Programs

School Programs

Now Booking for Spring & Fall 2011!

Schedule a Visit

"I am so very lucky. My writing has afforded me the opportunity to travel the world visitng children in schools. Whether visiting a U.S. Department of Defense school in Kaiserslautern, Germany, or an American school in Quito, Ecuador, or a public school in Newburgh, New York, my mission remains the same: to inspire children to read and write. I hope my school visits put a human face on the words and stories in books and impress upon children the sheer wonder waiting to be discovered between a book's covers."

Called TAKE A NOTION, Larry's programs for primary and elementary school children focus on the development of a book--from idea to publication. Although he is available year around, his writing schedule permits him to make only 15 school appearances per year, so please book early.

With Grades 1 & 2, Larry looks at two titles and discusses the "notions" behind each story. Then he reads one of them aloud to show the end result. He also shares a much-edited manuscript to prove that it's seldom right the first time. (Approx. time: 45-50 minutes, including Q/A) For grades 3 and above, he discusses his work in more detail and includes nonfiction. These sessions touch on mining for ideas, story development, research techniques, and/or any combination of these topics. A former Teaching Fellow with the Writing Project, Larry likes to demonstrate the Five-Step Writing Process through his own books and his programs work well in conjunction with Six Trait Writing instruction. (Approx. time: 55-60 minutes, including Q/A)

What about Kindergarten? Larry likes to tell his youngest friends about the day a little brown bear walked into his office and gave him the idea for Country Bear's Good Neighbor. Then he'll share the published story. Next he'll read Dinosaurs Dance and demonstrate "the dance," which is really just a series of movements that reinforce vocabulary development. After the demonstration, everyone will join in to dance to music. The kindergarten program is capped off with an echo-reading of Cats! (Larry has found that it is best if teachers do NOT acquaint the children with these three particular titles prior to his visit. He likes spontaneity.) A brief Q/A will follow. (Approx. time: 30 minutes)

All programs, except the kindergarten program, include a short video clip (DVD format).

To prepare students for Larry's visit, he suggests that they be made familiar with at least three of his titles. Some to consider might be Cory Coleman, Grade 2; Elliot Fry's Good-bye; Max and Felix; The Littlest Wolf; Cat on Wheels; The Sidewalk Patrol; The Sparkle Thing; Loud Larry; Elwood's Bath; Here Comes Trouble; Surfing (or Snowboarding); Subway: The Story of Tunnels, Tubes, and Tracks; Polar Mammals; Trick or Treat, Old Armadillo; and/or We Are One: The Story of Bayard Rustin. (Note: Some of these titles are out-of-print, but should be available through a good public library.)

Endorsements

"Your presentation was perfect for the audience." --Ms. Smith, Teacher, Desert Star Elementary School, Goodyear, Arizona

"You are a terrific presenter! It was such a treat to have you here. You have such a wonderful way of relating to the children and sharing your love of reading and writing with them.

"You shared so many helpful tips and hints about the writing process with them in such a fun way. Thank you! The kids loved hearing about your 'Stinky Story Drawer.' They also liked hearing how sometimes the author and the illustrator have very different ideas about the illustrations and the illustrations don't always turn out like you're imagining.

"Thank you for sharing with them the rewriting process that you undergo when you are writing your books. It is especially helpful for kids to see that in order for their writing to be their very best, it takes a lot of patience and hard work." --Anita Glanzer, Teacher, Grace Lutheran School, Sandy, Utah

"I was amazed at the connections they [my students] made with you. Your engaging demeanor, warmth and the fact that you were a teacher, make you very real and approachable. . . .Your impact on the students is immeasurable." --Ryan Thompson, Librarian, Calusa Elementary School, New Port Richey, Florida

"We've been fortunate to have had wonderful presentations by authors in past years, but everyone agrees that yours was the best yet." --Paddy Gordon, Reading Specialist, Glenridge Elementary School, Landover Hills, Maryland

"Thank you . . . for being so flexible and cooperative with the details of your visit." --Kristi Theurer, Media Specialist, Deer Park Elementary School, New Port Richey, Florida

"Larry Dane Brimner is an excellent speaker to students of all ages. Children respond quickly to Larry and his presentation, which features both the technical and creative aspects of writing." --Dr. Helen Foster James, San Diego County Office of Education, San Diego, California

"You did a superior job of presenting to our entire student body. Each session was brilliant and filled with so much meaning and information. I do not know how you do it. Thanks for making this a memorable event for our students here at Neil Armstrong. You should consider training others in the 'how-to' of presenting." -- Robert C. Mallon, Library Media Specialist, Neil Armstrong Elementary School, Port Charlotte, Florida

