Authors’ Booking Service is pleased to announce that children’s author team Ann Love and Jane Drake are now scheduling visits to Ontario schools for the coming school year.

Ann and Jane prefer to schedule visits on weekdays.

They would love to plan a visit to your school or library. Their combined rate is $350 for one session, $650 for two, plus HST and the standard kilometre charge.

Both Ann and Jane are members of The Writers' Union of Canada, and so schools wishing to invite them may be eligible for a travel and fee subsidy to offset the cost of their visit.

Here is what Michelle Campbell, Children’s Librarian, Markdale ON has to say about Ann and Jane's presentations:

“Jane Drake and Ann Love do an excellent, interactive, hands-on presentation based on the many books they have written… The authors captivated the children as well as the parents with a degree of engagement with the audience as good as any musical performance.”

And here is what Pam Mountain, Toronto Public Librarian had to say:

"Jane Drake and Ann Love gave a fascinating presentation at the Annette Street Public Library based on their book “Snow Amazing: Cool Facts and Warm Tales.: The two grade 4 classes in attendance had a great time hearing Ann and Jane talk about snow and telling them all sorts of things they didn’t know… Their story about the cover photo of the snowy owl is one of the best winter stories around!"

Published Works

Talking Tails: The Incredible Connection Between People and Their Pets Tundra Books 2010

Yes You Can! Your Guide to Becoming An Activist Tundra Books 2010

Alien Invaders: Species that Threaten Our World Tundra Books 2008

Sweet! The Delicious Story of Candy Tundra Books 2007

Trash Action: A Fresh Look at Garbage Tundra Books 2006

Snow Amazing: Cool Facts and Warm Tales Tundra Books 2004

The Kids Book of the Night Sky Kids Can Press 2004

Cool Woods: A Trip Around the World’s Boreal Forest Tundra Books 2003

The Kids Winter Cottage Book Kids Can Press 2001

The Kids Cottage Memory Book Kids Can Press 2001

The Kids Book of the Far North Kids Can Press 2000

Kids Can Press Series -

My Family and Me: A Memory Scrapbook for Kids 2002

My Best Friend and Me: A Memory Scrapbook for Kids 2001

My Father and Me: A Memory Scrapbook for Kids 2000

My Mother and Me: A Memory Scrapbook for Kids 2000

My Baby Sister and Me: A Memory Scrapbook for Kids 2000

My Baby Brother and Me: A Memory Scrapbook for Kids 2000

My Grandmother and Me: A Memory Scrapbook for Kids 1999

My Grandfather and Me: A Memory Scrapbook for Kids 1999

Kids and Grandparents: an Activity Book Kids Can Press 1999

The Kids Guide to the Millennium Kids Can Press 1998 (out of print)

The Kids Cottage Games Book Kids Can Press 1998

Mining – Canada at Work Series Kids Can Press 1997

Fishing – Canada at Work Series Toronto: Kids Can Press 1997

Farming – Canada at Work Series Kids Can Press 1996

Forestry – Canada at Work Series Kids Can Press 1996

The Kids Campfire Book Kids Can Press 1995

The Kids Cottage Book Kids Can Press 1993

Take Action Kids Can Press 1992 (out of print)

In press:

Soap, Sneeze and Disease: How Illness Shapes History Tundra 2013

The Know-It-All Environmental Series Tundra 2013

Recent Awards and Nominations

Hackmatak Non Fiction Winner 2009 – Sweet!

Rocky Mountain Book Award shortlist 2010 – Alien Invaders

Red Cedar Non Fiction Winner 2010 – Sweet!

Book of the Year Awards, Bronze, Young Adult Nonfiction, 2010 – Yes You Can!

Book of the Year Awards, Juvenile Non-Fiction, Gold, 2010 – Talking Tails

Red Cedar Non Fiction shortlist 2011 – Alien Invaders

Nautilus Book Award, Middle Grade & Teen Nonfiction, Silver, 2011 – Yes You Can!

Ann and Jane’s Presentation Details

Ann and Jane are seasoned presenters in schools and libraries. They have toured with Canadian Children’s Book Week two times (and are looking forward to touring Nunavut in May 2011); with Hackmatak, Silver Birch and Red Cedar at least three times each; performed under tents at fall fairs and Word on the Street; signed at book stores across Canada; spoken at universities, teacher professional development seminars and Labrador outports.

For elementary school students, they offer a dynamic presentation on writing and critiquing good non fiction. Because they work as a team, they share their unique take on partnering – a skill all school aged children are working on. The sisters take turns speaking and animate their talk with slides and theatre. Students are asked to participate in interactive ways.

While fiction has useful terms to facilitate discussion – character, plot, setting, theme, etc. – non fiction does not. Ann and Jane have created a set of useful terms for students to use to talk about non fiction and against which to measure their own non fiction writing. They have also invented an acronym to make the terms memorable.

While their presentation has serious and curriculum-based elements, their delivery is fun and even wacky. They believe in using story to emphasize fact and usually include a dramatic story complete with costumes.

Their books tend to be read by students in grades 4-8 and their presentations are normally geared to those grades. They have, however, modified for grades 3-12 in the past with teacher input.

Maximum number of students per session: 75-80. While Ann and Jane have presented to larger groups, the session tends to be more rewarding with only two or three classes present. Yes, they will consider a larger group.

Workshops available for grades 4-8 with a maximum of 16 for optimum results.

Ann and Jane are comfortable in most settings. Student comfort is an issue – they have found that chairs or mats make a gym floor possible for students to attend and participate happily.

Equipment and other requirements:

• A digital projector and screen for a PowerPoint-style presentation

• An extension cord and power socket with multiple plug points

• A flip chart and markers

• Bottled water or tea

• They insist that a librarian or teacher be present throughout the presentation, one adult for every 30 or so students