I am available for school appearances and would be happy to discuss your needs. My calendar fills up quickly, so please email me as soon as you are interested in having me visit your school. My email address is Mberkesbooks@aol.com and my website is http://www.MarianneBerkes.com.
MY PRESENTATION
In addition to reading my books, I often use songs and visual aids during my storytelling presentations. My programs are interactive. For example, after I read Marsh Music , the students become part of a frog orchestra and we perform a frog symphony. With Over in the Jungle, A Rainforest Rhyme children mimic the various animals in the rain forest.
For children, Pre-K and K, I include puppets and other props. For Grades 1-4, I am happy to answer questions and gear my program to a course of study, such as the wetlands, oceans and the seashore, the rainforest, or the universe.
I enjoy working with smaller groups in individal classroooms, and also with larger groups, depending upon your needs. If the group is larger than 40, I prefer to use a CD of my books, so everyone can enjoy the illustrations. The room will need to be darkened if I show my books on a large screen.
Materials needed are:
1. an LCD projector to which I hook up my laptop.
2. a large screen or white wall
3. a table and chair
4. a microphone (preferably a lapel mic) if addressing a large group.
When speaking to a large group, I need assistance with the LCD projector. A teacher or a volunteer who is acquainted with using a laptop, needs to be at the computer, while I am facing the students and explaining what they are seeing on the screen.
Students will get more out of the program if they are familiar with my work. Please share my books with your students before my presentation.
WRITERS’ WORKSHOPS
I also enjoy presenting Writers’ Workshops for Grades 3 and up, taking them through the fascinating world of book publishing. We discuss how a picture book is made, from the time I get my idea to when I am holding the finished project in my hand. Questions and answers are an important part of this workshop, which can be adjusted to a particular grade level, including Middle School.
FEES AND NUMBER OF PROGRAMS
My fee for an all-day program is $700. For this I will do as many as three presentations with time allowed for autographing and a lunch break.
A half-day presentation is also a possibilty, if the school is within 50 miles from my home. However, if I have a long trip, I prefer to do an all-day presention. Sometimes schools work together and I will stay in that area for two or three days. In that case, I need hotel accommodations and meals, and also would be reimbursed for mileage, if coming by car, or airfare.
Each program is usually 45 minutes long, possibly an hour for older groups and a little shorter for Kindergarten.
Travel expenses can be paid later, but I would appreciate my $700 honorarium to be paid on delivery of service.
ORDERING AND AUTOGRAPHING BOOKS
Books can be ordered directly from both of my publishers at a discount, or through a local bookstore. If ordering from my publishers, please order a month in advance.
My media packet includes ordering information for both Dawn Publications and Lerner Publications (Millbrook Press).
There is also a reproducible form to send to parents, indicating which books they want and what should be inscribed. It is a great help to have this all arranged before my visit so that students’ names are spelled correctly, and all books can be autographed by the end of the day.
For those children who do not get autographed books, I have available a sheet of four booksmarks that can be reproduced to give away to your students as a souvenir of my author appearance.
MEDIA PACKET
If you would like me to visit your school, I will be happy to e-mail you the folllowing:
1. Author Agreement – two copies signed by Principal (one copy to be returned to me.)
2. A flyer with a synopsis of my six books, including reviews and endorsements from some of the schools I have visited.
3. Ordering information with a tear-out at the bottom that parents return to you.
4. Reproducible sheet with autographed bookmarks.