Category: 2021 Yellow Cedar

Vermond, Kira (Guelph, ON)

Vermond, Kira (Guelph, ON)

Writers’ Union Member and eligible for subsidies. Norma Fleck winner. Kirkus Best Book 2020. Forest of Reading finalist (multiple). Numerous starred reviews in Canada and U.S. Grades 3-8.

Rates: $350 for one session, $650 for two, $875 for three (plus HST). Travel costs waived in Guelph, Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Milton and local area. NEW! For virtual 30-50 minute sessions: $200 +HST. Want to book Kira and one of her talented illustrators for a joint presentation? Please ask for rates. (Psst! They’re super fun – the illustrators “live draw” while Kira speaks. It’s a party on your screen….)

With her background in broadcast and journalism, Kira is a talented and experienced presenter who knows how to tell entertaining, true stories that bring new concepts to life with warmth and humour. Kira believes strongly that there’s nothing “non about non-fiction.” So whether she’s exploring why worms come out when it rains, why yap stones are the coolest form of currency, or how fondue became a fad, her high-energy and interactive style makes for engaging, funny and educational sessions. Kira is also able to tailor stories for multiple ages and grades. Flexibility is her middle name.

What kids say about Kira and her author talks:

“That was way better than I expected.”

“I can’t believe you have some grey hair. You’re too funny to be old.”

“You sign books weird.” (It’s true. She does.)

Presentations

Here is a sample of Kira’s sessions: She is also happy to cater to your class based on any of her books, or do a more traditional author reading and Q&A visit.

What’s up with fads and trends? 

Would you ever swallow a live goldfish? Pour a bucket of ice water over your head? Wear seriously ugly shoes? Who would do that? And — more importantly — why? Trends may seem trivial on the surface, but they have the power to make regular people do pretty irregular things! Jump into the frenzied world of viral videos and songs, faddish food and clothes, and even dangerous crazes!

NEW ON REQUEST: Coming together online, Trending: How and Why Stuff Gets Popular (Owlkids, 2020) author Kira Vermond and illustrator Clayton Hanmer tell (and draw!) stories about how fads take off and spread, how they can be crafted to lure you in — and how to recognize bandwagon behaviour the minute you see it. (The pandemic toilet paper craze, anyone?)

To listen to a sample, google: “The Buzz: Kids Edition.” Or find the podcast wherever you listen to your pods.

Length 30-60 minutes, depending on class needs
For grades 3-6

Why don’t cars run on apple juice, anyway?

Can rats burp? If you sneeze in space, will your head explode? And why do we have butts? With a team of Ontario Science Centre experts, Kira wrote two Q&A books that serve up fun and surprising answers to science questions from curious kids. In this interactive session, students discover mind-blowing facts about our world and beyond, from burps to black holes, T. rexes to time travel.

NEW ON REQUEST: Coming together online, author Kira Vermond and illustrator Suharu Ogawa tell (and draw!) stories about science facts based on real kids’ questions.

Length 30-60 minutes, depending on class needs
For grades 3-6

Let’s talk money!

Credit cards, bartering and yap stones. What do they have in common? They’re all part of my dynamic presentation for schools and libraries. With money and personal finance getting more airplay at schools across Canada and the U.S., Kira makes the curriculum come to life with fun stories, weird anecdotes and audience participation. Kids check out a counterfeit bill, discuss the downside to winning the lottery, and examine their own values and beliefs about what makes a person rich. After this presentation, students will never look at a can of beans or a bag of jellybeans in the same way again! (Schedule a visit to find out why….)

Length: 50-60 minutes

For grades 5-8

Maximum number of students per session: JK-G2 up to 50 students. 100+ for older grades. Writing workshops for middle school students are best for small groups (12-25 students).

I am comfortable presenting in classroom, library, auditorium, and gymnasium. (Library preferred.)

Equipment and other requirements

A microphone for large rooms or groups, a table for props, chair for breaks, glass of water.

A black or white board, or flip chart. Markers or chalk.

