Author Visits

I would love to visit your school, library, or organization! I have spoken at . . .

Public libraries
School libraries
Grade schools
Middle schools
Colleges
Writer's conferences
Book clubs
Bookstores
Parent Nights
Awana
Scout Troops

I believe author visits are a fantastic way to inspire students, support literacy, and strengthen student reading and writing skills. I look forward to tailoring a visit to the needs of your organization.

What others are saying: "Ms. Riehecky did an excellent job inspiring the students to be authors themselves. She is not only a wonderful author of children's books, but has a presentation that is visual, inspiring, and exciting. " Laura Wallis, Teacher Sleepy Hollow Elementary School	What others are saying: It is very evident that she has a special rapport with children as she shares with them her enthusiasm and excitement about writing." Margaret Young, Asst. Director Instruc. Services Deerfield Public School
What others are saying: "She amazed our students with her magic tricks. All of the students were very responsive as she involved them in discussions. She was very enthusiastic and communicated well with the students at all of the grade levels." Kathleen Morrissey, Reading Specialist Pheasant Ridge School, Glendale Heights

Presentation Menu
Writing Magical Non Fiction      Dinosaur Encounter      The Magic of Writing
      Mystery and Magic      The Care and Feeding of Pet Dinosaurs            Dinosaur Workshop      Your Program
       Contact Janet

My programs are interactive and fun. I use my experience as an educator and magician to provide lively and educational programs appropriate for a wide range of audience ages.

Writing Magical Nonfiction

Students are often BUGGED by essay and report assignments. I, posing as a mad scientist, exterminate those pests with a program on nonfiction writing. Using magic tricks and illusions to illustrate each point, I offer tips about choosing a topic, brainstorming ideas, organizing ideas, breaking writer's block, and editing. Students will need to write nonfiction during all of their school years. This program excites and engages students about all the possibilities in writing about the real world and was designed to meet Common Core standards.

Dinosaur Encounter

Kids love dinosaurs! I am the author of 35 children's books on dinosaurs. My highly visual and very entertaining presentation will captivate your students as I show them my extensive collection of fossils and museum-quality replicas of real dinosaur bones - including a 5' 7" Apatosaurus femur and an entire foot of a Tyrannosaurus rex. Follow the clues to learn the latest theories about dinosaurs: how big they grew, what they ate, how they lived together, and why they fought. Examine a tyrannosaur's tooth, an iguanodon's thumb, or a velociraptor's claw. Find out why some dinosaurs ate rocks and which dinosaurs made good mothers.
This is an ideal presentation for teaching about dinosaurs and about how scientific theories are formed. Talks are geared to the students' grade level. Individual talks last about an hour, but can be adjusted to any schedule.

The Magic of Writing

      Students often approach writing with fear and reluctance. I try to overcome those inhibitions with a presentation full of enthusiasm, humor, and magic.
     In The Magic of Writing, I use magic tricks and illusions to teach the writing process and to illustrate my unique tips. I lead students through the steps of generating ideas, structuring a story, developing characters, and editing copy. Students see that writing can be fun and learn to "change the ordinary into the extraordinary."
     The presentation is an ideal way to kick off a Young Authors program or to motivate students at any time. Talks are geared to the grade level of the students. Individual talks last about an hour, but can be adjusted to any schedule.

Mystery and Magic

     Shady characters, red herrings, and things that go bump in the night . . .
     Kids choose to read mysteries more often than any other genre of books. I try to get kids excited about creating their own mystery stories in this educational and entertaining program.
     "Mystery and Magic" is both a magic show and a "how-to" for writing mysteries. I show students how to build a mysterious plot, heighten suspense, plant clues, and create spooky characters, illustrating each step with a magic trick or illusion. "Mystery and Magic" is 60 minutes long and can be adapted for students in grades K-6.

The Care and Feeding of Pet Dinosaurs

     Do you know which dinosaurs are best suited for apartment dwellers and which are good with small children? Do you know which dinosaurs can be trained to help with chores about the house and which are likely to have accidents? If questions like these are all that is preventing you from getting your very own pet dinosaur, then wait no longer. Help has arrived!
     In a presentation brimming with humor, enthusiasm, and even a few facts, I will instruct youngsters how to choose, care for, and train a pet dinosaur.
     This is a highly visual and very entertaining program in which I guide children through the jobs they would need to do if they really could have a pet dinosaur. Using huge props and PowerPoint slides, I show them the equipment they would need and demonstrate how to take care of the best pet of all. "The Care and Feeding of Pet Dinosaurs" is about forty-five minutes in length and appropriate for children aged four to ten.

Dinosaur Workshop

This program is a hands-on workshop for small groups. Students rotate through four or five centers, where they make a cast of a velociraptor's claw, create a colorful 3-D dinosaur diorama, decorate a dinosaur mug, construct a dinosaur flip book or mobile, and dig for dinosaur bones. The Dinosaur Workshop is about forty-five minutes in length and appropriate for children aged four to ten. There is a materials fee for each student.

Your Program

Contact Janet to make your own workshop for the kids. Janet loves to talk about how she became a writer, how she researches her books, and other facets of the writing business!

Fast Facts

Want to know more about my author visits?
      Download my brochure!

      (Click on the brochure image below to download a 2-sided 8.5 x 11 brochure.)

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Fee Schedule

Please note that my fees are negotiable, depending on circumstance and location. Visits can be tailored to one classroom, one grade level, or an entire school. Please call me at (847) 695-9781, and we'll talk about it.

Full day (4 sessions- at the same location) + informal lunch with selected students:
Elgin Illinois Area / $1200
In Illinois greater than 50 miles from Elgin/ $1200 + travel expenses
Outside Illinois/ $1200 + travel expenses -Call me!

Three Quarter day (three sessions- at the same location):
Elgin Illinois Area / $1000
In Illinois greater than 50 miles from Elgin/ $1000 + travel expenses
Outside Illinois/ $1000 + travel expenses -Call me!

Half day (two sessions- at the same location):
Elgin Illinois Area / $700
In Illinois greater than 50 miles from Elgin/ $700 + travel expenses
Outside Illinois/ $700 + travel expenses -Call me!

One presentation (1 session):
Elgin Illinois Area / $400
In Illinois greater than 50 miles from Elgin/ $400 + travel expenses
Outside Illinois/ $400 + travel expenses -Call me!

Requirements: 2 large tables and one hour each for set-up and take-down

Contact Janet

For more information about how easy it is to arrange a school visit, or to reserve a date, please contact me. I look forward to visiting your organization! I encourage you to try book as far in advance as possible, but don't hesitate to call on me at the last minute. If I can make it, I'll be there.
Phone: (847) 695-9781
email: jr@janetriehecky.com