Joan Sandin author/illustrator/translator

Please e-mail me for fees,
more information,
or to schedule a school visit
or a talk to an adult group.

ADULT PRESENTATIONS

I enjoy giving presentations/talks for teachers, librarians, parents, and other adult audiences.

SWEET! On March 9, 2006, Pueblo del Sol Elementary School (Sierra Vista, Arizona) surprised me with this wonderful (and delicious) Coyote News cake! Thank you, PDS!

Books for Visits in Arizona
If you would like books available for sale the day of my visit, please contact Laura Eng of Adventures in Literature at (480) 497-8572. She can help to arrange a pre-sale and make my visit to your school a successful and rewarding experience. As part of my visit I will donate several signed books to your school's library.

Please e-mail me
with any questions or comments.

SCHOOL VISITS

picture from COYOTE SCHOOL NEWS

My school presentations work best with small groups (maximum 3-4 classes) of students in grades 1-5.

I do not do large assembly-type presentations for children.

My school presentations compliment units in history, Arizona history, immigration, geography, social studies, reading and writing.

I usually work the full school day, a maximum of four sessions. Schools are welcome to partner for a visit.

GENERAL BOOK PRESENTATION (30-60 minutes)

Using one of my books as an example, I talk about where I got the idea for the story,
and how I did the research and illustrations. I show original research materials, sketches, "dummies", final illustrations, edited manuscripts, color proofs, press sheets and translations to illustrate the whole process.

In a class-size group, students are free to pass around the original materials.
Time is allowed for Q & A.

IMMIGRATION (40-60 minutes)

A good presentation for students learning about immigration

Using these three books about Carl Erik and his family who emigrate from Sweden in 1868,
I talk about the reasons people emigrate, about what they take with them, what they leave behind, and what happens to them after they get to their new country.

To show what Historical Fiction is I share some of the actual immigrant letters, journals, and pictures I found while researching this series, and show how I used them in my stories.
I talk about what is real and what is made-up in my books.

I ask the students to imagine they are emigrants - how they would feel leaving their own country, and what they would take with them if they could only take one thing.
Time is allowed for Q & A

COYOTE SCHOOL NEWS (40-60 minutes)

This is a slide presentation of the "story behind the story".

I talk about, and show pictures of, the real people and places that inspired Coyote School News, about finding the historic school newspaper
Little Cowpuncher, and about creating the Little Cowpuncher website.

I read selected passages from the book and show illustrations, pointing out the historic details and local color of Southern Arizona ranch and school life in the 1930's - everything from the school outhouse to the rodeo parade trophy!
Time is allowed for Q & A.