Authors’ Booking Service is pleased to announce that children’s author and illustrator Chad Solomon is now scheduling visits to Ontario schools.   

Chad would be honoured to plan a visit to your school or library. His rate is $$350 for one 50 minute session, $550 for two, $750 for three, $1100 for four, plus kilometrage from Toronto. 

Chad Solomon is a member of The Writers' Union of Canada, and so schools wishing to invite him may be eligible for a travel and fee subsidy to off-set the cost of his visit.  Contact us for details of this program. 

Published Works -- Graphic Novels

The Gifts of the Animals, Scholastic 2008
Adventures of Rabbit and Bear Paws series is based on the Seven Grandfathers of the Anishinabe. The Seven Grandfathers are Love, Respect, Wisdom, Bravery, Honesty, Humility and Truth.
Vol.3: True Hearts, Little Spirit Bear 2008
Vol.2: The Voyageurs, Little Spirit Bear 2008
Vol. 1: The Sugar Bush, Little Spirit Bear 2006

Awards and Nominations

The Voyageurs:
2009 - Nominated for the Joe Shuster Award – Comics for Kids Award
2009 – Short listed for the First Nations Community Reads program 
The Sugar Bush:
2009 – Gold Award by Mom’s Choice Awards
2007 - Choice Selection, Canadian Children’s Book Centre 2007 
Adventures of Rabbit and Bear Paws: The series:
2008 – Winner of the New Media Award by ImagineNative Film festival and New Media Awards. 
2005 - Fine Arts by ANDPVA - Association for Native Development in the Performing & Visual Arts.

Testimonials

Bob Phillips, AVR Arts Review
“I am always reluctant to use the term Elder, but as a very old member of the community I see you in a way that goes far beyond your art. 
As a qualified Art Historian, MA in Fine Art History from York University, I am very pleased with the mature technical and aesthetic quality of your work. As a member of the Native community, I find your work refreshing in its treatment of Native body types, Native traditions, Native customs, and Native society. You in fact portray us as human beings. Your graphic novels are a welcome change from material available to me as a child when my understanding of my place in the world was being formed. You have moved a long way from the Lone Ranger comics of my youth.”

John Beaucage, Grand Council Chief of the 42 Communities of the Anishinabek Nation says that Rabbit and Bear Paws is:
“An informative and entertaining way for North Americans of all ages to learn more about First Nations History, Cultures and Traditions.”

Here’s what Leslie Holwerda Teacher/Librarian of Lougheed Middle School in Brampton has to say about Chad's presentations
“His multi-sensory presentation covers the Grandfather traditional teaching, respect.  He brought his bear pelt to touch (Chad is a member of the Bear Clan) and students tasted some real Maple Syrup.  He involved the students in a role-play of sap gathering and taught them to draw a few of the characters in his book.  They even had the opportunity to read the traditional tale in The Sugar Bush.  The students were enthralled.”   

  

PRESENTATION : 1

Graphic Novels:  How to create a graphic page based on the 7 Grandfathers.

The idea is to create a single graphic novel page, from story concept to page layout,from the students own personal experiences and imagination.  
The story would be created from the idea of waking up at home and coming to school. And the story would reflect one of the Seven Grandfathers of Love, Respect, Wisdom, Honesty, Humility, Courage and Truth. 
50 minute presentation, suitable for grades 4 -12
The story example I demonstrate starts with waking up in the morning and finishing with coming to school, and illustrating the sequence of events in between. The events of the story are from the students own lives.

1. I start with introducing graphic novels and how to read a graphic novel page. Next, I describe and show; panels, gutters and balloon art to the students.

 

2. Story concept: I write down the Seven Grandfathers and give a brief description on how I relate to the Seven Grandfathers and how the students may connect to the Grandfathers. 

3. In point form, I ask the students to brainstorm and write down one word to describe each of the five or six panels. (Much like a graphic organizer). 

