New Hampshire
Children’s Authors and Illustrators
Available for
School/Library Presentations
RICK AGRAN
PO Box 245
Plymouth, NH 03264
603-536-9050
author
Description: Rick Agran works with the NH Humanities Council and the NH State Council on the Arts to lead book discussions for "What is NH Reading?" and as a poet in the schools in the Arts in Education program. He will also do author talks, poetry reading and writing.
Audience: pre-school to adult
Length: from one hour to month-long residency
Fee: negotiable
ROBERTA BAKER
376 Sanborn Road
Tilton, NH 03276
603-286-4051
*Please note: phone is best way to contact author
Description: In her program, the author covers the stages of writing, illustrating, editing and publishing a picture book from idea through final product, and includes time for questions and answers. Workshops get children started on a writing/illustrating project that they can finish at home or at the library.
Audience: K- grade 4
Length: 45 minutes - hour
Fee: $150-$200, depending on travel time
JULIE BRILLHART
12 Perry Avenue
Concord, NH 03301
603-225-4776
author and illustrator
Description: The author reads her latest book, describes how she writes and illustrates a book, takes questions, and shows original illustrations.
Audience: K- grade 2
Length: 20-30 minutes
Fee: $75/classroom
MARYANN COCCA-LEFFLER
14 Holt Road
Amherst, NH 03031
603-672-8991
author and illustrator
Description: The presentation is based on the theme of the author-illustrator’s most recent book. The powerpoint slideshow both excites and educates, inspiring the audience to create their own art and stories. Through the presentation “The Story Behind the Story,” the author-illustrator shows how a book is developed from concept to finished book. She also shares her storyboards, sketches and paintings and she makes a drawing for the library/school to keep. The presentation ends with a question-answer period.
Audience: Any age
Length: Please contact presenter
Fee: $1,000/day for three sessions
TABITHA JEAN D’AGATA
25 Alice Avenue
Hooksett, NH 03106
603-647-9993
www.thesavvyclick.com/TJean.htm
author
Description: The following workshops are available: A Story-Planning Event; Release the Muse! and A Wordy Recipe! Please see website for details and more information.
Audience: K-grades 8; mixed ages
Length: tailored to meet the needs of libraries and schools
Fee: Negotiable
CHRIS DEMAREST
Po Box 58
Meriden, NH 03770
603-469-3095
author and illustrator
Description: The powerpoint presentation takes the audience through real life research and subsequent art as it relates to his books (such as Hurricane Hunters). The author also provides various equipment for hands-on discussion.
Audience: Ages 7 and up
Length: 50 minutes. (up to four presentations/day)
Fee: $900/day; $500 half-day
DAVID ELLIOTT
228 Kearsage Mountain Road
Warner, NH 03278
603-456-2714
author
Description: The author covers a variety of topics such as writing work and revision; the collaborative process of book making; and writing exercises. Please visit website for more details.
Audience: varies
Length: 50 minutes
Fee: Contact school visit coordinator; see website for information.
JENNIFER ERICSSON
79 Centre Street
Concord, NH 03301
603-226-7256
author
Description: Authors are Real People--Geared for young children and their parents, this 45 minute program uses a storytime format to inform and entertain. Personal information is shared, several of the author's picture books are read, and all questions are answered.
From Idea to the Printed Page--This one-hour workshop for elementary school-aged children (grades 1-4) explains the process of how an idea in your head becomes a book in your hands. The workshop includes a group writing activity and time for questions.
Audience: See above
Length: See above
Fee: library programs: $125 each
elementary school visits: $500/day.
Author will do up to four one-hour presentations of From Idea to the Printed Page in one day for grades 1 & up. Kindergarten is usually a much shorter and more casual program with author reading a couple of her picture books to individual classes.
RALPH FLETCHER
PO Box 855
Durham, NH 03824
author
Description: The author does three or four presentations, focusing on his writing process, especially the writer’s notebook. He shows the audience how he rewrites his work. The author also reads from his works and does some storytelling, ending with a question and answer session.
Audience: K-grade 5; middle school
Length: 40 minutes; shorter for K-1
Fee: $1,500/day
MARIE HARRIS
PO Box 203
Barrington, NH 03825
603-664-7654
author
Description: The author’s school programs involve participatory writing workshops and interactive discussion centering on her recent books: G is for Granite and Primary Numbers. While these books—a NH alphabet book and NH number book—are written, respectively, with grades 3-5 and grades K-2 in mind, there are many discussion points suitable for older students (e.g. the making of a book; research; poetry and prose styles, etc.)
Audience: varies
Length: one hour
Fee: $750/day (four sessions); some negotiation possible.
