I LOVE SCHOOL VISITS!
My speaking fee in Oklahoma is $450 for one presentation, or $750 for up to four presentations (just one location, please)
I also charge $.50/mile for travel (and possibly lodging and a Per Diem if traveling long distances)
I’m happy to sign books (purchased ahead of time) at no additional cost the day of my visit
*For out of state Author Visits, or for Special Events, Conferences, or Book Signings, please contact to inquire
What Librarians are saying:
“Our school has hosted Hannah Harrison twice for whole school visits. She is engaging for upper and lower elementary grades and provides such a fun presentation. I especially love how she talks about her writing process while juggling a busy life. Her stories are all so cute and have great messages about friendship, patience, and loving yourself. And her artwork is simply stunning! Such detail and beauty. I often do a "picture walk" with her books for our younger children so that they can see how the illustrations truly help tell the story. I cannot recommend her enough!”
--Julie Kreft, librarian, Eisenhower Elementary School, Norman, OK
"Thank you for visiting Heritage! Our kids are still talking about you, and your books are flying off the shelves."
--Marsha Drees M. Ed., librarian, Heritage Elementary, Edmond, OK
HELPFUL THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT SCHOOL VISITS:
What my presentations are like:
During my presentations kids will learn a little bit about my childhood, see drawings and books I made when I was small, hear about my road to publication, find out where the ideas for my books came from, get a behind the scenes glimpse into my life as an author and illustrator, take a virtual studio tour, see my illustration process, hear me read several of my funny and heart-warming books, and, if time allows, ask me questions! My presentations run about 30 minutes for PreK-K, and 45 Minutes for grades 1 and up.
What I’ll need the day of my visit:
*I’ll need all the goodies for a PowerPoint presentation…a laptop, all the necessary cables, a screen, microphone (if you think I’ll need it…hands-free is best), and sound capabilities if possible (part of the presentation has sound, but it still works without sound if you can’t swing it). I’ll bring my presentation on a thumb drive so that, hopefully, we can just plug in the drive and go! If you could set everything up so that I can be facing the kids while still operating and seeing the laptop screen, that would be great. If I can’t be near the laptop for some reason, I’ll need a “clicker” to advance slides.
*Bottled water, please!
*A small table to display my books on (or if you’ve got your own display, that’s even better!)
How to order books for events:
Books can be ordered wherever books are sold! *I DO NOT SELL MY OWN BOOKS
If you’re in the Edmond area, Best of Books is WONDERFUL to work with. You can email them at bestofbooks@sbcglobal.net or jenny.bestofbooks@gmail.com, or you can call them at 405-340-9202 and they’ll make all your book-buying-dreams come true!
Books can also be ordered at a 40% discount directly from my Publisher, Penguin Random House (plus free shipping)!
How to prep books for signing:
If you would like the books to be personalized, I’ll need to know the name(s) of the person the book is for. In order for things to run smoothly, it helps to either put a sticky-note on the title page with the recipient’s name(s) on it, OR just stick the order form inside the book with all the pertinent information. Please write the names neatly so that poor “Johmny” won’t be disappointed!
I’ll sign books before, after, or in between presentations as time allows. The personalized books can then be re-distributed in the classrooms at the end of the day. Yippee!
If there are only a handful of kids with books, I can usually sign them while they wait…if it isn’t too disruptive and we aren’t too crunched for time.
Ways to fund an Author Visit:
-Ask local businesses if they might consider sponsoring an Author Visit and then give them a shout-out
-Your local Lions Club or Rotary Club might be willing to help
-Purchase books at a discounted price and then use the difference to help pay the Author’s honorarium
-Have a creative fundraiser
-Have a “loose change” drive
-Ask families to contribute a few dollars for an “in-school field trip”
-If lodging is needed, ask if the hotel would be willing to donate a free room to an Author
-Gotta love the PTO!
-Check with Friends of the Library and see if they’d be willing to contribute
-Title I funds
-Apply for a grant (Hint: the messages in my books tie in wonderfully with Project AWARE)