4. Once the students know they will write about in each of their five or six panels, I ask the students, “What is the most important personal part of your story for each panel?” 

5. Next, I show the students how to use simple block shapes and stick figures to create the art for the layout of the graphic novel page. Students will have different levels of drawing skills. When all students are using basic shapes and stick figures, the students will feel more confident about their drawing ability, and will be more engaged in the learning process. 

6. Finally I hold a question and answer session with the students.

PRESENTATION: 2

Puppets: Rabbit and Bear Paws – The Way

In this new interactive puppet theater called, The Way, we retell the Anishinabe Creation teaching of Nanabazhoo and the Animals. The Students become puppeteers in what is sure to be a comical retelling of how Turtle Island (North America) was created. Recommended for daycare - Grade 4, presentation length: 40 min, Cost $250.00

PRESENTATION: 3

Bullying and puppets

In this new interactive puppet program, students become puppeteers to discover how to resolve bullying with strategies similar to the restorative justice approach. The presentation runs approximately for 45 minutes. Requirements: Chairs set up in a circle in the classroom with an entrance/opening in the EAST direction.

Agenda

1. I ask the students to come together in a circle. I introduce our puppets Rabbit, Bear Paws and Strawberry to the students. I introduce the “talking stick”, or,”talking stone”, and how the Anishinabe use this approach to ensure that everyone is heard, and that everyone has an equal voice.

2. Going clockwise, I give each student a chance to speak in the circle, they also have the right to pass. Each student gives an example of bullying. The teacher records this on chart paper to use for future reference in the classroom.

3. Next, we go around the circle again, and each student I ask if they have ever seen someone being bullied and if they have ever experienced being bullied. They are welcome to talk about how it affected them, their home life, or their school work.

4. From the bullying examplesgiven in the sharing circle, I choose one of the examples, and pick two students to become puppeteers. Through the use of the puppets, students are asked to talk out the problem, one being the bullied, one being the bullier, and one being the bi-standard. We then see how we might resolve bullying issues through using our voices.

5. Finally, I close the circle with sharing with the students that the circle itself is a way we can better understand each other and ourselves.

PRESENTATION: 4

1; Presentation: Sugar Bush is a presentation about working in a sugar bush, that includes a lesson on how to draw the characters in the graphic novels.

I introduce myself and share with the students about my clan animal, the Bear, and what the Bear represents by presenting a Bear pelt to share with the students.  
 
A – I ask the students to visually read pg 3 of book one, top panel, to identify what they see in the image and what are the people doing.  
B – I do a small role play with the students to share with them what it is to work in a sugar bush.  
C – I ask the students to read pages 9-11 in The Sugar Bush.  This is the part of the book where tradional teaching is found. Q and A.  
D – I demonstrate to draw Rabbit and Bear Paws using basic shapes. Once you can draw those same four basic shapes, you can draw anything in life. 
E – Now it is time to collect our pretend buckets for sap from our pretend maple trees. I bring with me real maple syrup so the students can taste their hard work in collecting the maple sap. 
F – I give gifts of t-shirts and posters of the character to the students to thank them for allowing me to visit with them.
There is time at the end of the session for any final questions students may have about First Nations or about graphic novels and what is involved in becoming a graphic novel author and illustrator.  

Note: This is a sample of what my workshop is about. I can change my workshop to fit the needs of the school or library.

I will present to: Grades JK - 12.
Maximum number of students per session:
30 for JK to 1  
60 for grades 2 to 4  
80 for grades 5 and up  
I try to be flexible on audience size - just ask. 

I offer half and full day workshops for grades 5 - 12.   
It is my experience that workshops are most productive if there is no more than a three grade span.
I offer professional development workshops on how to utilize graphic novels and First Nation Teachings (Seven Grandfathers) in the classroom.  
I am comfortable in the classroom, library, auditorium, gymnasium   
I require a display table and flip chart. The students need paper, a pencil and a flat surface for drawing. I also need a projector and a microphone.  A bottle of water is always appreciated.