Tag Archive for James Preller Author Visits

School Visit Vibes: Photos & Captions

We talked about Kurt Vonnegut’s dictum, “Make awful things” happen in relation to my book Blood Mountain. What rotten, horrible things can we do to these poor characters in order to show the reader what they are made of?

Well, young readers — I’ve learned — are frighteningly good at this stuff. Full to overflowing with awful ideas! Maybe they should be writers, too?

PRO TIP: I sit when I present to the Prek-K crowd. I go soft and gentle. And it’s lovely and warm.

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After reading Two Birds and a Moose, I tell them about the upcoming title, Two Ballerinas and a Moose. Fortunately, we had some real, live ballerinas in the room who were delighted to come up and demonstrate some of the basic moves.

Lately for grades 3-4, I’ve opened up by talking about Character, Setting, and Plot in relation to one of my new “Scary Tales” paperback (3 stories in 1). These stories always get their rapt attention, so it’s the strong opening I need. Note: I stand for the big kids.

THANK YOU, ANNEMARIE & TO ALL THE GOOD FOLKS AT KENSINGTON ROAD ELEMENTARY!

Together We Can Change the World

I took these snaps last week at an airport in Florida. I also took a similar (though less successful) photo at middle school in CT, which is not included here.

I love this movement with our public drinking fountains: A place to easily fill water bottles. The counter was a new one on me, and I liked that, too.

Do you have one in your public school?

As a visiting author, I’m always asked what I’ll need on my visit. If I have dietary restrictions, what kind of technology I’ll be using, and so on. And I always ask for water. Because of all that talking.

And because I’m a hypocrite. 

So when I visit, I’m provided with an endless supply of plastic water bottles. This year, I’m finally trying to put an end to that by bringing my own reusable bottle. A simple thing, a small thing, and long overdue. 

But that’s where I’m at these days. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, do what you can do to be a little bit better than yesterday. No judgment. Nobody’s perfect. And no matter where you stand, just trying pointing those feet in the right direction. You don’t have to become an entirely new person. You don’t have to become the best and the most. Every little bit helps. Think of the planet and do what you can. Make that small shift.

Together we can change the world.

“Cookies and Conversation,” Plus a Great Website for Librarians

On school visits, rather than having lunch with students, I’ve come to prefer (and request) any sort of loose Q & A format — with, of course, desserts. You get the rare kids who’d rather hang with an author in the library than go out to recess. It’s always nice and often the conversation runs deep. Or not! Anyway, this particular librarian created and personalized these passes. She told me she uses and loves CANVA to create posters, etc. Finds it a pleasure to use.

This has been a public service announcement.

 

Three Things

Today I concluded a presentation to a group of students, grades 4-6, with this quote (because the kids are always clamoring for more Henry James):

First Review for “Home Sweet Horror,” Book #1 of SCARY TALES Series

Question #1: If your friend writes a review of your book, does that negate it as an objective critical assessment?

Question #2: What is friendship, anyway?

I first “met” Franki Sibberson through her blog, A Year of Reading, co-written with Mary Lee Hahn. (You can read about them here, from a nice piece at possibly the world’s greatest children’s literature blog, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast.)  If I recall correctly, Franki suggested that a character in one of my books, Miss Lobel in Along Came Spider, might be included in her ever-evolving list of 100 Cool Teachers in Children’s Literature.

In response to that, I believe that I bought Franki a car. Or maybe commented favorably on her blog. Something like that. Time passed, as time does, and last year I was given the opportunity of attending the fabulous 2012 Dublin Literacy Conference. You know, the one that’s not in Ireland. On that happy sojourn, I arrived at Franki’s school as a visiting author and we had a great day.

I always say that authors don’t do school visits — schools do author visits. So if that day was indeed a success, I owe 90% of that to Franki, the teachers, administrators, and students who put so much effort into the visit before I even arrived with my loud demands for more fluffy pillows, oscillating fans, belly dancers and blue M & M’s (and only blue M & M’s)

So, yes, I confess: We became friends. But not the hugging kind, mind you, since . . . Franki Don’t Hug. Got it? Okay. So just back it up, fella. One more step, good. Our friendship is on a firm handshake basis. Anyway, we are friends. That sometimes happens when librarians and authors meet and get a chance to hang out. Today, of course, I deeply wish that I wasn‘t friends with Franki. Wouldn’t her kind review of my new series be more valuable if, say, we hated each other? If only we were mortal enemies somehow — a long enmity passed down through generations! — and Franki Sibberson despised everything about me! — and yet still, even so, felt compelled (reluctantly, bitterly) to write a nice review of my book?

That, my friends and neighbors, would be a review worth chirping out!

Anyway, I’m rambling & my stomach is rumbling & I’m afraid I’m not making sense.

So, there’s this: Thank you, Franki, for your kindness.

Here: a fist-bump across cyberspace.

To read the review in full glory, click like a maniac on this link. If not, here’s the intro:

I felt like I won the lottery when I was handed an ARC of James Preller’s new book (the first in a new series–HOME SWEET HORROR (SCARY TALES SERIES).  I had heard about this series as I am a huge James Preller fan  (because he is one of the best author visits ever). But I didn’t know the arcs were available yet.  So I was thrilled to get one when I had asked for books appropriate for 4th grade at his publisher’s booth at NCTE.  This was the first on my stack that I read when returning from NCTE.  I actually took it out of a child’s hands so that I could read it over Thanksgiving break.  And I loved it.

Come back next week for another impartial review . . . from my mom!