HIT: Author visits Part 1

[Josephine Dervan <rderva@injersey.com>]

Many thanks to all who sent information about successful author visits.
Here are the results listed by states and regions:

From Corona del Mar, CA

> We had Caroline Arnold, writer of 110 books, for grades K-5 in the
> library. We prepared the classes and had a wonderful, educational visit.
> She
> lives in Los Angeles. Cost was $700 for four presentations.
**********************
From Fresno, CA

We had Jerry Polatta at our school this year. We have an author each
year,
and he was great!!!
WE are a in California,but he is from the East Coast.  We are a K-6
school .
HE was good for all grades.  Does slides and visuals. Very funny in his
interactions with kids.  Adults liked him too.
I believe his cost was about $500 for two assemblies. He probably stayed
another hour signing books, and also signed any paper a kid brought to
him.
Brought out some trading cards with his picture for some kids.

A few years ago we had Diane Iverson. She is from the Southwest and was
much
cheaper. She writes beautiful and affordable nature books.  She was
great
also.  does the illustrations too, so drew for the kids.
*************************
From San Jose, CA

Jane Kurtz (lives in North Dakota)
>San Jose, CA
>K-5
>cost-to be determined
>I highly recommend Jane. She does a fabulous job with all ages.
***************************
From Redland Middle School in Rockland, MD


This week I heard David Wisniewski speak (Caldecott winner) - and he is
fabulous.  I believe he charges $1,000 for a full day out of state.  He
is
very down to earth and you can find his number and address through the
Children's Book Guild of Washington D.C.

Rumor on the grapevine is that his publisher has been telling people
that he
has no time for school visits - David just found this out and is dealing
with
his publisher.  He DOES do school visits and will arrange his own.  He
has
not gotten "full" of himself - he is easy to work with.  He LOVES to
visit
schools and will book it himself.  (He lives here in Maryland).
**********************
From Ohio

We have had an author visit for the last 3 years. We are in Medina
County-
Northeast Ohio.  The last 2 years we also included a presentation for
the
Middle School
1997 - Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton around $750 (not sure if same now)
1998 - Laura E. Williams - $750
1999 - J. Patrick Lewis - $1000
All costs are shown without travel and other expenses which is dependent
upon distance. All these auhtors live within an hour of our school. AND
all
did a great job and were wonderful people to get to know.  Each year
that I
do this I worry that it won't go over well and my luck is holding. I am
really interested in seeing your hit, too
*******************
From the Pacific Northwest

>Author's name   Roland Smith    "Jaquar, Some Non Fiction, and other F"
>Geographic location of your school PacificNW
>Grade levels of school k-6
>Cost $1000
Very good even for middle school -
**********************
From Stowe, MA

We had three visitors this year.

Elizabeth Honey was on a working holiday from Australia doing research
for her upcoming book, "Remote Man," and visited schools in our area -
gratis. She visited our 4-5th grade classes and read poetry and talked
about her writings. The kids really enjoyed meeting her and her
Australian accent was delightful. She has kept in touch and is using
some "ideas" from our kids in her new book.

Jerry Pallotta (From Needham MA) came and did a school-wide (grades 3-5)
assembly of slides on his alphabet books. He then visited each 4th grade
class (all 4 of them) and did an extended slide show presentation on how
to do an alphabet book. Our 4th graders traditionally do alphabet books
and I was hoping that he'd convince the teachers that they should allow
the children to pick their own topics this year - and it worked! He was
very entertaining and works very well with the children. He is more of
an entertainer than any author we've had. He gratefully signed anything
put in front of him and captured the hearts of all. His energy level is
HIGH. He charged $950 which was paid by our PTO.

We had Andrew Clements (Westborough MA) for two days to visit both
schools (K-2) and (3-5). He met individually with grades 1 and grades 5.
He also stayed for our Book Fair after school until 5 pm autographing
books. He is very articulate and was well received by the children. He
has a presentation about his life as a writer and visually engages the
children in the process. He is most known for his picture books...but
has emerged recently as a writer for the Middle Grades with his
award-winning book, Frindle, and his newest release, Landry News. He is
a super nice man who is passionate about his craft. I really enjoyed
visiting with him and think his books will continue to be well received
by the children.  I believe he charged $1500 for the two days. Again
paid by our PTO:-)

All three of these authors were so different and so refreshing in and of
themselves. Whatever you can do to bring an author to school will be
wonderful for all.
*******************
From New York City:

We have had three successful author visits  which I run along with the
help of a parent (it is PTA sponsored)  THese visits must be wonderful
to
make them worth while - much work goes into the planning and preparation
and they are costly.... My school is in New York City (West 75th
Street),
Nursery through 8th grade.
Two years ago we had David Adler.  He lives on Long Island, cost, I
think, $1200.  He saw the whole school - did a writing workshop with the
6-8 grades.
Last year we had Bernard Waber - super charming - spoke with grades 1-6
and made short classroom visits with the early childhood.  He had a
slide
presentation and told the story of Ira Sleeps Over - really cute since
the kids were helping him along as if he didn't know what happened.... I
think it cost $1,000 (not sure)  He also lives on Long Island.
Since those two are such hard acts to follow, we switched to poetry this
year and had Douglas Florian.  He spoke with grades 1-6 and came back
for
a second day doing poetry workshops with grades 2-6.  Cost -$1,000.
Lives in Queens, I think.
****************************

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Josephine Dervan
Library Media Specialist
Strathmore Elementary School
Aberdeen, New Jersey, USA 07747

Home - rderva@injersey.com
School - jdervan@marsd.k12.nj.us

"Anyone who has a library and a garden wants for nothing"- CICERO

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
    All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law.
To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST), send email to:
 listserv@listserv.syr.edu         In the message write EITHER:
 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
 3) SET LM_NET MAIL  * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv
 For LM_NET Help & Archives see:  http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=