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SELECTED TITLES
All Titles are Accelerated Reader
- How to Drive Your Sister Crazy! (HarperCollins, 2008) I Can Read!™ Level 2
- This Is the Feast (HarperCollins, 2008) non-fiction
- This Is the Dream (HarperCollins, 2006) non-fiction
- Look Both Ways (Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2005) available in French and German
- Rosa Loves to Read (Scholastic/ Rookie Reader, 2004) available in Spanish
- Bus-A-Saurus Bop (Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2003)
- This Is the Game (HarperCollins, March 2010) nonfiction
- This Is the Earth (HarperCollins, 2012) nonfiction
Forthcoming:
AWARDS
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 Book Reviews |
- Bus-A-Saurus Bop — Children's Choice Award and Georgia Author of the Year Nominee
- This Is the Dream — Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Nominee, Vermont Red Clover Book Award Nominee, Book List Starred Review, Simon Wiesenthal Once Upon a Child Honor Book, and Georgia Author of the Year Nominee
- Look Both Ways — Parents Choice Award, Kansas Reads Award, and Georgia Author of the Year Nominee
- "Presidential Dentures" — Highlights for Children History Feature of the Year
- "The City" poem — Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Honor
GRADES
PreK-6th grade. I understand that scheduling can be a real juggling act, so dividing presentations by PreK-1st, 2nd-3rd, and 4th-6th, or as close as you can get, is ideal, but not mandatory. (Special education kids welcome!)
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 Book Reviews |
LENGTH
The following times can be shortened or lengthened to fit your schedule.
- PreK-1st Grade: approx. 30-35 minutes
- 2nd-3rd Grade: 45-50 minutes
- 4th-6th Grade: 45-60 minutes
- Workshops 60-75 minutes
AUDIENCE SIZE
The kids benefit the most out of the presentations if the size stays around 150-175 or less. The Media Center setting is ideal, but I know that some Media Centers don't have the space. In that case the cafeteria, gym, theatre, music room, etc. work well. All presentations are on PowerPoint except "Meet Elinor Billington", so if you have a VERY large screen and a large seating area, the audience numbers can be increased.
PROGRAMS
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 Book Reviews |
All presentations are on PowerPoint except "Meet Elinor Billington", and are very fast-paced. Six weeks prior to the visit I will send you a contract, an author visit package containing several copies of the books for preview, (this will also include lesson plans developed by Scholstic which go with the historical books), a book order form, a teacher announcement form, display materials, and an author visit checklist, to make the visit run as smoothly as possible. I will also arrange the book seller if desired. You provide the kids!
"A-Rockin' and A Read-Aloud!"
After a rip-roarin' rhyming riddle contest, Diane shares with the kids a non-fiction article published in Highlights for Children. (Find out what George Washington's false teeth are actually made of...it's NOT wood!) Next she shares how she wrote poetry by changing the words of familiar nursery rhymes. She then shares a few of her poems published in Humpty Dumpty, Spider, and Jack & Jill. Several of the poems are hidden picture poems or guessing games, so the kids get to play along. The kids also guess to which songs she wrote the poems. Ex. "You better watch out, you better beware! You better believe you're in for a scare. Halloween is coming tonight!"
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 Book Reviews |
Next, Diane tells the students how her first book started out as a poem called School Bus Bop. "But the rhythm kept going on in my head and I kept getting more kids on the bus, so I decided to turn it into a picture book." Comparing herself to the Little Engine that Could, Diane shares in her trademark humor, her story of perseverance (and frustration) as well as elation when after 23 rejections on School Bus Bop and 385 rejections in total, she finally sold the story. She was so happy she jumped over the neighbor's house! (Well it looks like she jumped over the neighbor's house anyway!) Diane then reads an excerpt of the original School Bus Bop and compares it to the published Bus-A-Saurus Bop. Next she shares Create-A-Saurus pictures (Football-A-Saurus, Dust Bunny-A-Saurus, TV-A-Saurus, etc.) that other kids have drawn, and briefly talks about ideas and creativity.
