Terrific Connections with Authors, Illustrators, and Storytellers: Real Space and Virtual Links [Paperback]

Toni Buzzeo (Author), Jane Kurtz (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1563087448 | ISBN-13: 978-1563087448 | Publication Date: November 15, 1999

Exciting, productive connections with authors, illustrators, and storytellers are at your fingertips with this resource. Unlike other author visit guides, this book goes beyond nuts-and-bolts planning to how to create the best possible encounters between students and authors. Successful visits in real space and in cyberspace are described, giving you specific ideas of the many ways to connect with and create meaningful links between bookpeople and children. Choosing the right guest, guidelines for successful visits, making curriculum connections, using e-mail to connect with bookpeople, live chats in virtual space, taking advantage of ITB and satellite technology, and using such props as realia and curriculum guides are some of the topics covered. Lists of author/illustrator web pages and managed Internet sites for author interaction are included.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Using anecdotes and examples from schools across the country, Buzzeo and Kurtz offer advice on how to create positive encounters between students in grades K-12 and "bookpeople"-authors, illustrators, and storytellers. Readers are walked through successful visits; given pointers on choosing the right guest (glamorous or convenient, expensive or affordable, experienced or novice, etc.); and offered suggestions on how to make the most of curriculum connections before the visit. An extremely valuable section presents alternatives to real-time visits: e-mail exchanges, online chats, young-writer critiques, or other mentoring programs. The authors suggest how to make these contacts, rules of etiquette, possible set-up arrangements, payment, and outcomes. Numerous "Spotlight" boxes introduce a variety of Canadian and American "bookpeople" and how to contact them. "Alternate Connections" provides sources for visits, author and illustrator Web pages, a list of publisher-managed sites for author interaction, and possible satellite hookups for closed-circuit visits. A handy guide, clearly set up, for both novice planners and old hands.
Susan Hepler, Burgundy Farm Country Day School, Alexandria, VA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

A lot of information is crammed into this handbook about author and illustrator visits. Much is common sense, and a good deal can be found in other resources. Still, librarians, particularly (though not exclusively) in schools, who are planning author visits will find practical hints in such sections as "Nuts 'n' Bolts for a Visit Organizer." First-person accounts of visits, contributed by teachers and librarians, authors, and storytellers, are abundant--perhaps too abundant--though some of the stories will surely remind event planners about the importance of small details and simple courtesy. What may intrigue readers the most is the section on "virtual visits," which explores ways in which students and authors can communicate online or by using television/satellite links. The suggested readings section is surprisingly scant, and the lengthy bibliography of the titles published by the authors mentioned in the book doesn't seem particularly useful. Although it may take a while to sort through the information, patient teachers and librarians will find plenty of value here. Todd Morning

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 185 pages
• Publisher: Libraries Unlimited (November 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563087448
• ISBN-13: 978-1563087448
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,049,859 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Toni Buzzeo, MA, MLIS, is an author as well as a career library media specialist. She writes picture books for children as well as many professional books and articles and lives on a colonial farm in Maine. Learn more at her website: www.tonibuzzeo.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn how to host the perfect author visit!, April 1, 2000

By 

Susan Taylor Brown "author" (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Terrific Connections with Authors, Illustrators, and Storytellers: Real Space and Virtual Links (Paperback)

As an author of children's books, it is important to me to connect with my readers in as many ways as possible. Terrific Connections is the perfect guide to making the author/reader experience a postitive one. With this book you can learn how to make those first connections, learn what makes a good visit great, learn from others what works and doesn't work, and so much more. Whether connecting virtually or in real time and space, this book sets the standard by which all future visits will be measured.

Author visits are a lot of work for everyone involved. Using this resource, you can be assured of making many terrific connections of your own. Authors, illustrators, teachers, and libraraions should all have this book.

5.0 out of 5 stars Must-Buy for Authors and Librarians, June 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Terrific Connections with Authors, Illustrators, and Storytellers: Real Space and Virtual Links (Paperback)

School visits can range from abismal to inspiring. It all depends on planning and communication. This book is the perfect resource for librarians and PTO visit coordinators, but it's also a between the lines how-to and fair-warning guide to authors and illustrators. All that plus an entertaining read. Don't miss this one!