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I do as many school visits each year as my schedule will allow. Because of the wide range of my work I am able to provide presentations appropriate for a variety of age groups. My programs include picture books and music for the younger grades, and discussions about novels and the writing process for older  grades. I am also available for regional IRA’s and young author conferences and author-in-residence programs for schools interested in a hands-on writing experience for grades 4–8. To discuss or arrange a school visit, please contact me directly at: authorweeks@aol.com or you can contact the School and Library Promotions Department at HarperCollins Publishers at 212- 261-6777.
 “We had a wonderful time and the kids have been raving about you since you left.” K-5 librarian, Marlton NJ
“I had one parent come in and tell me that she had been struggling to get her son to read all year. Since your visit, he has read 3 books.” 3-5 Media Specialist, Placer Hills, CA
“Thank you for another great presentation! As usual, the feedback was nothing but “GLOWING”!” 5th grade parent coordinator, Mahopac, NY
“I certainly enjoyed your presentation at the recent Texas Library Association convention. Our students love the Guy series and our literacy specialist grabbed Mrs. McNosh off my counter to do a writing lesson as soon as she saw it.” K-6 Librarian, Plano TX
 “The kids are still saying great things about your visit - you even made the Top 3 favorite events of the year list for 5th grade!” Pre-K-5 Librarian, Trinity School, Atlanta, GA
“With such a range of talents, she is a real asset when it comes to accommodating so many different age groups.” Senior Coordinator of author visits, Ramstein, Germany.
“Your way with the children and your respect and love of nature and for children is inspiring.” Kindergarten teacher, Kalamazoo, MI
“Ever since your visit I have heard teachers referring to your presentation while helping children to understand the structure of a story…” Reading Specialist, Lake Forest, IL
“I learned more about story writing in a half hour with you than in the district’s writing workshops.” 4th grade teacher, Croton, NY
“Our students are so fortunate that they could experience the love of writing with Sarah Weeks!” Principal, Tenafly, NJ
Sara Brooke - Librarian, The Ellis School, Pittsburgh, PA brookes@theellisschool.org
Amy Roberts - author visit coordinator for  Casis Elementary School in Austin, TX: asraustin@aol.com
Barbara Topiol - Principal Wampus School, Armonk, NY: BTopiol@ByramHills.org
Dede Ducharme
Media Specialist Collins Intermediate School
The Woodlands, TX
281-367-2888
Marsha Quinn - media specialist at St John’s Greek Orthodox Day School (grades K-8) in Tampa, FL: marshaquinn@tampabay.rr.com
Carolyn Mcelhany - media specialist at Placer Hills Elementary School in Placer Hills, CA: mcelhany@placerhills-usd.k12.ca.us
Kathy McAleenan - media specialist at Evesham Elementary School in Marlton, NJ: mcaleenank@evesham.k12.nj.us
Q: What Grade levels are your presentations appropriate for?
A: I have picture books that are appropriate for grades K-3, middle-grade humorous novels for grades 3-5 and YA novels for grades 5-8. I ask that schools make groupings of classes that include no more than two different grade levels at a time, so that the material will be interesting and appropriate for everyone in the audience. The presentations I do for the younger children often include a musical component, based on my books with CD’s, such as Crocodile Smile and Follow the Moon. For older students the focus is on the writing process. All of my presentations include a powerpoint show.
Q: How many presentations do you do in one day?
A: I do a maximum of 3 per day. The length of the presentations depends on the age level of the audience. My programs run between a half hour and forty-five minutes for K-1, and a full hour for the older grades.
Q: What is the ideal group size?
 A: The smaller the better! If time and space permit, my favorite place to present is in the library, where the atmosphere is intimate and the kids have a more up-close and personal experience. However, many schools have large populations and that requires that I meet with bigger groups in places like the auditorium or an all-purpose room. That’s fine as long as there is a PA system and a large screen for the powerpoint presentations.
Q: Do you do Autographing?
A: Of course! I am happy to autograph and personalize books. Ideally books should be pre-sold and organized by class with post-it notes affixed to the cover with the name (first name only) of the person for whom the book is being autographed.
Q: What materials will you need the school to provide for your presentations?
A: I travel with my own laptop, but I require the school to provide an LCD projector and a screen for the powerpoint presentations. If the room is large, a good PA system, preferably with a clip on mic is also a must.
Q: How much does an author visit cost?
A: For details about cost and availability, contact me directly at: authorweeks@aol.com. Or you can contact the School and Library promotions department at HarperCollins - 212-261-6667.
Q: How can we prepare for an author visit?
A: The more time you spend familiarizing the students with my work before I arrive, the more meaningful the visit will be for them. For suggestions on some creative ways to do this, please contact me at authorweeks@aol.com and I will be happy to send you materials via e-mail.
Q: What are some of the books you will likely focus on when you visit our school?
A: Picture books might include:
Mrs. McNosh Hangs up her Wash, Crocodile Smile, If I Were a Lion, Follow the Moon, and Baa Choo!
Novels might include:
Regular Guy (middle grade series), So B. It; Boyds Will Be Boyds (Scholastic series), Jumping the Scratch
Q: Do you bring books with you?
A: No. If you are interested in getting books to sell at your school, please contact your local independent bookstore or for a 40% discount on books for school visits contact:
HarperCollins Library Promotions - (212) 261-6667
Scholastic – 1-800-SCHOLASTIC
Simon and Schuster - 1-800-976-1726
Harcourt - 1-800-543-1918
www.sarahweeksbooks.com
www.pippinproperties.com
www.harcourtbooks.com/childrensbooks
www.simonsays.com
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