Bilingual early elementary picture book (Spanish/English). All ages.
$200 plus HST for 1 session, $350 for 2, $500 for 3 and $650 for 4, + travel (50 cents per kilometer, round-trip for SW ON). Virtual Visits: $150 plus HST, for one session, 20-60 minutes, $125 for each additional session on the same day.
Ashlee is an experienced speaker and Creative Writing teacher at the highschool and elementary levels. Ashlee tailors her talks to each group and is available to present in English, Spanish and French or a combination of languages of instruction. Ashlee is available to do multiple talks or workshops over the course of the day with groups ranging from kindergarten to high school. As a homeschool co-op organizer Ashlee also prepares talks and workshops for mixed-age groups. Ashlee has also given talks on writing, publishing and the author’s journey for adult groups.
Sample pre-recorded workshops available upon request. Ashlee also takes workshop requests.
Examples of workshop options:
All presentations available in English, French and Spanish or a combination of language of instruction.
JK- Gr. 2 – 45 – 60 mins (including speaker-led multilingual “brain breaks” for children)
Reading of “Senora Sanasana” followed by a character creation workshop including a LA tie-in worksheet for Gr. 2 and a drawing activity for younger ages.
OR
Reading of “Senora Sanasana” followed by learning Spanish words and class discussion about languages spoken and heard in the children’s home and communities and creation of a classroom word cloud of words in other languages the children know.
Gr. 3-6 – 45 – 60 mins
Character creation workshop based on common nursery rhymes, sayings and idiomatic expressions, including worksheet and writing activity and group discussion about the rhymes and sayings from their diverse backgrounds. Workshop includes time for students to share their characters.
Highschool – 45 – 60 mins or two sessions for increased content creation time
Introduction to critique circle practices and character creation workshop (see above). Workshop includes discussion of “own voice” stories and how to create supportive, compassionate and constructive writing critique groups.
Adults – 45 – 60 mins
“Abundance versus scarcity for artists” – this is a talk on having an “abundance” mentality as an artist, basing our creative practices on the belief that there is enough space and enough audience in the world for everyone’s art and writing. This talk also delves into how we define success and takes an anti-capitalist approach to redefining both “success” and “audience” in order for artists to thrive.
All Venues. All Group Sizes. Equipment required: A table or podium. A microphone for larger groups or in the gym, or if the room acoustics require it. A screen and projector for power-point.
CANSCAIP and SCBWI member, two-time recipient of Canada Council of the Arts grants. Member of Quebec Writers’ Federation and selected mentee for Young Adult fiction in 2020.
Workshops are best for ages 9 to 17. $250.00 for one sixty-minute session. $450 for two sessions. $675 for three sessions and $900 for 4 sessions. + travel (50 cents per kilometer, round-trip for Lanaudière, Laurentides, Montreal, Laval, Mauricie regions.
Virtual Visits: $200 for one 60-minute session, $100 for each additional session on the same day, up to four sessions in one day.
Lea is an experienced English Language Arts teacher who loves to talk about books and writing. As a writer of books for striving readers, she is passionate about bringing accessible literature to all readers and second language learners. Lea believes anyone can be a writer and all it takes is the right tools, some hard work, and the right encouragement. She wants to bring the power of writing to all types of learners. She is experienced working with students will learning difficulties, and can offer flexible workshops to accommodate all learners. She provides graphic organizers and worksheets, including editable digital copies for learners using assistive technologies. She has also been known to bring tasty snacks!
Writing Workshop Topics for ages 9 to 17
Workshops are conducted in English, but Lea is comfortable speaking French to second language learners. She can answer questions/provide translation and communicate fluently in French. Participants who speak languages other than English or French are encouraged to teach Lea some new words!
All workshops use a combination of large and/or small group discussion, group activity/game, writing, revising, and sharing.
Writing Makes Sense: Showing vs. Telling
Lea will use a combination of discussion, group activity and writing to create strong sentences using sensory details.
Words for Humanity: Using Conflict to Write About Emotions
Based on the “Cards Against Humanity” or “Cards Against Maturity” game, with an age-appropriate and positive twist, we will create solutions to problems for our characters.
From Memory to Fiction
Based on the game “Clue,” students will use detective work to piece together memories to create a setting, a character and/or a conflict as a stepping stone for their own creative writing.
