
✔ Inspires imaginative writing and storytelling
✔ Perfect for fans of mythology, monsters and magical worlds
✔ Great for both confident and reluctant readers
✔ Helps pupils explore how fantasy stories are created