I request that a librarian, teacher or other school representative be present throughout presentations. Thank you!

Contact Kira for a visit

    Groc, Isabelle (Vancouver, BC)

    Writer’s Union member. Member of the Children’s Writers & Illustrators of British Columbia Society; Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers; Society of Environmental Journalists; American Society of Journalists and Authors. Fellow of the Explorers Club; UK Royal Geographical Society: Royal Canadian Geographical Society.

    Isabelle is available for author visits, school and library presentations, and conferences.

    In-person visit rates (45 minutes to 1 hour): $400 for one session: $550 for two; $700 for three: $850 for the full day (four sessions) plus GST. Travel fees (airfare and lodging) apply for in-person visits outside the Lower Mainland.

    Virtual visit rates (30 minutes to 1 hour): $250-400 per session (plus GST)

    Isabelle Groc is an award-winning writer, conservation photographer, documentary filmmaker, and children’s book author focusing on environmental science, wildlife conservation, endangered species and the relationships between people and the natural world.

    Isabelle grew up in France and now lives in Vancouver. With degrees in journalism from Columbia University and urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, she brings a unique perspective to documenting the impacts of human activities on threatened species and habitats. Her stories and photographs have appeared in international media including National Geographic News, BBC Wildlife, Canadian Wildlife, New Scientist, and The Guardian. Isabelle has also written and directed over a dozen films on wildlife.

    Her book Conservation Canines: How Dogs Work for the Environment has been chosen as a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection; has been selected as a 2022 Green Earth Book Awards Honor Book; and has won the 2022 American Society of Journalists and Authors Book Award in the Children’s Book Category. The book has also received a starred review from the American Library Association’s Booklist and highly recommended reviews from the Canadian Review of Materials and the School Library Journal.

    Sea Otters: A Survival Story is the winner of the 2021 American Society of Journalists and Authors in the Children’s Book category; was on the 2021 Outstanding Science Trade Book List and was a 2021-2022 Red Cedar Book Award nominee.

    Gone is Gone: Wildlife Under Threat was a finalist for the 2021 Yellow Cedar Award. 

    Her documentary Toad People won a Wildscreen Panda Impact Award. 


    Isabelle loves sharing her passion for the natural world with audiences of all ages, and delivers unique presentations, supported by stunning visuals and film clips. Isabelle’s background as a writer, photojournalist and filmmaker greatly enhances her presentations as she shares personal stories from working in the field alongside conservationists and scientists to inspire and educate students. Her presentations are also relevant to adults who want to make a difference for the natural world.

    Presentations (all grades)

    Wildlife’s best friends: dogs working for conservation (all grades)

    Based on Isabelle’s book Conservation Canines: How Dogs Work for the Environment, Isabelle shares the stories of brave canines working to protect wildlife around the world.

    Act for the wild: Conservation close to home (all grades)

    Wildlife conservation starts on our doorstep. You don’t have to travel to the most remote corners of the earth to engage with wildlife. Any step you can take to protect habitat and wildlife close to home makes a difference and helps create global impact.

    Combining stories, photographs and short film clips, this talk presents the “how” and “why” of endangered species around the world, what people are doing to conserve them, and what children can do on their own and with their families to reduce their impact, engage with the wild, and take steps to protect habitat and wildlife close to home. The book draws from field stories and photographs from Isabelle’s book: Gone is Gone: Wildlife under Threat.

    Sea otters: A survival story (all grades)

    Hunted to near extinction for their fur during the 18th and 19th centuries, sea otters are returning to their territories from California to Alaska, through dedicated conservation efforts. They symbolize the large impact — both positive and negative — that humans can have on wildlife. They now have also unleashed their great ecological powers and have become one of the best examples of a keystone species.

    Based on Isabelle’s book, Sea Otters: A Survival Story, this engaging and visual
    presentation takes audiences on a tale of survival and transformation. Drawing from the author’s journey in sea otter country along the Pacific Coast over a period of ten years, the presentation explores the otters’ unique lifestyle, their remarkable comeback from the brink of extinction, and how they leave their mark (or pawprint) on the environment, in obvious and subtle ways.