Dialogue that doesn’t drag: using dialogue to build character.
Using video clips of well-known characters, students will predict what/how characters will speak. We will use character charts, to create personalities and with them, a way to let characters speak that is dynamic and exciting.
Words, Words, Words: Beyond the Thesaurus.
Based on the game “Taboo,” and incorporating improvisation/acting students will explore their vocabulary by acting out adverbs, describing movements and using action words instead, to create a scene.
These workshops are ideal for groups between 10 and 20 participants. Lea prefers small settings for workshops such as a classroom, library or other space large enough to move around, but not so large that she cannot connect with each participant.
Tech requirements include a blackboard/whiteboard and a screen for the dialogue workshop with internet access, speakers, etc. Participants will require writing materials, including assistive technologies for students who use them in the classroom on a regular basis.
Rates: Writer’s Union, CANSCAIP, SCBWI. All sessions 45-60 minutes. Virtual $250. In-person $300 (available in Kitchener/Waterloo and GTA only). Half-day $550 (two sessions, available in Kitchener/Waterloo and GTA only). Full day $800 (up to three sessions). Half and full days may be split between nearby schools on the same day. Prices quoted do not include travel costs or HST.
JJESSICA VITALIS is an award-winning, Columbia MBA-wielding middle grade author with Greenwillow/HarperCollins. Her books have been translated into three languages, received multiple starred reviews, been designated as Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections, and appeared on “Best Book” lists for Kirkus and CCBC. Coyote Queen won the Reading the West Book Award, the High Plains Literary Award, and the Women Writing the West 2024 WILLA Literary Award in Children’s Fiction and Non-Fiction. Her latest novel, Unsinkable Cayenne, is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, a NCTE Notable Verse Novel, and was featured as a best new release by Parade Magazine. Jessica has American and Canadian citizenship; she currently lives and writes in Ontario but speaks at schools, conferences, and festivals all over North America.
Unsinkable Cayenne is a NCTE 2025 Notable Verse Novel
Coyote Queen is a Reading the West Book Award winner
Coyote Queen is a winner of the High Plains Book Award
Coyote Queen won the Women Writing the West 2024 WILLA Book Award for Children’s Fiction and Non-Fiction
When she’s not writing, Jessica’s favorite activity is talking about writing; her presentations are best suited for students grades four and up (and adults of any age). She is also available for festivals, conferences, and keynote speeches and can speak to issues ranging from SEL topics to grief and healing.
Offerings include (but are not limited to):
The Story Behind the Story: This interactive presentation includes the inspiration behind Jessica’s books, a short reading, stories of tenacity and perseverance related to her unusual childhood and 13-year journey to publication, and a peek at the revision process (including the most important tool in her writer’s toolbox!). Q&A included. For small or large groups (grades 4+).
Stand Out From The Crowd:Creating Compelling Characters: In this hands-on writing workshop, participants look at what makes characters come alive in readers’ hearts and minds and learn how to develop memorable characters using the author’s secret technique to show and not tell. For smaller groups (ages 10 to adult).
The Building Blocks of Story: Using the building blocks of story, we’ll work through a flexible pre-writing strategy that provides authors with a framework to draft a novel without bogging them down or making the drafting process feel too prescriptive. For small or large groups (adults only).
“Jessica’s presentation was so inspiring and energizing for our fifth and sixth grade students! Her stories––both on and off the page––are magnetic. A couple of our more reluctant learners sought Jessica out after the talk to connect with her and have their photos takes. What a wonderful celebration of reading and writing!” -Elementary school librarian
“Jessica did a beautiful presentation for my 7th grade reading classes. My students were engrossed! At the end, she answered all of their questions about being an author, the writing process, and everything in between! It was such a fantastic experience for my students!” – 7th Grade Teacher
“[Jessica’s] presentation totally changed my life! It was so incredibly helpful and exactly what I needed for my writing.” -Workshop attendee
Maximum group size: No limit on large group offerings. Smaller group offerings are better suited for individual school classes or conference breakout sessions.
Venues: Flexible as long as a microphone and projection screen are available.
