Thanks for your interest in my author presentations to schools and libraries. I have programs to fit every age group and grade level. "Tales from the Sonoran Desert" is designed for primary grade students. I use multimedia, puppets and props to do animated readings for younger children - pre-school, kindergarten, 1st and 2nd graders. Allow at least 50 minutes for this presentation. I select readings from my growing list of award-winning picture books, including: Fang and Stinger (An Arachnid Tale), Call Me Tuesday (The True Story of an Arizona Alligator), Arizona Way Out West and Wacky!, Rattlesnake Rules, Desert Night Shift (A Pack Rat Story), Life in the Slow Lane(A Desert Tortoise Tale), Don't Call Me Pig! (A Javelina Story), or Lizards for Lunch (A Roadrunner's Tale). A second program is designed for intermediate grade students. "More Than Just the Facts - Making Nonfiction FUN!" works best in a 1-hour format. The program includes information about my nonfiction and science writing strategies. It concludes with a short slide show based on books I've written about insects and arachnids. Young students love to learn about creepy crawlers, especially critters native to the Sonoran Desert. I always leave time for questions from the students.

For older students or for in-service teacher seminars, my 60-minute and 90-minute writing workshops focus on the craft of writing nonfiction for young readers, complete with writing exercises for all participants. I also do a workshop that is devoted to promoting the importance of reading aloud to pre-readers. Since 1994, I've completed more than 1,000 author presentations and writing workshops for more than 900,000 students in 11 states. I've presented to students in kindergarten through 12th grade, and to adult audiences as well. My presentations work well for readers ages 4 to 94-and beyond.

Effective January 1, 2013, my fee schedule is as follows:

My presentations work best in a library setting. Three or four classes maximum (75-125 students) allows for better interaction with the children. However, I have presented to entire schools (K-8) in an auditorium setting. I use a laptop and LCD projector for most talks.

If you are interested in having books available for sale the day of my visit, please contact Laura Eng of Adventures in Literature at (480) 497-8572 (480) 497-8572 . She can help to arrange a pre-sale and make my visit to your school a successful and rewarding experience. As part of each visit I always donate several autographed books to your school's library.