"I would like to thank you again for the wonderful presentations you did at Courtney. We had such an enlightening experience with our first Author Visit that we are planning on having another one next year, although you're a tough act to follow." -- Becky Beamguard, Librarian, Courtney Elementary School, Yadkinville, North Carolina

"My 6-year-old son now wants to be an author and has been drawing and writing in a 'special' notebook everyday! Thank you for inspiring his creativity." -- Alyssa M., Parent, Grace Lutheran School, Sandy, Utah

"We, at Desert Willow Elementary, would like to thank you for a fun-filled learning kinda day! During our recent faculty meeting the staff recognized you for being the best visiting author they've had yet!" -- Melissa Simmons, Writing Coach, Desert Willow Elementary School, Vail, Arizona

"What a great day you provided for us here at Desert Star. Your program was very exciting and engaging for all the grade levels. ...They [the children] are eager to try 'the magic of three' in their own stories." --Darlene Bray, Librarian, Desert Star Elementary School, Goodyear, Arizona

"You were amazing! The students truly enjoyed your presentation. My students liked how you showed your rough drafts with all the blue pencil marks. They finally understood that even professionals have to edit." --Christina Ellis, First Grade Teacher, Litchfield Elementary School, Litchfield Park, Arizona

What This Will Cost

Larry's full-day fee is $1,750.00, all inclusive--no expenses; no surprises! What is a "full day"? A full-day includes 4 assemblies in a central location such as a library or an auditorium. In addition, it includes 1 kindergarten program, or "visit," as a bonus. He prefers to visit multiple schools clustered together over multiple days, but is also happy to make single-day visits. For extended bookings of 4 days or more, his fee is negotiable.

Sample Schedule

What about half-days? Larry is happy to visit two schools in one day if the schools are convenient to each other and if they make reservations at the same time for the same day. In this case, his fee is $900.00 per site and includes 2 assemblies at each (no exceptions).

How about local schools? Larry's "local" fee--that is, for schools in Arizona, San Diego, and El Centro (California)--is $1000.00 for a full-day.

DOD and American schools abroad should contact Larry directly by e-mail to ask about fees.

Something New: If you're budget is as tight as a whalebone corset, you might consider a Skype Virtual Visit. You'll find details here.

How Do I Schedule Time on Larry's Calendar?

Larry's calendar fills up 6 months to a year in advance, and he typically makes only one outing a month because of his writing schedule. If you wish to book a visit, please submit the Author Visit Request Form or e-mail him (with "Author Visit" in the Subject line). He will try to respond promptly. However, if you haven't heard back from him within a week, please contact him again, as sometimes glitches of brain and/or technology occur!

By E-mail: ldb@brimner.com

Conference/Reading Council Programs

Larry is a frequent speaker at educational conferences, reading council meetings, and writing workshops. Here are some of his more recent appearances:

• IRA Featured Author
• California Reading Association
• Arizona Reading Association
• Arizona Kidney Foundation
• Alabama Reading Association
• Georgia Council of the IRA
• New York Reading Association
• Virginia State Reading Association
• Illinois Reading Association
• Keystone (PA) Reading Association
• Arkansas Reading Association
• Indiana Reading Association
• Texas State Reading Association
• Colorado Council of the IRA
• Highlights Writers' Conference at Chautauqua
• SCBWI Missouri
• Southern Breeze (SCBWI)
• Arizona Library Association
• SCBWI - LA Writers' Day
• Carthage College - Kenosha, Wisconsin
• School Librarian Association of Western New York (SLAWNY)

Conference fee: Negotiable, but usually $2,000, plus travel, lodging, and meals.

Local Reading Council fee: $500.00, Negotiable

Larry is always happy to craft a talk to fit your theme, but some of his popular Conference Topics include:

"Finding Your Inner Child" -- Larry provides a glimpse into the journey his path to writing took with this humorous look at the six genres of writing. (Writing Conference Keynote)

"On a Life Embellished" -- People often ask Larry if all of his stories are autobiographical. In this talk, he looks at several of his stories and the real-life (autobiographical, if you will) events that inspried them. Are all of his stories autobiographical? You be the judge. (Educators' Conference)

"The Geography of Biography" -- (This is Larry's most popular topic with educators.) When Augustine Washington asked his son, George, if he had chopped down a cherry tree, George reportedly answered, "Father, I can't tell a lie. I did cut it with my hatchet." This story has been passed down from generation to generation as fact; yet, it is pure fiction. This session will offer tips to educators with an interest in publishing biography or in having their students write biography. (Educators' Conference)