Tech Requirements: Microphone (when necessary), digital projector and screen (most presentations are accompanied by PowerPoint slides; Jessica can either hook up with her laptop or bring in a flash drive), water, and lunch (for full day visits).
Writers’ Union Member. $250 virtual visit or $400 in-person, plus travel. $700 for a day with two visits (two schools can share). Travel costs waived in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, and the townships.
Erin writes YA science fiction and fantasy middle grade books. With multiple awards, she’s considered one of Canada’s rising stars: Quill and Quire calls her “a new master,” and the CBC says she’s “so close to YA superstardom she can probably taste it.” As a presenter she’s down-to-earth and funny, working to give students real answers and emotional honesty.
CCBC Book Awards: TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award nominee
“I’ve had many novelists visit my classes over the years, but I can honestly say I’ve never seen one connect so well with a teenaged audience. —A.J. Blauer, Acting Head of Literary Arts, Canterbury High School (Ottawa, Ontario)
Free Virtual Visits! I do free 10-15 minute virtual visits with classes or clubs who are reading one of my books. There’s no presentation, so I’m counting on the teacher or moderator to run a short, informal conversation or a Q&A
Audience: Any small group
Timing: 10 to 15 minutes
Presentation-style School Visits
For upper elementary and middle schools: How to Fail
A funny presentation on how I became an author by failing every step of the way. (Step one: don’t have a dream.)
I’ll give your students a peek behind the scenes of my creative process — research, writing, editing, and more — but the heart of the presentation is grit, growth, and being a little easier on yourself.
Audience: Targeted at grades 5 – 9. Single classes or whole-school gatherings.
Timing: Adaptable to your timetable, but generally 30-40 minutes plus a Q&A, for a total of 45-60 minutes.
For middle schools, high schools: How to Fall off a Roof
Neuroscientists have a question: when you’re falling to your death, does time really slow down? Being scientists, they’ve tested this by dropping volunteers from a great height. Any guesses on what they learned?
This presentation uses that answer — and other insights from modern neuroscience — to introduce new ways to think about how details and pacing change the emotional intensity of a scene.
Audience: Targetted at grades 7 – 12, writers’ craft classes, university classes, writers’ master classes. Works as a workshop for single classes, but can also be run as a presentation for a gym-ful.
Timing: Adaptable to your timetable, but generally 45-60 minutes plus a Q&A, for a total of 60-90 minutes.
For upper elementary and middle schools: Sort of Simon
Simon Sort of Says is my newest middle grade book.
This presentation takes your readers behind the scenes of writing this book — and creativity generally — starting from “where do your get your ideas” and covering everything from an ordinary writing day to the big phone call day where something amazing happens.
This presentation works for both classes who have read or are reading Simon, and for classes who are just curious about books, writing, and creativity.
Content note: there is a school shooting in the backstory — not on the page — of Simon Sort of Says. That comes up in the backstory — not at the heart — of this presentation.
Audience: Targetted at grades 5 – 9. Single classes or whole-school gatherings.
Timing: Adaptable to your timetable, but generally 30-40 minutes plus a Q&A, for a total of 45-60 minutes.
Workshops
Writing Workshop: How to Walk Across a Room
This highly interactive, on-your-feet workshop draws on improv exercises and group brainstorming to help students make characters come to life on the page.
This workshop is at its absolute best as a series of short workshops and writing exercises that build on each other over the course of several writing days. Some of these can be teacher-run — I have sharable lesson plans. Contact me if you’re interested.
Audience: Targeted at grades 7 – 12, writers’ craft classes, university classes, writers’ master classes. Best for single classes.
Timing: Adaptable to your timetable, but generally 45-60 minutes plus a Q&A, for a total of 60-90 minutes.
Writing Workshop: How to Fall off a Roof
Neuroscientists have a question: when you’re falling to your death, does time really slow down? Being scientists, they’ve tested this by dropping volunteers from a great height. Any guesses on what they learned?
This workshop uses that answer — and other insights from modern neuroscience — to introduce new ways to think about how details and pacing change the emotional intensity of a scene.
Jam-packed with weird science and fun examples, this workshop is the least interactive one I do, and can also be a presentation to a gym-ful.
Audience: Targetted at grades 7 – 12, writers’ craft classes, university classes, writers’ master classes. Works as a workshop for single classes, but can also be run as a presentation for a gym-ful.
