David A. Adler

David A. Adler is the author of 220 books including all the Cam Jansen Mysteries and the Picture Book Biography Series.  When he speaks to children he follows a book from idea through the research, writing, rewriting, editing, galleys, illustration, and printing steps.  For just about every step there is a demonstration of one kind or another. The demonstrations differ depending on the age/grade level of the audience.

To read more about Mr. Adler’s books, visit www.davidaadler.com

To view a video interview of Mr. Adler, see http://www.readingrockets.org/books/interviews/adler

Grade Levels: Grades 3-5 , Grades K-2 Genres: Fiction , Nonfiction

Tedd Arnold

Tedd Arnold has been charming young readers since 1987.  Mr. Arnold’s Hi! Fly Guy (2006) and I Spy Fly Guy! (2010), were awarded the American Library Associations prestigious Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor, as distinguished books for young readers.

Tedd shares that, “The inspiration to begin writing and illustrating for children came from my wife, Carol. As a kindergarten teacher, she collected picture books. I was attracted to their colorful pages and the way the words and pictures played with each other, much like the captioned cartoons I had drawn when I was young.”

Tedd visits schools all over the country and shares, “There is nothing more rewarding to an author than seeing and hearing that their books are being read, enjoyed, discussed and read again. That’s why I love visiting schools and classrooms. Seeing young faces light up, sharing in their laughter, responding to their questions, and marveling at their writings or the hallway artwork that has been inspired by my books. That’s why I visit schools!”

During a typical school program, Tedd briefly tells how he became an author, talks about how ideas become stories and how stories become books. He reads a few of his stories, discusses the illustrations and shows how he takes things from his daily life and weaves them into his books. Tedd brings in appropriate props and often gets some children up front to help him. He creates drawings during each session, something which students always find thrilling! Presentations to grades 3-6 differ from grades K-2 by placing an emphasis on the writing and book making process for the older children. Finally, Tedd takes questions from the children and teachers.

For more information, please visit www.teddarnoldbooks.com

Grade Levels: Grades 3-5 , Grades K-2 Genres: Fiction

Alyssa Satin Capucilli

Alyssa Satin Capucilli is the award-winning author of the best selling BISCUIT series for emergent readers and numerous other books as well. Believing that we are all writers with stories to tell and to share, the creation of a book from inception through publication is explored through a highly interactive presentation. Gathering ideas, weaving together words, and developing a world for characters to live in are all explored in a fun and accessible program that is appropriately tailored for both intimate and large groups. Students, even the youngest, are encouraged to engage in the writing process with the author and to explore how our most beloved characters are invented. Depending on the size of the group, puppetry and storytelling, may be incorporated.  Ms. Capucilli is delighted to present writing workshops for all grade levels.  Workshops for staff development are available as well.

To read more about Ms. Capucilli’s books and find reproducible literary activities, visit www.alyssacapucilli.com

Grade Levels: Grades 3-5 , Grades K-2 Genres: Fiction

Ying Chang Compestine

Ying shares with students how her life in China inspired her writing, her journey as a writer and the challenges of writing in her second language. For younger grades, Ying utilizes a PowerPoint presentation using pictures of her life growing up in China to introduce students to Chinese culture, its delicious food and how she was inspired. She engages them in hands on activities, teaching them how to make dumplings or use chopsticks. Additionally, she presents a video from a Discovery TV show featuring her picture book The Run Away Rice Cake, which introduces the Chinese New Year, the values of sharing and compassion. For older grades, she discusses the writing and editing process, developing ideas, and researching. She shares the process of writing her award-winning novel, Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party, which was inspired by her childhood in China. She gives a PowerPoint presentation showing the locations and people that inspired her stories. Revolution is Not a Dinner Party has been chosen for the One Book, One County program for San Mateo County, CA, and has been selected as a required reading book for many schools. In addition to speaking about her writing, Ying can also present healthy Asian eating and lifestyles, conducting healthy cooking classes for teachers, parents and older students. The classes are popular auction items.

For information on Ms. Compestine’s books and presentations, visit www.yingc.com

Why I Wrote Revolution- an interview with the Children’s Book Council

Watch how to make dumplings! Recipe from the picture book Boy Dumplings.

