Thomas F. Yezerski will visit your school to help your students become better writers, artists and thinkers — and it will be fun.
Mr. Yezerski’s humorous, interactive, picture-packed presentation (in PowerPoint) shows how a kid who likes to read can become a good writer and artist, then a published author/illustrator, and how a published author/illustrator creates a picture book, step-by-step.
An early illustrated story
Students will be raising their hands every minute to answer Mr. Yezerski’s questions about their own work and the challenges he shares with them in the course of making a published book. He speaks with the children, rather than lecturing to them.
The presentation is intended to help children write and draw better, but since most kids will not grow up to be professional writers and artists, it is really about solving problems creatively. Mr. Yezerski demonstrates that authors and illustrators are not magicians, but people who are passionate, perceptive, and perseverent.
Mr. Yezerski will speak with 10 or 300 students, grades K to 6, from 40-60 minutes. The length of the presentation depends on the school’s schedule. If an afternoon or morning kindergarten class cannot be scheduled with another grade, Mr. Yezerski will speak with them briefly and read them a book aloud. Students up to 8th grade may also find the program entertaining and informative. Mr. Yezerski adjusts the program slightly depending on the age, attention, and ability of the audience.
Editor’s corrections
The presentation begins with Mr. Yezerski talking with students about their own reading, writing and drawing. He shows them how he used to like the same things they do, with pictures of himself as a boy as well as drawing and writing from the early days.
The boys and girls will learn what they must do to become a good writers and artists, and they will see that they are already on their way by going to school and practicing. The sequence of young Tommy’s drawings from kindergarten to college will encourage and inspire.
Mr. Yezerski will then explain the process of writing, illustrating and publishing a picture book, from having no idea what to do all the way to spreading the word about the finished book. The students will see Mr. Yezerski’s “story web,” “sloppy copies” and how a sketch is developed into a finished drawing. They will relive the drama of a year’s worth of publishers’ rejection letters and see that an editor has the same job as their teachers.
After the presentation, Mr. Yezerski will answer questions from the students about writing, drawing or anything.
Character development
A book sale is a standard part of an author visit, though not required to have Mr. Yezerski visit your school. A personally signed copy is a tangible connection the child will have with the author they have met. Mr. Yezerski’s author visit kit contains simple instructions for conducting a sale, but he does not bring books with him to sell.
Inquire about availability at least 3 months in advance, as ordered books could take 6-8 weeks to arrive. When you request a visit, Mr. Yezerski will send an author visit kit including a photo, bios for younger and older kids, information about his books, author visit guidelines, book ordering information, and a contract.
For more information or to schedule a visit, please click here to send an author visit inquiry.