Timing: Adaptable to your timetable, but generally 45-60 minutes plus a Q&A, for a total of 60-90 minutes.
Writer in Residence options
Want to take it up a notch? These workshops add together to create a great program for a writer in residence. Think every day for a week, or twice a month for a semester, or even more.
This is my absolute favourite thing to do — it’s a game changer for me, for the kids, and for the teachers I work with.
Writers Union Member. Fiction & NF, 2X Silver Birch winner, 2x Red Cedar Winner, Yellow Cedar Winner. Multi awards. All ages. $400 plus HST for 1 session, $650 for 2, $900 for 3 and $1100 for 4, + travel (.68 cents per kilometer, round-trip for SW ON).
Virtual Visits: $300 plus HST, for one session, 20-60 minutes, $200 for each additional session on the same day.
Storytellers of Canada. Gold Mountain Stories. Traditional Asian folklore & Canada’s immigrant history (FDK – 12). Per session, 80-100 students. Three Sessions $625 + travel from Toronto. Continue reading “Hune, Bernice (Toronto)”
Writers’ Union Member. Winner of the Heart of Hawick Award (UK). Shortlisted for the Red Cedar (BC), MYRCA (Manitoba) and Audie Awards (USA). OLA Best Bet. Many of her books have been optioned for TV/Film.
$300+HST for a single session; $500+HST for two sessions; $900+HST for a full day. Prices for larger groups, workshops, panels, etc., to be negotiated*. For outside the Toronto area, add kilometrage/accommodation. Virtual Visits $100 – $200
ABOUT:
Adrienne Kress is an enthusiastic and creative presenter with a background in acting that makes her engaging for audiences of all ages. She has toured with TD Children’s Book Week and presented at MASC in Ottawa. She is a Toronto-born actor and author who, so far, has twelve novels to her credit (with an upcoming graphic novel in 2025), as well as essays, plays, screenplays and short stories. She has spoken to children and adults in a large variety of circumstances, from school assemblies and classroom workshops to writers’ associations and conference panels. Her presentations have taken her across Canada, the United Kingdom and the US. Adrienne is a dynamic, skilful speaker, insightful, knowledgeable and fun to be with.
PRESENTATIONS/READINGS/WORKSHOPS
“Adrienne first visited our school for a book reading and discussion about her writing career. We were so impressed with her dynamic and engaging approach to children that we immediately looked for other opportunities to bring this very talented individual back to the school. The almost-instantaneous connection she has made with our students is a testament to her extraordinary ability to work with young people.”
– Jonathan Harris, Head of School, Fieldstone Day School
READINGS:
Readings based on middle grade books are geared towards children in grades 4, 5, 6 and 7. They are 45 minutes to 11⁄2 hours in length depending on needs. She is comfortable with any group size. She has spoken to small groups in a cozy huddle on the floor in a library and to large groups of a couple of hundred in gyms and auditoriums.
As a passionate author, professional actor and teacher, Adrienne brings a large array of skills to her readings. She starts with a short talk about “how a book gets published” and “working with your editors is like working with your teacher,” continues with a dramatic reading from one of the books and ends with a question period and a book signing opportunity. When her session arises from one of her more swashbuckling books, Adrienne is happy to add a fencing lesson (no swords required!).
PRESENTATIONS:
Presentations can be geared to any audience, for example, Writer’s Craft classes, writers’ groups, book clubs. The length of the presentation varies according to the needs of the group, but is most often 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours in length. The content can be individualized to suit the interests of the group, but usually covers topics like the trials and tribulations of getting published (including how to get a literary agent), the writing process, working with an editor, identifying your audience, trends in modern literature and the importance of studying past works and authors.
WORKSHOPS:
“It was all amazing, Adrienne Kress is a fantastic author and person, she is very engaging and super nice.”
“I really liked all the exercises, and how all the exercises really make you think. I think it really helped with my writing!”
— MASC Young Authors & Illustrators Student Participants
Workshops can be geared to any audience, for example, elementary school students, Writer’s Craft classes, writers’ groups, book clubs. The length of the presentation varies according to the needs of the group but is most often 1 1⁄2 hours to 3 hours in length, though it can be expanded. The content usually covers topics like honing your writing skills, creating your own voice, creating a “world” for your stories, the use of dialogue, humour – its types and where to use it – identifying your audience, etc.
