For grades K and 1:
I will read my latest Gilbert book (not yet in stores), or one of your
old favorites.
I've scanned the pages and can project the art as I read the story, so that
all the children can see the pictures.
If time allows, I will add a small powerpoint program about the Gilbert
books. This session will usually take about 30 minutes.
For grades 2 and up:
My powerpoint presentation explains everything you've ever wanted to
know about children's book illustration, beginning with a tour of my studio
as I explain materials and equipment. You'll learn how an illustration is
conceived, sketched, and painted, step-by-step. How do I find my models?
What kind of research do I use? (picture files, books, photos, computers,
taxidermy!) How has modern technology changed my style of working? An overview
of the writing process is also included, as well as explaining the importance
of an editor's role. This presentation is 45 to 60 minutes, and can be interactive
for smaller groups. back
South Elementary School, West Fargo, ND
Elm School, Wyoming, Ohio
FEES
Schools: $1500 per day, for a maximum of four sessions. This can be at one school
or shared with another nearby school for a half day in each.
Conferences:
Workshops $750
Keynote $1000
Library presentations: $500
For areas requiring air travel, there is a two-day minimum visit. The contact host will coordinate scheduling and make hotel
reservations. Author will arrange air travel, which will be reimbursed along with meals and hotel. There is the option for the author
to use a rental car or to be shuttled about by merry volunteers. Payment is due on the day of the author's visit.
For schools within driving distance, there is a mileage fee (.49 per mile). back
EQUIPMENT
I will bring my own multimedia projector, but please have another one
available as a back-up. You will provide an AV cart or table for the projector
and my laptop, a darkened room, a screen or white wall, water, a 2-plug
extension cord, and a great group of kids, who know who I am and why I'm
there!
A microphone is necessary, even for small groups. A clip-on is preferred, but a hand-held will do.
Please note that libraries with skylights and all-purpose rooms with shadeless windows will
not be dark enough to see the images clearly, especially on a sunny day. As the details
in these images are an important component to my talk, I would advise schools with this
set-up to consider using their funds for an author who does not use projected images
as part of her presentation. It's disappointing for the students (as well as the author!)
if they can't see what the author is talking about. back
BOOK SALES
Book sales are extremely important to visiting authors, as it helps to
keep our books in print. Books can be ordered through a local bookstore,
a distributor, or directly from the publisher at a discount. Some titles
may be out of stock or out of print, but can be ordered from the author.
Go to the Books Section to find out the best way to order each title. For books
coming from the author, go to the Printable Order Form. back
AUTOGRAPHS
As much as I would like to, I can't sign anything other than books. (It
would be unfair to those students not getting an autograph.) If desired,
you can print out a bookmark with my signature on it to give to each child,
either before or after my visit.
I can sign books between sessions or after school. Have a slip of paper or a post-it note
on the first page of EVERY book with the name of the person to whom it should be inscribed.
Please do not ask me to personally interpret your book order forms, as this leaves room for errors.
(And after four sessions, my brain might be mush!) I know this is an extra step for the coordinator,
but it seems to be the most efficient method.
Please don't have the children waiting in line while I am signing books,
as it is distracting and time-consuming, and I wouldn't want to spell Megan
or Meagan or Magen or Meghan incorrectly with permanent marker! back
BOOKINGS
For bookings, please contact me directly with your desired dates. I limit
the number of school visits per year because I need time in my studio to
make more books! I apologize if I am not available for the dates you would
like- I start booking a year in advance. Requests are on a first come, first
served basis. back
PREPARING FOR MY VISIT
The more the students are familiar with my books, the more they'll appreciate
and benefit from my visit. Have books available for the librarian or teachers
to be read to the students at least 6 weeks in advance.
Preparing the students for an author visit - Charlottesville, VA
Discuss appropriate questions that students might want to ask. And do
the kindergarteners know what a question is?
Make sure you know in advance what the author will need in the way of
equipment (see Equipment)
Send out Book Order Forms to the parents, leaving plenty of time to have
the books delivered to the school.
And finally- Read the program descriptions carefully, and group
the students accordingly.
Upon my arrival:
Have the room set up with a screen and a cart or table for my laptop
and projector. Shades should be drawn.
Provide water and lunch. I'll eat with teachers in the lounge, with librarians
(and maybe a select group of students) in the library, or alone in restaurants.
But please don't ask me to sit in the cafeteria
with the students ----- authors
are not used to the chaos as much as teachers are!
Show me where the grown-up restroom is.
Dinners with teachers and/or librarians can be enjoyable, but sometimes
I like to wind down or do some work in my hotel in the evening. For multi-day
visits, we can do both. back
James Edwards, a first grader at Lawson Elementary School in Johnston, Iowa,
surprised the author with a model of Gilbert wearing roller skates (toy tractors!)
CLASSROOM CONNECTIONS
If you have ideas to share with other teachers about
how to use my books as part of your curriculum, please email them to me! back
Media specialist Danielle Galligan at the Hopewell School in Glastonbury, CT came up with these ideas to use prior to the author's visit:
After reading a few of Diane deGroat's books, have students make a list of questions they have about her or her books on chart paper.
