Dawn is available for author visits for numerous venues and is willing to customize her visits according to the needs of the host. Here are some options/ideas:

  Birthday Party: (ages 2-6)

 Tea Party theme: Dawn arrives with her toy box and tea party supplies. She dramatizes the story with her props and at the end of the story, the children share in a tea party, just like the character has with her Auntie in the book. Personalized, signed books can be purchased as gifts for the guests. The birthday child receives his/her personalized copy for free. Children receive free Auntie’s House book marks and stickers.

 General Toy theme: Dawn arrives with her toy box filled with the toys depicted in Auntie’s House. She dramatizes the story with these props and at the end the children are supplied with a craft project. This craft project consists of a cut-out toy box and toys to be colored, cut and pasted. Another choice is simply coloring pages from actual pages in the book. Personalized, signed books can be purchased as gifts for the guests. The birthday child receives his/her personalized copy for free. Children receive free Auntie’s House book marks and stickers.

 Story Time/Reading Hour: (ages 2-8) – This is open to be customized to the hosting venue and can run similarly to the birthday party themes previously mentioned. Dawn will always bring her toy box of props and can offer the coloring/craft pages, stickers and book marks for free. Purchase of Auntie’s House is available for purchase at all events according to the hosting venue.

 School Visits/Curriculum Ideas- The theme of Auntie’s House is separation anxiety and therefore is most appropriately geared toward the pre-school and early elementary school-aged child. However, the process of writing and the journey of becoming an author can be presented in an engaging way to older students of higher grades. Following is a general outline of curriculum ideas:

All Grades:

Coloring contest: I have two coloring book pages taken from my book. Build anticipation 1-2 weeks prior to my visit by sponsoring a coloring contest by grade.  The teacher could announce a winner the day I visit and I’ll award the winners of each grade with a personalized, signed copy of my book.

Craft Option: Toy Box. Child colors, cuts out the toy box and pastes it onto a piece of construction paper. There is also a page of various toys from the book on a separate page to be colored, cut out and pasted onto the opening of the toy box. This will match the attic page in the book.

Freebies: Each child will receive a signed Auntie’s House bookmark and an Auntie’s House sticker the day of the visit.

Book Sales: Child can preorder a signed copy of Auntie’s House 2 weeks prior to my visit.  I will send a marketing packet to include a book order form. If the school collects the book orders and purchases the books from me 2 weeks prior to my visit the cost is only $10 per book with no tax (regular price $12.95 + tax+ $3.50 shipping). I will also bring extra copies that day for separate purchase just in case someone wants one at the last minute.

Day of visit:

Pre-k through 1^st (or 2^nd) grade: Story-time setting. Introduce myself as an author. Ask if they know what that is (someone who writes stories).  Introduce “Auntie’s House” and begin to discuss situations when mommies/daddies may have to leave them with another care giver, like the little girl in the book. Discuss: “Who takes care of you? Do you have an Auntie, Grandma, Daycare or Daycare Mom that cares for you sometimes? How do you feel when Mommy leaves? Are you ever nervous or sad? Do you ever wonder about Mommy during the day?”  Then, I begin to read the story, using my toy box props, sharing the pictures with them, allowing them to interact with me while I read the story. I’m pretty interactive depending on the size of the group. If it’s relatively small they can see the pictures up close and interaction is pretty lively.  If need be in a larger setting I may be able to enlarge the book for better viewing. To conclude I reinforce the point by asking, “Was Auntie’s House a fun place to be? Did Auntie take good care of the little girl? Did Mommy return at the end of the day?”

(2^nd) 3^rd grade through 5^th grade: This can be very creative depending on the grade level of the student. They can still do the coloring contest OR a writing contest (poem, short story made into a book). Either way, I will still award a personalized, signed copy of my book to the winner per grade level.  With the upper grade levels I stress “WRITING A BOOK IS AS EASY AS TELLING A STORY. EVERYONE HAS A STORY TO TELL.”

Ideas:

Allow the students to interview the author (Q & A) and be guided by the teacher (s) in order to accomplish the goal of the visit. I can even read my book so they have an example of what a children’s book is like.

Cover the basics of writing a book: idea/experience or passion/research/outline/writing/edit/rewriting/edit/final copy.