Comfortable in all venues. Equipment required: A glass of water, a microphone for larger groups or in the gym, a screen and projector for power-point.
Rates – in person: $300 for one session and $150 for additional sessions. Virtual visits: $150 per session (with negotiation for size of audience and recording permissions).
Caroline Fernandez is a Toronto-based children’s author of 17 books, including the beloved Asha and Baz series and award-nominated Plague Thieves, inspiring young readers with real-life heroes, history, and a dash of adventure.
Caroline writes in the children’s book genres of: non-fiction books, picture books, chapter books, historical middle grade novels
PLAGUE THIEVES is shortlisted for the IODE Violet Downey Book Award 2025, Saskatchewan Young Readers’ Choice Awards — Diamond Willow 2025, SCBWI Crystal Kite Awards – Canadian division.
Asha and Baz Meet Elizebeth Friedman is a 2024 Next Generation Indie Award finalist
Asha and Baz Meet Mary Sherman Morgan is a 2023 Next Generation Indie Award Finalist and TD Summer Reading Club Recommended Read.
Asha and Baz Meet Hedy Lamar is a 2023 Purple Dragonfly winner
The Adventures of Grandmasaurus is a 2021 Purple Dragonfly winner
Boredom Busters is a 2015 Forest of Reading Silver Birch honour book award winner
All of presentations are designed to captivate and inspire young readers, featuring a lively read-aloud, interactive activities, and an engaging author Q&A session. Caroline is happy to collaborate with teachers and librarians to create a customized presentation that meets the unique needs of your students, ensuring an experience that aligns with your curriculum or themes. Here are just a few examples of the exciting and educational presentations:
MIDDLE GRADE PRESENTATIONS
Plague Thieves
In this dynamic middle school presentation, the author will read an exciting excerpt from Plague Thieves, drawing students into the heart of the story. Following the reading, the author will guide students through the creative journey of writing this historical middle grade novel, covering the inspiration, brainstorming, researching, writing, revision, and editing process. Engaging activities will explore the historical context of the plague—what it was, how it spread, and how the characters in the story managed to survive. Students will participate in discussions and hands-on activities to imagine if they, too, could have survived the challenges of that time, sparking curiosity about history, survival, and the power of storytelling. 60 minutes.
Themes: middle grade books, writing and editing, research, historical fiction, geography, history, pandemics, urbanization, STEM in renaissance times Vs modern times, types of story conflict in books.
Grades JK-6
CHAPTER BOOK PRESENTATIONS
Asha and Baz Meet Mary Anning
Asha and Baz Meet Gladys West
Asha and Baz Meet Mary Sherman Morgan
Asha and Baz Meet Hedy Lamarr
Asha and Baz Meet Elizebeth Friedman
Asha and Baz Meet Katia Krafft
In this exciting and interactive school presentation, students will dive into the Asha and Baz series, where two adventurous kids face a STEM challenge in school and time travel to meet inspiring women from history who made groundbreaking discoveries related to their project. Through engaging storytelling, students will learn about the women’s lives, their time periods, and their contributions to science, technology, engineering, and math. After the time-travel adventure, students will take part in hands-on activities, recreating the STEM challenges from the books using simple materials they can find at home or in class. This session brings history and STEM to life in a fun and relatable way, sparking curiosity and creativity in young minds! 60 minutes.
Themes: science and technology, women in science, history, biography, space, STEM, gender equality, early reader chapter book, fossils, environment
PICTURE BOOK PRESENTATIONS
Bring the magic of picture books to life with an engaging author presentation that will captivate your students! In this interactive session, I’ll share the creative process behind my picture books, from inspiration to story development, and lead a fun, engaging read-aloud experience. Students will dive into the characters, themes, and adventures of the book while participating in lively discussions and activities based on the story. This presentation is perfect for elementary school librarians and teachers looking to inspire a love of reading, creativity, and storytelling in young children. 30 minutes.