Grade Levels: Grades 3-5 , Grades K-2 , Middle School Genres: Fiction

Bruce Coville

Bruce Coville has published nearly 100 books, and won children’s choice awards in over a dozen states. He is also an acclaimed speaker who has presented in schools on five continents and been commissioned four times by the Syracuse Symphony to create original stories to perform with the orchestra. Bruce’s basic presentation opens with Bruce storytelling the first two chapters of his book The Monster’s Ring. He then tells the story-behind-the-story of how the book was written and revised, using an engaging mix of comedy, motivation, and serious writing instruction. The hour long session includes the famous “puddle story,” which has inspired writers from third grade through working professionals. For audiences below third grade Bruce offers a shorter presentation about the creation of his first picture book, The Foolish Giant. He can also provide writing workshops and small group instruction. You can find him on the web at http://www.brucecoville.com

Grade Levels: Grades 3-5 , Grades K-2 , Middle School Genres: Fiction

Nina Crews

Nina Crews has been sharing her unique photo-collage picture books with schoolchildren since 1996. She brings her studio to her audience by showing examples of the tools she uses and discussing where and how she works.
She also shares about the experience of growing up in a picture book family, and how that has influenced her work. She is the daughter of picture book authors Donald Crews and Ann Jonas.

Nina tailors her programs to the age of her audience. With the youngest she keeps her points simple – thinking in pictures, using a camera, collage and where ideas come from, and she spends some time reading or singing songs from her books. With older children she talks more technically about what she does: the hard work of writing and rewriting – showing drafts and sketches, what happens at a typical a photography session, and when feasible a Photoshop demonstration of her technique.

Whatever the age, she devotes time towards the end of the session to questions. She understands that for many children, her visit is an opportunity to talk with a real live book author, and considers this dialog as meaningful as her presentation.

Grade Levels: Grades 3-5 , Grades K-2 Genres: Fiction

Cynthia DeFelice

Cynthia truly enjoys the opportunity to meet her readers and talk with them about her books and the writing process. As the author of both picture books and novels for middle-grade readers, she has programs for students in grades Pre-K through Grade 8.  Cynthia tailors the depth of her program to the students’ ages, but always talks about getting ideas (we all have them!) and turning those ideas into satisfying stories. Including storytelling for the youngest children, Cynthia’s enthusiasm for her craft is infectious. Your students will come away inspired to write and to read!  A few of Ms. DeFelice’s recent titles are: The Ghost and Mrs. Hobbs, Signal, The Missing Manatee, and One Potato, Two Potato.

http://www.cynthiadefelice.com

Grade Levels: Grades 3-5 , Grades K-2 Genres: Fiction

DyAnne DiSalvo

Writer and illustrator, DyAnne DiSalvo’s trade mark theme of “Helping Neighborhoods ©”, has been featured on Reading Rainbow, (Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen) and theatre productions, (City Green).  She received a Congressional Commendation from the State of New Jersey for her book, Grandpa’s Corner Store, a story which makes “children…realize that they are not always powerless, that they can make a difference.” (School Library Journal).

Based on the real life inspirations that make her children’s books come alive,  DyAnne inspires students to “never give up” and take action in their neighborhoods.  From her growing-up years in Brooklyn, New York, DyAnne narrates a humorous and lively PowerPoint  presentation including rejection letters, re-writes, book dummies, and crayon character drawing which is donated to the event.

“The Sloppy Copy Slipup” which was written for reluctant readers and writers is also based on the authors experience as an unwilling bookworm !  Writer’s Workshops are available for grades 3-5.

To find out more about DyAnne’s work and school visits:  www.dyannedisalvo.com

Grade Levels: Grades 3-5 , Grades K-2 Genres: Fiction

Douglas Evans

Douglas Evans is a former elementary school teacher based in Berkeley, California who enjoys talking with students K through Fifth grade.  For the primary grades he has prepared a lively, animated PowerPoint program that describes his writing process and shows the wacky classroom creatures mentioned in his three books of short stories: The Classroom at the End of The Hall, Math Rashes, and Mouth Moths.  For the middle grades, he takes the students on a PowerPoint around-the-world journey as he talks about his book MVP: Magellan Voyage Project, the 2009 Nutmeg Award winner, in which Adam Story, age twelve, attempts to circumnavigate the globe in forty days by taking surface transportation only.  More information about Douglas Evans’s visits and his books can be found at http://www.wtmelon.com

Grade Levels: Grades 3-5 , Grades K-2 Genres: Fiction

Dan Gutman

Dan Gutman has visited more than one thousand schools in the last decade, so he must be doing something right.  For grades 1-3, he talks about his popular easy reader series, My Weird School.  For grades 3 and up, he gives a very inspirational, educational, and entertaining talk about his baseball card adventure series (Honus & Me, Babe & Me, etc.), showing his rejection letters, preliminary cover designs, and rewritten manuscript.  Both groups get a funny slide show depicting a day in the life of an author. For Kindergarten students, Dan reads his picture book Casey Back at Bat.  A splendid time is had by all!

Dan is currently visiting New Jersey elementary schools only. Please see Dan’s website for details on how to request a “virtual visit”.

Visit the HarperCollins World of Dan Gutman to watch interview videos, learn about new releases, print My Weird School cards and play games.

Grade Levels: Grades 3-5 , Grades K-2 Genres: Fiction