Draft a lesson plan, including potential children's books for use to support the plan and subject. Include more than one book or portion of a book so you have alternative options in the event that you do not receive permission for your first choice.
Write a letter on school-approved letterhead to the publisher, specifically requesting permission to use the book. You must state the name of the book in your request and avoid asking for a blanket permission to use multiple books. Understand that permission is granted on a per publication basis, meaning that you must receive permission for each individual book. If you seek permission for more than one book from the same publisher, you must state this in your formal request. Include in your request the full title of the book, the author's name, the publisher, ISBN and copyright date of the book.
Describe in your letter and request the reason for using the children's books. For example, state that you teach third-grade students in the public school system and wish to use the books "A" and "B" to help teach concepts about "A concept" and "B concept." State in your request which sections or portions of the book you will be using. Detail how you will use the book, for example: "I am seeking permission to copy pages one through 10 for distribution to my class of 20 students."
Send your letter to the Permissions Department of the publisher. You will need to send multiple requests if asking permission for more than one book from from multiple publishers. Send a formal written request for each children's book you wish to use portions of. This includes posting excerpts from children's books on social media pages, school websites and classroom-specific websites. You must follow the same process to obtain publisher-supplied reprints.