Visit the FAQ's section to see if you can find the answers.
Save the ones you can't find for her visit.
Brand New Pencils, Brand New Books: Write about your first day of school or make a class list of what you can do to make the first day for a new student a great day.
Good Night, Sleep Tight, Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite: Have students write or draw pictures on a suitcase of what they would bring on a sleepover or camping trip.
Happy Birthday to You, You Belong in a Zoo: Have students write an invitation to a friend to play at recess that maybe they haven't invited before.
Any book: List all the characters in the book and what type of animals they are. Have students come up with ideas for new characters, what type of animal they should be, and why.
Students could then make the animals for display.
Ms. Galligan includes these suggested activities in a packet for each teacher whose class will attend the author's presentation. She also adds the author's website information, mentioning areas of interest such as downloads for activities and bookmarks.
This activity was suggested by Katheryn Shurley, a student at Angelo State University, San Angelo, TX:
Choose any Gilbert book that the students have not yet read, and extract key sentences from the story.
Type them all onto one page, leaving space between the sentences.
Make enough copies for each student, then cut the individual sentences into strips.
Give each student a packet of the strips and ask them to predict the sequence of events by placing them in order on a sheet of paper.
Read the story to the students. As they recognize the events, have them place the sentences in the correct order.
After the class has found all the excerpts in the story, have them glue the correct sequence onto the paper.
After reading a Gilbert book, Ms. Shurley also asks the students these questions:
"What is the conflict and the solution in the story?"
"What kind of person is Gilbert?"
Show the students a list of character traits and ask them to pick three that apply to Gilbert.
"If you were a movie director, how would you show the book's setting in your film?"
The students have to figure out a setting and list props they would use.
"What do you think the author wants you to learn from this story?"
From Beaver Creek Elementary school in Johnston, Iowa - a lesson for Trick or Treat Smell My Feet: Discuss briefly
if anyone has ever had an embarrassing moment. Have students share what happened and how others reacted. Discuss
the different story elements, stressing what Gilbert's problem was. Talk about how he was able to solve it and
discuss the life lesson - we are all unique. Give students a choice of various characters from the Gilbert series.
Have them cut out the head of the character from Ms. deGroat's website print-out Coloring Page 2,
and then RIP (NO SCISSORS) a unique costume for the character. Display proudly!
Beaver Creek also studied character traits by making up a new classmate for Gilbert.
Students had to answer: What is the new classmate's name?
Is the new friend a boy or a girl?
What kind of animal is it? What is the new friend like?
Students at the Hopewell School in Glastonbury, CT
made an adjective and noun chart for each Gilbert title by studying the illustrations.
Students at Prairie View Elementary School in Lee's Summit, MO,
made three corner hats after reading Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire.
Colonel Johnston Elementary School, Fort Huachuca, Arizona
June Myers at Framington River School in Otis MA pasted the flaps from
the covers of Gilbert books on a poster and had the students
guess which title goes with which flap summary of the story.
The second graders at the Emily A. Fifield School in Dorchester MA
voted on what kind of animal they thought Gilbert was.
Then they put their votes on a graph.
Students in Miss Daddato's literature class at Southampton School #1 in Vincentown, NJ
made cover designs for Gilbert books they would like to see: Earth Day, Father's Day, and St. Patrick's Day.
Southampton School #1 students also made posters for each Gilbert book
containing a new cover design, researched facts about the particular holiday or event,
and what the students normally do on that special day compared to what Gilbert did in the story.
Cathy Bonnell of Ocotillo Elementary School in Phoenix, AZ
had her students replicate Mrs. Byrd's homework assignment in Jingle Bells, Homework Smells:
"Make a picture of a character from your favorite book. Be prepared to talk about the book when you bring
the picture into the class." Here are some samples.
Second graders at Orangewood School in Phoenix AZ wrote a skit after reading Annie Pitts, Artichoke.
They created costumes similar to those worn by the students in the story.
A talented librarian, Joyce Meimer of Southeast Elementary School in Mansfield CT, made a giant piece of
Gilbert art to stand on the stage for the author's visit!
After reading Trick or treat, Smell my Feet, Lori Belair and Dana Ryan (Cayuga and A.J. Smith, Syracuse, NY) had K-1 students design the most embarrassing costume for Patty, Lewis,
Gilbert or Mrs. Byrd. Students were given the heads only (downloaded from the website). Then they tore or cut colored paper to design the costume and used markers to decorate them.
The banner read, "And the Winner for Most Embarrassing Costume Goes To..." "We also had Grade 2-3 come up with a title for a book you would write in the future. Students knew from your website that you come up with the titles first and then the story,
so they were hoping one of theirs would catch your eye. The banner read, "Titles We Think Would Make Great Stories". We also made a huge banner size chart which noted which
animal K-3 students thought Gilbert was. It was a close tie between hedgehog, porcupine and possum. Believe it or not, a couple of students thought Gilbert might be a
gorilla or a wooly mammoth! Oh no!"
Some fun bulletin boards from New Town Elementary School, Waxhaw, SC:
