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Herman Parish - Author
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  • Herman Parish - Author

    TITLES

    • Amelia Bedelia, Cub Reporter (2012)
    • Amelia Bedelia's First Vote (2012)
    • Amelia Bedelia Makes a Friend (2011)
    • Amelia Bedelia's First Field Trip (2011)
    • Go West, Amelia Bedelia (2011)
    • Amelia Bedelia's First Apple Pie (2010)
    • Amelia Bedelia Bakes Off (2010)
    • Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine (2009)
    • Amelia Bedelia: Four Stories Tall (2009)
    • Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School (2009)
    • Amelia Bedelia Talks Turkey (2008)
    • Amelia Bedelia and the Cat (2008)
    • Amelia Bedelia's Masterpiece (2007)
    • Amelia Bedelia Under Construction (2006)
    • Amelia Bedelia, Rocket Scientist? (2005)
    • First Field Trip
      On her class trip to a real farm, Amelia Bedelia shakes a leg, hits the hay and tosses the salad.
      Parish has turned the clock back, making Amerila Bedelia young again and giving a new generation of readers the opportunity to enjoy her humor and her self-confidence. Kirkus Reviews
      Amelia Bedelia Apple Pie,  First Day of School, First Field Trip
      Who's the new kid in town? It's Amelia Bedelia as a young girl. She may be little, but she's as literal-minded as ever. She's guaranteed to grow on you! These books are the first in a new series to join the I-Can-Read books by Peggy and Herman.
    • Be My Valentine, Amelia Bedelia* (2005)
    • Happy Haunting, Amelia Bedelia (2004)
    • Amelia Bedelia Goes Back to School* (2004)
    • Amelia Bedelia, Bookworm (2003)
    • Calling Doctor Amelia Bedelia (2002)
    • Amelia Bedelia 4 Mayor (1999)
    • Bravo, Amelia Bedelia! (1997)
    • Good Driving, Amelia Bedelia (1995)

    All books published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, except Gatefold books (*) published by HarperFestival.

    Peggy Parish created Amelia Bedelia in 1963. Now, over 22 million books later, everyone's favorite mixed-up housekeeper is still going strong.

    Peggy's nephew, Herman Parish, has carried on the misadventures of Amelia Bedelia. Herman has added 23 books to the series, three of which have become national bestsellers: Amelia Bedelia, Bookworm, Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School and Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine. His latest books take a big step back in time, to when Amelia Bedelia was a young girl. Naturally, she is prone to all kinds of mix-ups. There is a first time for everything and with young Amelia, that first time is filled with laughter — literally!

    Invite Herman Parish and Amelia Bedelia to your school. Your students will discover the principle that guided Peggy Parish: reading and writing can be fun!

    Herman is also a featured speaker at meetings, associations and conventions for educators and librarians.

    Herman Parish is a worthy successor to Peggy Parish: his Amelia Bedelia possesses the unflappable cheer, helpful spirit, and child-endearing trouble with homophones of the original. It's a pleasure to welcome Amelia Bedelia back into circulation. - Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books

    PROGRAMS AVAILABLE

    Assemblies

    Young readers will delight in wacky wordplay as Herman Parish brings Amelia Bedelia to life, with anecdotes about his aunt and insights into his writing process. Children love to get a "behind the scenes" glimpse of how his aunt created the literal-minded housekeeper and how Herman came to write the books. He reveals how he gets his ideas, what it takes to develop them, and gives examples of where they wind up in a story.

    Additional Programs

    Family Evening and Library Presentations are also available. These are usually scheduled in conjunction with a school visit.

    GRADES

    Herman's presentation is ideal for grades K through 6. He adjusts the content to suit the ages of the audience. Kindergartners laugh as Amelia Bedelia teaches them to play with words.
    Amelia Bedilia Goes West
    When Amelia Bedelia makes herself at home on the range, the West gets a little wilder!
    For older children, Herman discusses how he writes and uses examples to demonstrate the importance of editing and revising.

    LENGTH

    When kindergartners or first graders are included in a session, Herman presents for 45 to 50 minutes, including questions. For older students, Herman usually talks about 55 to 60 minutes, including questions. Herman reserves the last 5-to-10 minutes for questions that may not have been answered by his presentation.

    AUDIENCE SIZE

    The size of the audience depends upon your needs and your school. Of course, smaller groups are better and allow for more interaction during the question and answer portion of the presentation. Audiences of up to 250-300 students per presentation can easily be accommodated. Above 300 or so students, Herman strongly suggests additional presentations. Audiences for Family Evening and Library programs can be larger than 300 people.

