Jess Hannigan is the author and illustrator of picture books, including Spider in the Well, The Bear Out There, and The Cow in the Dark at Night. Some say she has the heart of a designer and the sensibility of a professional clown. She lives in Hamilton, Ontario.
Her picture books have been Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selections, Kids Indie Next list picks, featured on NPR, honored by the Bank Street Children’s Book Committee’s 2026 Best Children’s Books of the Year list, and have received starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, and SLJ.
Book Topics: Hannigan’s picture books are all cheeky comedies, whether its spider webs and wishing wells, a familiar bear-related fairy tale with a twist, or a curious cow that may be lacking some stranger-danger senses. Librarians and booksellers have praised her books as great read-alouds, appealing to a wide
range of age groups!
In-Person Presentations: $350+HST for one session, $500+HST for two same-day sessions, and $900+HST for an all-day visit. For presentations outside of
the GTA and Kitchener/Waterloo region, travel expenses may need to be
included. Virtual Visits: $250 + HST for one session, and $100 + HST for each
additional presentation on the same day.
Presentation Format: Full presentation sessions are generally a 1hr, and covers
her journey to becoming an author, developing her artistic style, and how she
wrote and illustrated one or multiple of her picture books. This can also include a reading of the book, of course! The session can also be ended with a live drawing and/or a Q&A session. Also available is a shorter, story time session (30-45min), with a brief intro about Jess, a reading, and Q&A. Good for younger listeners!
Jess typically works with children ages 4-9, but she’s also enjoyed presenting to
older kids/teens about my life as an author and artist. Presentations can also
provide advice for making creative work that feels unique to you!
Happy to work around your needs or hear out your presentation ideas!
Other Notes:
● A projector/screen is required for in-person visits if we want to show the
slide presentation, as well as a microphone for larger groups of kids.
● For any drawing activities, an easel with paper, markers, and crayons for
the kids to draw along with.
● A teacher/facilitator must be present for in-person presentations.
