School Visits

Professional Development for School Librarians

I work with districts and state associations to provide professional development for school librarians.

• Censorship: Are you Part of the Problem? School Library Connection (October 2022): 12-15.
• Finding Funding in Tight Times. School Library Connection (October 2021): 12-14.
• Up to the Challenge: Dealing with School Library Book Challenges Before They Happen. American Libraries (September/October 2019): 52-55.

Invite author Mona Kerby to your school

I’m a former kindergarten and elementary school teacher, so my presentations are age-appropriate. I’ll talk about some of the fascinating facts from my books, the writing and revision process, the publishing process, and I always take time for questions at the end of the presentation.

Allowing students to purchase autographed books ensures that your students remember this learning moment forever.

My books support the curriculum in language arts, social studies, and science. For example,

• For novel units, read 38 Weeks till Summer Vacation.
• For writing letters and mail delivery, read Owney, the Mail-Pouch Pooch.
• For African American History, read Frederick Douglass.
• For famous women, read Beverly Sills and Amelia Earhart.
• For science, read Cockroaches, Friendly Bees, Asthma, or Samuel Morse.

Mona Kerby School Visits: Face-to face Presentations

Preparation is key to any successful author visit. Suggestions and guidelines for successful presentations:

1. Have all teachers share Mona Kerby books before and after the presentation; use some of the activities on this website.
2. Up to 3 presentations per day with approximately 150 students in each group. Presentations can be 30 to 60 minutes long.
3. Announce the visit to principal, teachers, custodian, parents, and students–multiple times in many ways.
4. At least 6 weeks before the visit, pre-order the books and allow students to purchase them. See Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Macmillan, Penguin, Walmart, or your local bookseller.
5. Send home form for ordering books, including autograph instructions. See sample order form 1 or sample order form 2.
6. If a school is a significant distance from her home, additional funding is requested for travel and lodging.
7. On the day of the visit:
   1. Remind everyone that Mona is coming.
   2. Have books ready to sign. Insert paper with autograph instructions in each book.
   3. Set up cart, projection device, computer, screen, microphone, chair, and small table. Ensure access to Internet.

Mona Kerby School Visits: Virtual Presentations

Virtual visits work best with just one grade level for about thirty minutes.

1. Get in touch by using the form on this website.
2. At least 6 weeks before the visit, pre-order the books and sell to students.
3. See sample order form 1 or sample order form 2. Email me the names, and I will snail-mail personal autographed bookplates.
4. Consider keeping the group small. The goal is student participation.
5. Before the visit, help the students craft questions that deal with writing, revising, and publishing. Still, allow students freedom to ask questions based on what Mona says–spontaneity is fun!
6. Bad weather affects transmission. Have a back-up plan.

Of course, everything can be negotiated or tailor-made.