Joan Sandin author/illustrator/translator

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

I don't 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, up to a maximum of four sessions. Schools are welcome to partner for a visit.

Arizona Visits 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.

GENERAL BOOK PRESENTATION (30-60 minutes)
Using one of my books as an example,
I explain how I got the idea, and the way 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.

Time is allowed for Q & A.

In a class-size group, the students are free to pass around the original materials

IMMIGRATION(40-60 minutes)
This is a good presentation for grades 2-3,
using THE LONG WAY TO A NEW LAND, THE LONG WAY WESTWARD, and AT HOME IN A NEW LAND.

These three books are about Carl Erik and his family who emigrate from Sweden to America in 1868, I talk about the reasons (push and pull) that drove them to emigrate, about what they took with them, what they left behind, and what happened to them after they got to their new country.

To illustrate 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" of Coyote School News.

I talk about and show pictures of the real people and places that inspired the book, 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.