    Bonus!
    Be Amelia Bedelia for the Day
    Now you can be Amelia Bedelia for a day! If your friends and family have said that you act just like Amelia Bedelia, here is your chance to look the part. On the day of the visit, Herman will bring along an authentic Amelia Bedelia costume for an enthusiastic parent or teacher to wear. The bonnet itself is a knockout (not literally). Herman also provides a variety of props, including a "dressed" chicken, to be used in a simple skit. Bringing Amelia Bedelia to life makes the day unforgettable!

    No child can resist Amelia [Bedelia] and her literal trips through the minefield of the English language - and no adult can fail to notice that she's usually right when she's wrong. The New York Times Book Review

    Amelia Bedelia Books

    A WORD FROM HERMAN PARISH

    "Children love the literal humor of Amelia Bedelia. It's a fun way for them to explore homonyms and idiomatic expressions. They not only gain an appreciation for the richness of the English language, they wake up to fresh possibilities for expressing themselves. I try to build confidence in a child's ability as a writer. I want to create a sense that what they think and feel is worth recording and sharing.

    "The children are fascinated with the little notebook I carry to jot down my ideas. It helps to instill in them a habit of observing and writing. Teachers tell me that my examples of editing encourage their students to review and rework their writing before they submit it. I believe that after my presentation, children have a greater respect for writing and recognize what it takes to achieve their potential as writers."

    FEES

    $1,800 for two presentations plus travel expenses from Princeton, New Jersey. Additional sessions are $600 each. Family Evening and Library Presentations are $1,000. If travel expenses are involved, other than mileage, reimbursement can be paid later. However, payment of the fee is expected on the day of the visit unless a prior arrangement has been made.

    Once a date for the visit has been agreed upon, Herman will send a confirmation. He will include information on books and how to order them, publicity and classroom materials, along with ideas and suggestions to help make the day go smoothly.

    ORDERING BOOKS

    Feel free to use any source to obtain books for sale. Or you can receive a 40% discount when you order them directly from the publisher. Detailed guidance on how to order books from the publisher will be included with your confirmation of the visit. In the meantime, to learn more, you can call HarperCollins Customer Service at 1-800-242-7737 or visit the publisher on the web at www.harpercollinschildrens.com.

    AUTOGRAPHING

    Amelia Bedelia Books

    Autographing of books is included. Herman will be happy to sign books using whatever system works best for you. Since Herman prefers to personalize each book to every child, this will take a little more time. Also, due to the wear-and-tear on his hand, he must limit the number of books he signs to 300 copies per day. Copies for the school library are exempt from this limit, as are books with just his signature (without a name or personalization).

    If Herman will be driving to your school, you can have your book order sent to him directly at least a week before the date of the visit. This would allow him to sign more than the 300-copy limit and your books would be ready to deliver to the students on the day of the visit.

    SET-UP AND EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

    Herman will bring his computer to display images with a digital projector. He will also bring a portable digital projector, but these days many schools now have larger and more powerful projectors. They do an excellent job of showing the slides and Herman would prefer to use the school's projector if possible. Here is a list of what he would need at your school:

    • a digital projector (Herman will bring his as a backup or for use in case the school does not have a projector)
    • a screen and a nearby electric outlet with a long extension cord
    • a low table or media cart on which to put his computer and the projector
    • a microphone set up and tested (wireless preferred)
    • a podium on which to rest books and materials
    • a couple of bottles of water

    A good microphone is essential, especially if he will be presenting to large groups or in a large space with poor acoustics such as a gym, cafeteria or muti-purpose room. Please make sure that the microphone is set up and tested prior to the presentation.

    REFERENCES

    Upon request, Herman will send you references that are relevant to your state or region. To date, he has presented to schools and groups in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Wisconsin.

    Amelia Bedelia Makes a Friend

    In this new easy-to read book, Amelia Bedelia discovers that friends come in all shapes and sizes and ages.

    LEARN MORE ABOUT HERMAN PARISH

    CONTACT INFORMATION

    Herman lives in Princeton, NJ
    Email: Herman.Parish@Gmail.com
    Telephone: 609-279-0384
    Fax: 609-279-0367
    Website: www.HermanAndAmelia.com

    Amelia Bedilia Four Stories Tall
    A treasure trove of Amelia Bedelia: Two stories by Peggy Parish and two by Herman plus crafts, recipes, activities and a CD!

    Credits:
    Photo by Mark Czajkowski
    Illustrations by Lynn Sweat and Lynne Avril


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