I’m a former children’s librarian who loves talking about books and writing. With middle grades, we talk about the biographies I’ve written. My picture books are appropriate for all ages as I emphasize what makes a story: characters, setting, plot, and, of course, conflict (Now where’s that Eli gone to?).
I’ve spoken to kids and adults at schools, libraries, and conferences in Ohio, Wisconsin, Oregon, Florida, California and Minnesota. When speaking at schools, I generally do three presentations in a day.
Virtual Visits
I’ve spent a lot of time on Zoom in the past year or more. If you’d like to book a Zoom visit, here are a couple of topics I can speak about with your students:
What makes a tall tale tall? Examples of exaggeration. Show/talk about other tall tales, such as some of Phyllis Root’s books. Ask students to write a line or two in the chat, showing exaggeration. Read and talk about Mama Loved to Worry. Ask students: Do you know anyone who worries? Do you ever worry and what do you do when you worry? Is there anyone you can talk to about your worries? What did Mama do when she worried?
Biographies: Examples of biographies, mine and others. How did I gather information about a person, both primary and secondary sources? If you were writing a biography, who would you write about? Why? How do I choose a person to write about?
Please contact me for my speaking rates, availability, and any other questions you may have.
MARYANN WEIDT
Contact Maryann
For the Press
Teaching Guides available:
Dr. Seuss biography
Levi Strauss biography