Authors’ Booking Service is pleased to announce that children’s author Robert Paul Weston, is now scheduling visits to Ontario schools and libraries.   

This author lives in the Greater Toronto Area and is available for visits across southern Ontario. His rate is $250 per session, plus travel from Toronto. He prefers to present on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays. 

Published Works

Novels: 

Zorgamazoo. Razorbill/Penguin, October 2008. (Winner of the 2010 Silver Birch Fiction Award)

Dust City. Razorbill/Penguin, October, 2010.  

Biography

Robert Paul Weston has lived in Canada, Japan and the United Kingdom. Before turning to writing, he had a variety of unusual jobs, working as a trampolinist; a web designer; a production coordinator for film and television; a language teacher; the editor of a small-press literary magazine; and a dub-script writer for imported Japanese cartoons.

His debut novel-in-verse, Zorgamazoo, won the 2010 Silver Birch Award and was shortlisted for the E.B. White Read Aloud Award, the California Young Reader Medal, and the Pacific Northwest Young Readers Choice Award. His short stories for adults have appeared in literary magazines in Canada, England, the United States, and have been nominated for the Fountain Award for Speculative Literature and the Journey Prize.

Currently, Robert lives in Toronto, where he lectures in creative writing at the University of Toronto. 

Presentations

Robert offers two presentations, related to each of his novels:

1. Zorgamazoo: Rhythm and Rhyme

Audience: grades 2-7 
Time: 50 minutes, plus Q & A 
Topics: poetry, language, rhyme, art & illustration

Technical Requirements: PC-Projector, cables, screen

Description: You’d have to be mad to write a rhyming novel…so perhaps I am. In this presentation, I recount my early love of rhyme; introduce the technical aspects of the poetry used in Zorgamazoo; discuss the fulfillment and frustration of telling a lengthy story in verse; and reveal my inspirations. Using a PC slide show, I also take students through the creative and collaborative process of producing an illustrated novel. Finally, I conclude with an exciting reading from the book, complete with silly voices and heaps of villainous drama! 

2. Fairy Dust and the True Tales of Grimm 

Audience: grades 6-12

Time: 50 minutes, plus Q & A

Topics: folktales, the Brothers Grimm, writing & storytelling, representations of violence 
Technical Requirements: PC-Projector, cables, screen 

Description: If you think it was a loving kiss that turned the Frog Prince back into a human being, you’re dead wrong! We've all heard the storybook version of the hapless Frog Prince, but the true story is miles from the version originally collected by the famous Grimm Brothers. In fact, nearly every familiar folktale -- from Cinderella to Snow White -- is quite a bit nastier than anything Walt Disney produced. In this presentation, I introduce students to the world of medieval folklore and lead them through the (very) dark forest of Grimm. I go on to show how a deeper understanding of the Grimm tales inspired me to write Dust City, a story of what the modern world might look like, had medieval Europe actually been full of talking wolves and hedgehogs.

Other Presentation Information

Maximum number of students per session:  Around 100 (Robert is flexible on audience size. Just ask).

Robert is comfortable in: Classrooms, libraries, auditoriums and gymnasiums. He is also available for smaller writing workshops.

Finally, a glass of water is always appreciated! 

Testimonials

“The students were very excited after meeting Rob and enjoyed the humorous presentation along with their teachers. Whenever we have a few minutes, we try to read a little bit of the book. The students never get tired of Katrina!”

- Amena Khan, Yorkwoods PS (Toronto, Ontario) 

"Two months after his visit, I continue to have students approach me and talk about their favorite part of Zorgamazoo. I think of one student in particular who says that he hates books, but wants to read all of Robert Weston’s other books because 'it was the only good book he’s ever read.'"

- Michael Cox, Pueblo City-County Library (Pueblo, Colorado) 

"Perhaps the best proof of Rob's qualities as a presenter comes from the reaction of one of our most behaviourally challenged students. I was worried about this particular student's response to the presentation. However, this student was totally engaged. He wanted to answer many of Rob's questions and at the end, in all seriousness, asked Rob: "Are you the reincarnation of Dr. Seuss?" I can think of no higher praise for a presenter than that they are able to mesmerize even the most challenging students."

- Becky Jenkins, Garden Avenue Public School (Toronto, Ontario) 

“[Rob] also delighted the staff and the students alike with a reading from his book. The children were completely enthralled by the different voices he used for his characters and we succeeded in selling a record number of books. The staff members were quite impressed not only with his presentation but also his friendly, easy going nature.”

- Dolcie Lobo, St. Timothy's Catholic School (North York, Ontario)