Jennifer Somervell has written seven books based on her experience of growing up on a farm, including The Day Dad Blew Up the Cowshed.
She visited Balfour, East Gore, Otama, Te Tipua and Tuturau Schools.
Otama School principal Anna Nicolson said the pupils enjoyed meeting her.
"We had a lot in common, as she grew up on a farm, and many of her stories are based on this.
"We learnt [about] the process of writing a book ... The students couldn’t believe that it would take a year and a-half to publish a picture book."
Tuturau School principal Carla Gillies said it was an amazing opportunity for a small rural school to have an author visit.
The visits were subsidised by Creative New Zealand and the tour to the Southland region was supported by the Aotea Gaming Trust.
Somervell had three tours to the region pre-Covid, but largely failed to reach the small, rural schools because of the cost. This tour had been a success.
"It was totally worth it to see the excitement on children’s faces to meet a real author."