KAREN BUSCH HOLMAN
PO Box 155
Andover, NH 03231
603-735-4207
galleryatthepoplars.com
illustrator
Description: The program is an art lesson teaching children how a book is illustrated. The class first writes their own class poem, which is done several weeks before the illustrator’s visit. Then, the illustrator typesets and illustrates the poem. During the visit, the illustrator walks through the sketching phase, teaching the class little tricks to help them draw better. The illustrator provides pastels and works with the class to color their illustrations. Each child leaves with his/her own drawing.
Audience: K-grade 5
Length: 55-75 minutes
Fee: $675 (includes the $30 lab fee for pastels)
ERICK INGRAHAM
PO Box 321
Jaffrey, NH 03452
603-532-5678
illustrator
Description: The author discusses how he starts a book and goes over all of the steps to illustrating the book. He offers interesting behind-the-scenes stories and shows things that few people get to see, like translated versions of his books. He also presents a slide show that has a vocal soundtrack with music and sound effects. After answering questions, the illustrator presents the grand finale: the live impromptu drawing session. This is an entertaining demonstration of how he gets early story ideas onto paper quickly. See website for samples.
Audience: ages 6-11
Length: 50 minutes
Fee: libraries—one talk: $350 plus travel
elementary schools: two talk minimum: $650 plus travel. For three talks in one day,
add $200; for a fourth talk, add $100.
MARTY KELLEY
7 East Lull Place
New Boston, NH 03070
603-487-9918
author and illustrator
Description: This is a fun, high-energy program that explains the writing and illustrating process. The presentation includes lots of samples of work, audience participation and drawing demonstrations.
Audience: Grades 1-6
Length: one hour
Fee: $750 for three one-hour programs; $250 for one program
TRUE KELLEY
79 Old Denny Hill Road
Warner, NH 03278
603-456-2190
author and illustrator
Description: One program focuses on how books are made and how words and pictures work together. With audience input, the author writes a story. The other program explores drawing and demonstrates cartooning tricks. The audience than helps to make an illustration that tells a story.
Audience: K-grade 6
Length: 20 minutes to one hour
Fee: $800/day; $300 for single presentation; travel expenses negotiable
SY MONTGOMERY
115 Antrim Road
Box 127
Hancock, NH 03449
authorwire.com
author
Description: The author does slide show lectures suitable for assemblies as well as classroom visits. The slide show topics include the following: life as an explorer-author; Encantado: exploring the life of the pink Amazon dolphin; 18,000 slithering snakes and how to study them; the tarantula scientist; search for the golden moon bear; and spell of the tiger.
Audience: Grades 4-8
Length: 45 minutes
Fee: $1,500 (negotiable)
DENISE ORTAKALES
711 Shore Drive
Laconia, NH 03246
603-528-2168
author and illustrator
Description: The program covers topics such as the process of writing and illustrating children’s books, where ideas come from, journaling, and what it is like to be a professional illustrator.
Audience: All
Length: 30-60 minutes, depending on age and topic.
Fee: $225 for one library session; $500 for four school sessions.
MARY LYN RAY
104 Frazier Brook Road
So. Danbury, NH 03230
603-768-3266 (for use by librarians or teachers only)
author
Description: When the author visits a school, she wants to invite conversations about the mystery of story and the mysteries of writing. The author reads to and talks with the audience. The central things the author talks about are where stories come from, how they find a form, how a manuscript becomes a picture book, how it may feel to look at a piece of paper and not know what to write. The author will typically tell some of the stories she’s written (or may be writing), something of how she writes and why she writes. She also wants to hear questions from the audience.
Audience: K-grade 5; middle school; high school; adult
Length: 30 minutes for Kindergarten groups; 45 minutes to one hour for other groups
Fee: $650 for a day (three groups)
STEVE SCHUCH
Night Heron Music
267 Center Road
Hillsborough, NH 03244
603-464-4321
author, musician and storyteller
Description: Options include The Author’s Story; A Symphony of Whales; Songs & Tales Around the World; Music & Tales of Ireland; Parent/Educator Workshops; Artist Residencies. See web site for full descriptions of these and other programs.
Audience: Ages 5 and up; see web site for further information.
Length: varies
Fee: Varies; contact author for specifics. Block booking and grants available.
JOHN STADLER
264 River Road
Lyme, NH 03768
johnstadler.com
author and illustrator
Description: John Stadler's presentations are known for
their humorous, educational and interactive qualities. Generally, each
presentation consists of up to five parts:
1. John draws
some characters from his books. (An easel with copious amounts of large paper
and markers should be supplied for the visit.)
2. John shows
how picture books and pop-up books are made from start to finish (idea,
mock-up, printing and book form).
3. John
demonstrates how to come up with ideas, actively involving the children in the
process and drawing out their ideas on the spot.
4. If time
and location permit, there can be a slide presentation.
5. Question and answers.
Audience: All ages,
mostly K-grade 4
Length: 45 minutes
Fee: $250-$1300, depending on program and distance