    British Columbia’s species at risk (all grades)

    From burrowing owls to grizzly bears, rattlesnakes and American badgers, British Columbia is home to more wild plant and animal species than any other province in Canada and is also one of the last holdouts for many large mammals that once roamed much of North America. Sadly many of these species are at risk. Learn about BC’s species at risk through this compelling presentation supported by Isabelle’s photographs, films, and field anecdotes, working alongside conservation groups and scientists to obtain better protection for some of Canada’s most precious species.

    Wildlife’s best friends: dogs working for conservation (all grades)

    Based on Isabelle’s upcoming book to be published in the fall 2021, Isabelle shares the stories of brave canines working to protect wildlife around the world.

    Storytelling programs (secondary and adults)

    The three programs below appeal to young people and adults who are interested in and/or consider careers in the environmental sector, journalism, photojournalism, documentary filmmaking, and conservation photography.

    From whales to toads: visual storytelling for conservation (Grades 9-12)

    Bringing attention to little-known, elusive, under-appreciated species that people do not often see in the wild can be a challenge for environmental groups or anyone interested in making a difference for wildlife conservation. Visual storytelling tools can help address this disconnect and renew public commitment for those species that are often overshadowed by more charismatic members of the natural world. Drawing from examples of impact-driven storytelling campaigns, Isabelle’s presentation explores how photography, filmmaking, art, and visual branding combined with science-based information can all work together to give new voices to endangered species, inviting the public to experience the natural world in a powerful and intimate way and take action for wildlife conservation.

    Life of a Conservation Photographer: Stories from the field (grades 9 to 12)

    From photographing mountain caribou from a helicopter to working with scientists capturing narwhal in the Arctic’s freezing waters, Isabelle has many field stories and photographs to share. In this presentation she highlights her work with scientists in the field, how she develops trust, builds story angles, adapts to different working environments, and how her photography and stories can help build public exposure on important science and conservation work.

    Story and Photographs By…: The Craft of Storytelling (grades 9 to 12)

    In this program, Isabelle shares her experience as an environmental photojournalist and how she combines photography and words to tell conservation stories.  She shares her creative process and discusses best practices for crafting pitches, finding the right audience, and taking a project from concept to publication.

    In-person visit equipment: microphone for larger group, table, screen and projector for PowerPoint presentation, speakers for video and audio clips, and adaptors necessary to work with Isabelle’s MacBook.
    Vegetarian lunch for full-day visit; water
    Maximum number of students per session: flexible. And varies with program.

    Virtual visits: conducted via Zoom or other preferred online platform; support personnel (to moderate and manage technical aspects)

    Contact Isabelle to book a visit:

      Carmichael, LE PhD (Trenton, ON)

      Carmichael1

      Writers’ Union Member. Award-winning author of more than 20 STEM books for kids.

      Fees for on-site visits: $350 + HST for up to one hour, $600 + HST half day, $900 + HST full day (4 hours). Travel and/or accommodation fees may also apply. Fees for virtual visits: $300 + HST for up to 1 hour, $200 + HST for each additional presentation on the same day, to a maximum of 4 hours.

      Lindsey specializes in making science engaging, relevant, and above all, fun. She also has 20 years’ experience as a writing instructor, offering workshops for both children and adults. 

      NEW STEM PROGRAM for 2023-24!

      (Ant)Arctic Adaptations: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth. The polar regions are bitterly cold, freeze-dried wildernesses, where the wind can blow harder than hurricanes. They are also the only places on Earth where day—and night—last up to six months. And yet, many animals not only survive in these extreme environments, they thrive! After a brief introduction to the Arctic and Antarctica, kids will be asked to brainstorm a list of polar species. We’ll discuss the adaptations that help their favourite animals stay warm, find food, and raise their babies, all in two of the harshest habitats on the planet. Then, we’ll explore the extreme adaptations of some less-familiar species… including one that protects itself with projectile vomit! 

      This presentation draws on Lindsey’s experience living in the Arctic, her PhD research on northern wolves and arctic foxes, and her favourite facts from her all-new STEM book, Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth. Best for grades 4-6.

      STEM Programs for K-3

      What Is a Forest For? Introducing the Boreal Forest. The boreal forest is the largest, most northern forest in the world… and 29% of it is right here in Canada! This introduction to the boreal biome will help kids understand why forests matter. We’ll explore biodiversity with a look at the animals – both iconic and obscure! – who call the boreal forest home. Using a movement activity, we’ll then discuss photosynthesis and how it helps forests prevent climate change. This program runs approximately 30 minutes, leaving plenty of time to answer students’ questions.

      Laura and the Locusts. In 1875, a swarm of Rocky Mountain locusts destroyed Laura Ingalls Wilder’s family farm. This presentation integrates Laura’s descriptions of the swarm (from On the Banks of Plum Creek) with the newest scientific information on Locust Migration. It’s creepy, crawly fun!

      STEM Programs for 4-6

      Fur and Feathers and Frogs, Oh My! Amazing Animals of the Boreal Forest. Who calls the boreal forest home? Moose and loons and beavers are both iconic and familiar; tanukis and teals and star-nosed moles, not so much! After a brief introduction to the boreal forest, kids will be asked to brainstorm a list of boreal species. We’ll take a few moments to learn about some of the biome’s more unusual occupants, through a reading from The Boreal Forest that brings these species to vivid life. From the reading, kids will identify three common adaptations for surviving boreal winters, with examples of animals that use each one. We’ll then discuss two extreme winter adaptations before ending with plenty of time for questions.

      Ocean Migrations – Over the Ice and Under the Sea. What do wolves, humpback whales, and arctic foxes have in common? Whether over the ice or under the sea, their life cycles all include migration. Drawing on discoveries from Humpback Whale Migration and Lindsey’s award-winning PhD research, this program explores different types of migration and how the world’s oceans influence animal movements. The potential impacts of global climate change on wildlife migration are also discussed.

      STEM Programs for 7-12

      Source or Sink? The Carbon Cycle and Climate Change. Carbon sinks are ecosystems that trap more CO2 via photosynthesis than they release into the atmosphere each year. As our climate changes, scientists fear that some carbon sinks could become carbon sources… accelerating further warming. In this presentation, we’ll explore the stages of the carbon cycle in the context of the boreal forest and the polar regions, showing how regional events connect to a global process.  After discussing the impacts of climate change on life in northern and polar ecosystems, kids will take action by brainstorming simple strategies they can use to reduce their carbon footprints, influence climate policy, and preserve these vast Canadian wildernesses for future generations.

      Writing Workshops

      Grades 4-6: What’s Your Book About? How to Decide What to Leave Out. “What’s your book about?” is the second-most-common thing people ask a writer – just after “Where do you get your ideas?” But before we can tell other people, we have to be able to tell ourselves. Knowing what the book is really about lets us research efficiently, revise strategically, and avoid time-consuming tangents… producing a final draft that’s concise, cohesive, and effective. In this presentation, I share the coolest animal facts that aren’t in The Boreal Forest, and explain exactly why I cut them. Then, we’ll walk through each draft of the book’s opening scene, exploring the step-by-step-decision-making process of rewriting. Throughout the program, two-minute challenges will give students a chance to apply these techniques to their own manuscripts.

      Grades 7-12: Writing Down the Feels. Why do we forget some stories, while others stay with us for years? Be they nonfiction, fiction, or poetry, stories with staying power are the ones that make us feel. This workshop explores the connections between language and emotions, teaching writers how to manipulate their reader’s response. Students will harness the emotional resonance of vivid words and figures of speech, bringing their descriptions to life.

      Important Info:

      For on-site visits, Lindsey requires a laptop and projector for PowerPoint slides.

      For virtual visits, Lindsey can present in Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and YouTube Live. She can accommodate schedules in a range of time zones.