Authors’ Booking Service is pleased to announce that children’s author Rona Arato, is now scheduling visits to Ontario schools for the coming school year. 
This author is flexible and will do visits to suit your schedule. Her rate is $250 per one-hour session, $400 for a full morning and $700 + HST for a full day. There is no travel charge within the GTA. For travel outside the GTA the standard kilometrage applies.

Rona is a member of The Writers' Union of Canada, and so schools wishing to invite her may be eligible for a travel and fee subsidy to offset the cost of her visit.

Here's what educators and librarians have to say about this author:

We had the pleasure of hosting the author Rona Arato at our school for a book talk. Rona was such a delight! We would be so lucky to have the opportunity to have Rona visit our school again soon.
Melissa Levin
The Leo Baeck Day School
Thornhill, ON

The students enjoyed Rona’s presentation, found it informative, and were actively engaged in the topics discussed. Rona’s presentation was part of our Canadian Children’s Book Week program and we were glad to have Rona as one of our presenters.
Jay Sherwood, Teacher Librarian
St. George’s Junior School
Vancouver, BC

Prior to meeting Ms. Arato, I was impressed by the literary qualities of her writing. From a former librarian’s standpoint, as well as a teacher’s, I was interested in reader engagement, language, audience and contributions to children’s literature. Upon reading On a Medieval Day, I realized that Ms. Arato successfully made historical events as well as cultural practices, intellectually accessible to a wide variety of readers. She moved away from writing solely about well-known historical events, by bringing to the fore, contributions that infrequently discussed civilizations have made to society.
Sonia Mirarchi
St. Brendan’s School, Montreal

Rona’s events with the students were excellent. Not only was she able to keep the students enthralled with her stories, but Rona also skillfully catered to the different age-groups and moderated her presentation according to their needs.
Nicole Nozick
Director JCC Jewish Book Festival
Vancouver, BC

On an American Day, Owlkids Books
Mrs. Kaputnik’s Pool Hall and Matzo Ball Emporium, Tundra Books
Design It!, Tundra Books
On a Medieval Day, Owlkids Books
On a Canadian Day, Owlkids Books
Courage and Compassion, Ten Canadians Who Made a Difference, Owlkids Books
Ice Cream Town, Fitzhenry and Whiteside 
Working for Freedom, the Story of Josiah Henson, Napoleon Publishing
Protists, Crabtree Books
Fossils Crabtree Books
World of Water Crabtree Books


Golden Oak Winner 2011 — Courage and Compassion, Ten Canadians who Made a Difference
ForeWord Reviews finalist in the 2011 Book of the Year Awards — Mrs. Kaputnik’s Pool Hall and Matzo Ball Emporium
Resource Links Best Books 2010 — Design It!
CCBC’s Best Books for Kids and Teens 2010 —Working for Freedom, the Story of Josiah Henson
Silver Birch Nominee 2010 Courage and Compassion, Ten Canadians Who Made a Difference
Children’s Crown Award 2009 Finalist — Ice Cream Town
CLA Children’s Book of the Year Award 2008 longlist — Ice Cream Town
CCBC’s Best Books for Kids and Teens 2008 — Ice Cream Town



My readings and presentations are geared to students in grades four to eight and to older ESL students. I also present to adult groups. As a former teacher, I understand what teachers and school librarians want from an authors’ visit. I use an interactive reading/discussion approach to involve children and excite their curiosity. I link stories to current issues such as immigration and social responsibility. A theme that runs through much of my work is that one person can, and often does, make a significant difference. By involving the children in examining these issues, I help them think about the way they interact with friends, family and the community at large.
Mrs. Kaputnik’s Pool Hall and Matzo Ball Emporium
This is an immigration story with a twist. Shoshi and Moshe immigrate to New York with their mother and their pet dragon and set out to find their missing father. Along the way they encounter relatives who steal their money; gangsters, and the whackiest baseball team in U.S. history.
Design It!
The basics of design behind the tools, gadgets and necessities we use every day. Where do ideas for new products come from? How does a designer turn an idea into a workable product?
On a Canadian Day: A Journey across Canada
Nine stories of Canadian children through Canada’s history.
Issues: Canadian history, growing up, slavery, immigration, and social responsibility
On a Medieval Day
Nine stories show how children lived around the world during the Middle Ages.
Issue: Breaking the Eurocentric view of the Middle Ages — stories include the Mayan Empire, Timbuktu, West Africa, Japan, China, Vinland, and Baghdad.
Accompanied by PowerPoint presentation.


On an American Day
Nine stories set in the United States from 1765 to 1899.
Issues: Human rights, the Revolutionary War, slavery, education, and immigration

Ice Cream Town
Issues: Immigration, gangs, and bullying and social conscience. Study guide available.

 Courage and Compassion, Ten Canadians Who Made a Difference
Issues: Canadian history, social responsibility, human rights, and “what makes a hero?”
Accompanied by PowerPoint presentation

Working for Freedom the Story of Josiah Henson
Josiah Henson escaped slavery, settled in Canada and became a renowned preacher and abolitionist. He founded the Dawn Community and a vocational school for former slaves.
Issues: U.S. and Canadian history, slavery, the Underground Railroad, human rights, education, and social responsibility
  My presentations are interactive. I involve the students at all levels. I tell them about myself and how and why I write and discuss the difference between writing fiction and non-fiction and research methods.

• I give background on the book that I am presenting and talk about what motivated me to write it. I ask the students about their experiences as they relate to the book. In Ice Cream Town for example, I ask if any of them have immigrated or moved from another place. What were their feelings and problems?
• I will read and then discuss the section I’ve read.

 Grades I will present to grades 3 to 8  
Is this flexible? Yes. I will present to students up to grade 12 and to adults for Courage and Compassion and Josiah Henson.
Maximum number of students per session: 75-80 (Ideal)  
Is this flexible? Yes, I will consider a larger group. I have presented to groups as small as 20 and as large as 150. Please discuss this with me.   
Writing workshops available for grades 4-8.  
Maximum participants for workshop: A maximum of 16 for optimum results.   
Venues you’re comfortable in:  (classroom, library, auditorium, gymnasium)
I am comfortable in all settings.   
Equipment and other requirements:  

• A projector screen for a PowerPoint presentation if the venue is a gymnasium or auditorium.
• A power socket with multiple plug points
• I ask that a librarian or teacher be present throughout the presentation.