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Biography    Schools Visited    Teacher Feedback    Student Art

I work primarily with grades K through 8 in assemblies. I am, however, available for classroom work and other age levels on a case by case basis. I can be flexible in my presentation to accommodate age range of the students and goals of the school.

My presentations emphasize student participation. My goal is to engage the children’s imagination in the creative process. I have my materials on Power Point to accommodate large groups for high quality digital presentation. I share my own experiences and inspirations, and demonstrate with photos and paintings where ideas come from and how they are developed. If your school is within driving distance I can bring an art show as well.

Through the characters in my books I show how environmental concerns can be expressed through art and writing. The Gray Whale is an example of ecology done right. The Vaquita is an example of how it has been done wrong. The Bats , the sole pollinator of the giant saguaro, give insight into the concept of the eco-system. Emily, and her birth on the beach, gives insight into the plight of sea turtles.

Within the fantasy of a desert tortoise that can swim, the biology in my books is correct and based on the most current available science. I am a regular attendee at scientific conferences including the Desert Tortoise Symposium and International Sea Turtle Conference.

With a series of readings and Q & A periods, I give the children a chance to ask about my books and writing. I do a drawing with participation from the children in basically a "what if" exercise creating a story as I go. (There is an "what if" exercise PDF download available here.)

Fees & book sales:
My basic fee is $850.00 for 2 assemblies plus traveling expenses (when applicable). I do offer other types of presentations, classroom versus assembly or more than 2 sessions, and fees are negotiable. I also offer multiple school discounts wherein a district or group of schools can get a reduced rate for a number of presentations over sequential days.

Book Discounts:

I offer schools significant discounts on my books, $15.00 each (vs. $17.00 retail) or both for $25.00, including sales tax. I have a book sale flyer which is designed for schools to send home with students notifying parents of the assemblies and special book discount rates. There is a space on the flyer for parents to request a personalized inscription along with my signature on each book. I will provide the school's library with copies of each of my books and encourage teachers to read them to the students before I arrive.

For an additional fee, I can create a gallery of the students' art on my web site.