Hide and Seek: Wild Animal Groups in North America (picture book)
Themes: collective nouns, animals, migration of monarch butterfly, North America, finding one’s place, inclusivity, Earth Day, Earth Month, picture book
The Adventures of Grandmasaurus (picture book series)
The Adventures of Grandmasaurus
The Adventures of Grandmasaurus At the Aquarium Rescue Centre
The Adventures of Grandmasaurus At the Supermarket
Themes: inter-generational relationships, non-gendered characters, role reversal, literary non-fiction, diversity, facts, role reversal, dinosaurs, picture book
NON-FICTIONPRESENTATIONS
Boredom Busters
More Boredom Busters
Let’s dive into busting boredom! Brainstorming on things you can craft using supplies you have around your home or classroom. Great for makerspace and school-vacation activity ideas!
Writers’ Union Member. Multi-award-winning author of more than 20 books for kids and teens.
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.
Surprising facts, engaging stories, and her willingness to answer just one more question set Lindsey’s science programs apart. And her workshops make even the most reluctant young writers excited to express themselves.
Polar won the 2025 Lane Anderson Award and the SWCC Award
The Boreal Forest won the Information Book Award
STEM PROGRAMS
What Is a Forest For? Introducing the Boreal Forest | Grades 1-3 | Duration: 45 min | Curriculum Connections: biodiversity, photosynthesis, biomes, habitats, the boreal forest, climate change
The boreal forest is the largest, most northern forest in the world… and 29 percent 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 some weird and wonderful animals that call the boreal forest home. During a movement activity, we’ll discuss photosynthesis and how it helps forests prevent climate change.
This high-energy program is designed to captivate young learners, and includes plenty of time to answer questions.
Surviving ‘til Spring: Animal Adaptations in the Boreal Forest | Grades 4-6 | Duration: 60 min | Curriculum Connections: biodiversity, animals, biomes, the boreal forest, adaptations, migration
In the world’s most northern forest, where snow cover lasts up to 10 months, boreal animals use a wide range of adaptations to survive until spring! During this interactive presentation, students will brainstorm a list of well-known boreal animals. A reading from The Boreal Forest introduces some of the biome’s more unusual occupants; from the reading, students will identify popular adaptations that get these critters through the cold. We’ll round out our discussion with two extreme adaptations that are sure to get students talking!
Packed with engaging, high-interest examples, this program encourages critical thinking and leaves plenty of time for questions.
(Ant)Arctic Adaptations: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth | Grades 4-6 | Duration: 60 min | Curriculum Connections:biodiversity, biomes, polar regions, adaptations, life cycles, climate change
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 surprising adaptations of some less-familiar species… including one that protects itself with projectile vomit!
Packed with stunning visuals and surprising facts, this lively presentation features deleted scenes from Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth.
Ocean Migrations: Over the Ice and Under the Sea | Grades 4-6 | Duration: 60 min | Curriculum Connections:animals, oceans, polar regions, migration, life cycles, climate change
What do humpback whales, northern wolves and arctic foxes have in common? Their life cycles all include migration. In this deep dive into animal migration, we’ll define three different types of migration, and meet Arctic animals that use each type. Whether over the ice or under the sea, each migration depends upon the world’s oceans. We’ll finish by discussing potential impacts of global climate change on wildlife migration.
Drawing on Lindsey’s PhD research and her book Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth, this presentation is the perfect ending to any elementary science migration unit.
Boreal Brake: The Carbon Cycle and Climate Change | Grades 9-12 | Duration: 60 min | Curriculum Connections: the carbon cycle, the boreal forest, climate change, positive feedbacks, conservation, activism
The boreal forest provides habitat for countless fish and birds and mammals—including humans! By drawing CO2 out of the air, the forest’s plants and trees also slow down climate change. In this presentation, we’ll cover the stages of the carbon cycle in the context of the boreal forest and the polar regions, discovering how regional events connect to global processes. After discussing the impacts of climate change on life in northern ecosystems, students will explore simple, research-based strategies they can use to reduce their carbon footprints, influence climate policy, and preserve these vast Canadian wildernesses for future generations.
Rooted in science, this program empowers students to take meaningful action in uncertain times.
WRITING WORKSHOPS
What’s Your Book About? How to Decide What to Leave Out | Grades 4-6 | Duration: 60 min
Tell people you’re a writer, and they’ll probably ask “What’s your book about?” But before we can tell other people, we have to be able to tell ourselves. Knowing what our book, story, article, or report 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’ll 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 revision.
Throughout the program, two-minute writing challenges give participants a chance to apply revision strategies to their own work. Designed to get writers excited about re-writing, this program can be adapted for elementary, middle, high school, or adult audiences.
Writing Down the Feels | Grades 7-12 | Duration: 60 minutes or full day
Why do we forget some stories, while others stay with us for years? Be they fiction, nonfiction, 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. Writers will harness the emotional resonance of vivid words and figures of speech, making their readers laugh, cry, and remember their words forever.
This program can be adapted for elementary, middle, high school, or adult audiences. It’s available as a 60-minute session, or as a full-day workshop in which participants apply these techniques to a new piece of writing.
Note: To allow each student to receive personalized feedback, the full day version of this workshop is capped at 20 participants.
IMPORTANT INFO:
For on-site visits, hosts must provide an LCD projector and screen for slideshows. Depending on program and audience size, speakers (for video), whiteboards, and a microphone may also be required. Contact Lindsey for details.
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.
GG nominated, award-winning author. Valerie Sherrard has been named the 2024 Literary Arts Laureate of the New Brunswick Lieutenant Governor’s Award for High Achievement in the Arts.
Virtual Visit: $225.00 for a 60 minute presentation.
In school visits: $300 for a single presentation or $550 for two at one location. Full day workshop 700.00. Expenses are included in all fees. For in-school visit dates — please contact Valerie and she will let you know when she plans to be in Ontario.
Valerie is an experienced presenter (in-person and virtual visits) who uses humour and an interactive style to engage her audience. Feedback from her school and library visits has been enthusiastic.
Standing On Neptune – middle grade novel in verse. Poems. Poetry.
BirdspellCorbin Hayes is used to being alone. His mom’s illness means lost jobs, constant moves, new schools and friendships that never get to grow. So, when a classmate offers Corbin the talking bird she can no longer keep, he sees a chance to fill the gap in his life. But when things begin to spiral out of control, Corbin can no longer cope. At his lowest moment, he’s forced to do the one thing he fears the most. Young Adult.
Finding Avalon Avalon Monday doesn’t mind telling schoolmates that her mother ran off with a guy she met on the internet. After all, that’s way less embarrassing than the truth. But when the past collides with the present, exposing her secret and threatening to leave her new life in ruins, Avalon discovers there are some things you can never truly leave behind.
Cooper Clark and the Dragon Lady (Chapter Book) Desperate measures are called for when a boy is secretly afraid of dragons, but his new babysitter is rumoured to have a dragon in her basement!
Counting Back From Nine. Novel in verse. Poem. Poetry.
Presentations: I will present to grades 1 – 9. A signed bookmark or postcard will be provided for each student at all in-person presentations.
Grades 1 – 3: There’s a COW Under My Bed! or Down Here! Fun and interactive talk about expressions and language, and students’ own creative abilities. Reading with audience participation. I end with a short Q & A. For these grades you may book two half hour presentations in the place of a single 60 minute session if you prefer.
Middle Grades: Engaging interactive presentation on literacy, with or without issue-based segments depending on the book being presented. I end with a short reading and about 10 minutes for Q & A.
Young Adult: Engaging and interactive presentation on literacy, believing in oneself and a variety of writing or issue related topics, depending on the requested focus. I end with a short reading and about 10 minutes for Q & A.
Workshop for grades 6and up: A Story’s Voice. This full day workshop is designed to help young people develop distinctive voices in their writing by examining the way character, setting, perspective, dialogue, tense etc. impact in telling a story. Writing exercises will demonstrate how each of these support a story in different ways, and help them to recognize which components will work best for their stories. Limited to 15 participants. Available virtually – contact to discuss a suitable arrangement.
I am flexible on audience size but in my experience, smaller in-person groups result in the greatest benefit to students. I am comfortable in all settings, including classroom, library, auditorium or gymnasium.
A sound system may be necessary depending on audience size, acoustics and the number of presentations booked.
Storytellers of Canada. Gold Mountain Stories. Traditional Asian folklore & Canada’s immigrant history (FDK – 12). Per session, 80-100 students. Three Sessions $625 + travel from Toronto. 