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 Book Reviews |
In Readers Theater style, the kids act out Rosa Loves to Read, a Rookie Reader about a child who is trying to read, but can't because it's too noisy. One child is chosen to play "Rosa" while the audience gets to stand and make the noises (Horns honk!/balloons pop!, toes tiptoe/cats purr). With Filbert the squirrel puppet the kids help Diane "Look Both Ways." She also reads an excerpt from the German translation, which is a HOOT! She wraps up with a quick introduction of the real Bradley Harris Pinkerton, the main character in her new I Can Read!™, How to Drive Your Sister Crazy. It's an inspirational, educational, interactive (shh! it's also educational) celebration of literacy that motivates kids to read and write!
A-Rockin' and A- Readin'!
Diane starts out with a riddle contest (different riddles than pre-K-1st) a concrete poem, then shares with the students a couple of nonfiction articles she has published in Highlights. One is called "Presidential Dentures" about George Washington's false teeth. (Do you know what they are made of? If you guessed wood, guess again!) and the other article is titled "Wheels in His Head — The Story of the first Ferris Wheel." (Did you know that it was built for the 1893 World's Fair and held 2,160 people!)
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Next, Diane tells how Bus-A-Saurus Bop became a book and shares the same hidden picture poems and an additional poem titled "Hey Sport" where the kids have to guess which sport the verbs in the poem are describing. (What's a verb?/An action word!) She then shares the sloppy copies of Bus-A-Saurus Bop, shows the kids all the red marks, and talks about the revision process and different ways the book changed. Then she reads an excerpt of the original School Bus Bop and compares it to the published
We discuss the meaning of This is the Dream, and with This is the Feast, we discuss the author/illustrator relationship. There is a 5-10 minute question and answer period. These kids ask a LOT of questions. She wraps up with a quick introduction of the real Bradley Harris Pinkerton, the main character in her new I Can Read!™, How to Drive Your Sister Crazy. It's an inspirational, educational, interactive (shh! it's also educational) celebration of literacy that motivates kids to read and write!
Poetry Party! 4th-6th Grade
"And they thought they were just having fun!" is Diane's theme as she takes students through a school day of stories, poems, riddles and more. Beginning with her award winning poem "Get Out of Bed!," which is included in the poetry anthology "If Kids Ruled the School" (see below) Diane recites
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 A visit from Mrs. Stein |
Students learn:
- hooks/beginnings
- end rhyme/internal rhyme
- onomatopoeia
- rhythm/meter
- hyperbole
- Metaphors/similes
- clichés
- alliteration/assonance
- concrete poetry
- personification
Diane includes in her presentation the process of making a picture book, and shares her own books as well as stories and poems published in Highlights for Children, Cricket, Spider, Turtle, Humpty Dumpty and other children's magazines.
It's an energetic, educational, and inspirational performance that gets children excited about reading and writing poetry!
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These poetry anthologies, for ages 8-12, contain Diane's laugh-out-loud poems and other poetry used in her Poetry Party! presentation. |
Meet Elinor Billington, 17th Century Pilgrim K-4th Grade
Diane performs and teaches about 17th Century America as Elinor Billington, a colorful and rather opinionated colonist, who along with her troublesome husband and two mischievous sons traveled to the New World aboard the Mayflower in 1620.
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In Pilgrim costume and Olde English language, Diane, through Elinor's eyes, answers questions and shares stories of the Mayflower voyage, that first year of hardship in the New World, and everyday life in 1627 Plimoth. Includes a hands-on, interactive demonstration of 17th Century European and Native American children's toys and games. Kids get to play Hoop and Stick, Ninepens, Peg Top, and more, and learn to write their name with a quill pen.
It's an entertaining, engaging, and educational time travel that brings history to life!
An excerpt of Diane's performance:
"I'm a wee uncomfortable to tell you about the time my sons got into a bit of trouble with some squibs — gunpowder — and nearly blew up the Mayflower! Now my sons, like all boys, are somewhat mischievous. I did overhear Mistress Hopkins say they were rude and rotten and didn't mind orders, but that was when she was great with child, and we all say things we don't mean when we're a might uncomfortable, and besides, they do mind orders, it's just that my lazy husband doesn't give them any!
Nevertheless, we had set upon this wild wilderness, coming from a city no less, to these wild shores, where 'twas none but wild beasts and wild men (wearing not but a stitch of clothing) that greeted us..."
 Book Reviews |
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This Is the Feast
This is Thanksgiving, a time to remember
the friendships and freedoms we all share together.
The Pilgrims' harrowing journey to the New World, their first year as settlers, and their celebration of friendship with their neighbors the Indians all come to life through the lyrical text and warm rich art.
An engaging read-aloud from the author of This Is the Dream and the illustrator of The Little Old Woman Who Was Not Afraid of Anything, this meticulously researched Thanksgiving picture book will immediately find a place in classrooms, homes and hearts.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS/WORKSHOPS
Students:
Write On! Grades 3rd-6th
Designed to help students enjoy learning the craft of writing, this workshop using the "story glove" concept will have your students painting pictures with words and at the same time take the stress out of assess. With an emphasis on personal narrative and creative writing, these fun, interactive, hands-on activities will put your students on the "write track" for the statewide writing assessment. Topic covered include, hooks/grabbers, conflict/problem, plot/action, show vs. tell, vivid verbs and colorful words, onomatopoeia, dialogue tags, sentence structure, sensory check, similes/metaphors, and wrap-up.
Teachers:
Read- Alouds That Rock Across the Curriculum
Rhyming read-alouds are not just for storytime anymore. They're great for introducing new concepts, chapters, and themes in all subjects, too. Discover lesson plans and activities that go with tried and true and brand spanking new rhyming picture books. Make storytime AND classtime rock, everytime. Handouts Included.
A Goldmine of Guinea Pigs
Do you have a story that's begging to be written; written and begging to be published? As a teacher or librarian, you know that a classroom is a goldmine of ideas and your students guinea pigs for your works in progress. Barbara Parks, Paula Danzinger, Louis Sachar, and Patricia Reilly Giff had the inside track and motivation to turn their own experience with kids into award winning books. Learn tips and techniques from teacher-turned-author, Diane Z. Shore, on how to develop your ideas into marketable manuscripts.
A WORD FROM DIANE Z. SHORE
"As a former teacher, I know that an author visit is a reflection on you the Media Specialist, Principal, or Reading Coach. I am very flexible and will work with you and your school to give you you the best author visit you've ever had. I want to make you look great! I'm also happy to eat lunch with 10-12 kids, whether they are chosen because they have the most A/R points or because they are reluctant readers!"
FEES
$195 per presentation, up to 6 per day (minimum $500), plus travel and reasonable expenses outside Atlanta. If 3 schools book on consecutive days, travel expenses are waived. If 4-5 schools in area book on consecutive days, travel and lodging fees are waived.
Evening presentations and workshops $250.
SET-UP AND EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS
Six weeks prior to the visit I will send you a contract, an author visit package containing several copies of the books for preview, (this will also include lesson plans developed by Scholstic which go with the historical books), a book order form, a teacher announcement form, display materials, and an author visit checklist, to make the visit run as smoothly as possible. I will also arrange the book seller if desired. You provide the kids!
Below are the items I will need you to provide:
- LCD Projector and large screen
- Cart for my laptop computer
- Table for display materials
- Lapel mike for large groups
- Water
BOOK AND AUTOGRAPH INFORMATION
I provide a book order form and am happy to provide the books for autographing. I use an independent bookseller who will gladly sell books at a 25% discount, or charge full price for the books and give the school 25% of the proceeds (fundraiser). I have visited schools that have earned over $1,000 (which covers the presentation fee!) when going the fundraiser route.
If time permits, I like to sign the books in front of the children and briefly chat with them. If there's not enough time, I can come early or stay late and sign the books before/after the presentations.
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LEARN MORE ABOUT DIANE SHORE
Diane Z. Shore
4171 Summit Drive
Atlanta, GA 30068
Phone: 770-971-1609
Cell: 404-642-8949
Fax: 770-971-1609
E-mail: dzshore@bellsouth.net
Web Site: www.dianezshore.com
Please let me know if you have any questions. I will gladly answer all your questions and help in any way I can.
