TITLES

• Sealth: The Story of an American Indian (Dillon Press, 1978)
• Clowns: The Fun Makers (Julian Messner, 1980)
• The Rainmaker (novel from Random House, 1980)
• Wovoka: The Story of an American Indian (Dillon Press, 1981)
• Incredible Constructions and the People Who Built Them (Walker & Co., 1984)
• Caterpillars, Bugs and Butterflies (Cooper Square Press, 1996)
• Birds, Nests and Eggs (Cooper Square Press, 1996)
• Rabbits, Squirrels and Chipmunks (Cooper Square Press, 1996)
• Fun with Nature [compilation with other authors] (Cooper Square Press, 1998)
• More Fun with Nature [compilation with other authors] (Cooper Square Press, 2002)
• Guinea Pig Scientists: Bold Self-Experimenters in Science and Medicine, with Leslie Dendy (Henry Holt, 2005)
• Flamingos, Loons and Pelicans (Cooper Square Press, 2006)

AWARDS

Guinea Pig Scientists: Bold Self-Experimenters in Science and Medicine by Mel Boring and Leslie Dendy with illustrations by C. B. Mordan:

• Received Starred Reviews from the School Library Journal and Booklist

Book Reviews

• Became a Junior Library Guild Selection for 2005
• Chosen in 2006 as one of the Best Books for Young Adults by the ALA's Young Adult Library Services Association
• Selected as an Outstanding Science Trade Book of 2005 for Students K-12 by the National Science Teachers Association
• Listed among the Finalists for the 2006 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books
• Foreign Editions Published in Korea (2006) and Japan (2007)

GRADES

Mel has programs for all children and teens from Kindergarten to 12th grade, with different presentations for every level. For the youngest children he puts on his Cat-in-the-Hat costume and shows enlargements of pictures used in his books, talking simply about how a book is put together. For middle-age children, Mel shows the galleys and other parts of his books as they made their way to publication, and discusses how they can write a book. With them, and with teens, he gets them writing to show they can be writers. His main purpose with all young people is to show that each of them can become an author.

LENGTH OF PROGRAMS

Program times vary from 15 to 20 minutes for Kindergartners to 45 minutes with middle-graders, to hour-long programs for teens and for assemblies. Mel is also eager to present programs for adults who may come in the evening to see what their children have done with Mel during the day. He has presented to audiences from five to 1,000. Programs for smaller audiences can be more individualized, and larger programs more entertaining.

PROGRAMS

Mel with Kindergarten class in Uzbekistan

One thing Mel does in his classroom programs that children find interesting, is to explain how a book is made/produced, showing one of his original manuscripts, plus its galley proofsheets, cover-making materials, and other visuals that children can see and handle. Children are able to see all the parts of a book-in-the-making, and ask questions they think of at the moment. He does as much listening as speaking. Part of his program is to teach children how they can write books themselves right then. Mel also shares intriguing anecdotes about the two books he is currently writing, a biography of Shel Silverstein, and a book about the rediscovery of the bird thought extinct, the Ivorybill woodpecker in 2004. He listens very carefully to the suggestions kids always make about what books they would like him to write. Mel answers unasked questions children always seem to wonder about, such as his family, pets, how old he is, and how much money he is paid for writing books. He also has been known to hand his digital camera to a student to take pictures during the program, and often surprises audiences by playing his harmonica.

A WORD FROM MEL

"I was surprised when researching my biography of Albert Einstein, to read what he answered when asked about his great intellect. Albert Einstein said that he didn't feel he was so very intelligent, but just terribly curious. Though I am no Einstein, I have always been intensely curious, wondering how things are put together, or where something came from, or why they are the way they are. On my eighth birthday, my parents gave me a watch that cost $8.00 — which they could hardly afford. The next day I took it apart, much to my mother's dismay. But the following day I put it back together — and it worked! (Though I had a few parts left over.) It is this same curiosity that drives my writing for children today, both nonfiction and fiction. I dig into any topic much the same way children do, learning about it as I write, rather than thinking over preconceived adult ideas about it."

FEES

Mel at the Sioux Center School in Iowa

$1000 for the day plus travel and lodging expenses. Discounts available for additional days, and for programs in other schools arranged by you on days before and after your program.

SET-UP AND EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

1. Screen (if I bring my digital projector for showing slides about the ivory bill woodpecker)
2. Library-sized Table for Book Display
3. Microphone for Assemblies

AUTOGRAPHING INFORMATION

Mel loves both inscribing and autographing books. He is often the last to leave a program because he believes that every child who has one of his books deserves special treatment. He has also had children prepare bookmarks ahead of time in a school or library he is going to visit, and autographs those, which are then copied and given to each child at the program, whether or not they have a book. Before his visit, schools can order books directly from Mel's publishers using the BOOK ORDERING INFORMATION below.

BOOK ORDERING INFORMATION

• Cooper Square Press/National Book Network (PDF)
• Henry Holt and Company Books for Young Readers (PDF)
• Mel Boring's five earlier books can be found at the Abebooks Web Site: http://www.abebooks.com [There, type in "Mel Boring" as search words]

LEARN MORE ABOUT MEL BORING

• Biography
• Testimonials
• References

CONTACT INFORMATION

Mel Boring
P.O. Box 279
298 Lover's Lane
Eastsound, Washington 98245-0279
Telephone: 360-376-3759
2nd Telephone: 360-298-2552
Fax: (ask me for it)
Email: melb@rockisland.com

Other websites: