My very favorite thing about writing for children is connecting with young readers. There’s nothing better than being in a classroom full of kids who are excited, engaged, and ready to talk books!
I love to talk about ideas and where they come from. (Spoiler alert: everywhere!).
I love to share the power of the “stinky first draft” and how I use feedback from my fellow authors to revise (over and over again) to make my work better––just like students use feedback from classmates and teachers to make their work better.
I love to emphasize that the two most important factors in reaching any goal (including becoming a published author) are working hard and believing in yourself.
And I aspire to leave every individual child with the certainty that they are important––and so are their stories.
I’m happy to craft a presentation to fit your specific needs, or you can choose from one of the following tried and true options:
THE TRUE STORY OF A NONFICTION BOOK
(Adaptable for grades 1-5; 45 minutes)
Discover how The Great Stink went from idea to book, as I discuss the steps of my writing process, including the importance of the “stinky first draft,” multiple revisions, and “tricking” yourself into working hard when you’d rather be doing something else. I also share early sketches from Nancy Carpenter that didn’t make it into the book, photos from my research trip to London, and what a manuscript looks like with notes from critique partners and copyeditors. (For grades 4 and 5, I can add a brief segment that describes some of my favorite revision techniques. This will add about 5-10 minutes to the presentation.)
THE GREAT STINK READING PLUS Q&A
Sit back. Relax. And enjoy a not-so-stinky story time as I read The Great Stink and then answer student’s questions. I can answer questions about the book, writing, where I get ideas, why we still have a poop pollution problem and more. Nothing is off the table! Plus, I always keep a handful of images on hand to add visual interest to my answers.
