Elissa Haden Guest

Discussion Questions and Art Projects for the Iris and Walter series.

SLEEPOVER QUILT ART PROJECT

Supplies needed:

Paper squares for each student, crayons, colored pencils or magic markers, large piece of fabric or poster board to glue squares onto.

1. Take 5"x 5" squares or whatever shapes or sizes will fit the large piece of fabric or poster board.

2. Draw a picture of something that is part of a bedtime routine, such as a favorite blanket, pillow, stuffed animal, glass of milk, a favorite line from a bedtime song or story, etc.

3. Glue each square onto the fabric or poster board in a pattern to make a class quilt.

"Dear Brandeis Kindergartners,
Thank you so much for the IRIS AND WALTER book that you wrote and illustrated. It is absolutely wonderful! I will treasure it always."

I love visiting schools and meeting young readers.

For Preschoolers, I read one of my stories and, using props, family photos and the artist's sketches, I give children a sense of where my stories come from, as well as how the illustrator works.

For K- third graders I have a 30-minute slide show presentation. I read aloud my latest story and talk about the process of writing a book, where my ideas and characters come from, and how I'm a big re-writer. The children play an I Spy game where they compare the artist, Christine Davenier’s sketches with her finished artwork.

For second to third graders, I often extend the slide show presentation to include a lively in-class writing project. The class and I invent a character and then we put that character into an exciting situation.

Book-based presentations:

IRIS AND WALTER: THE SCHOOL PLAY
--Act out the School Play from my script.
--Make Bug Party Place Mats. Draw your favorite bugs on a piece of sturdy paper.
--Make Miss Cherry's Bug Cookies
(Script and cookie recipe are available upon request)

IRIS AND WALTER:THE SLEEPOVER
Have a Pajama Party!

I bring my overnight suitcase filled with a stuffed animal, pillow, blanket and favorite book. The children and I share our favorite bedtime stories, songs and routines. The children draw and write a sleepover poem or story.

To schedule a school visit please email:
Susan Katz
Katzconnects@aol.com

"Dear Elissa
Your books were a hit at the book fair and are now
hard to keep on the library shelves!
I was impressed with the instant rapport you developed with the students. It is rare that I have seen them so
engrossed in a speaker or reader - you really grabbed
and held their attention and gave them ideas for their
own work as budding writers...you were a great
success! "
Amity Bateman
Librarian
Gideon Hausner Jewish
Day School
Palo Alto, CA

Dear Elissa,
I can't tell you how many teachers and students
stopped by to tell me how much they enjoyed your
visit. You have a gentle, caring manner that makes
it easy for the students to interact with you…
Your books are the perfect step for students when they transition from picture books to chapter books."
Mimi Vosper
Librarian
Glenridge Elementary, WA
Grass Lake Elementary, WA

"Children relate very well to the ups and downs of Iris and Walter. They are a very popular series with our first and second graders. Elissa Guest is a great guest author because she is at such ease talking with
young readers and tells them about her life in a way that is of great interest."
Sue Hipkins
Lower School Librarian
Trinity School, NY


"Visiting Author Charms Pine Cobble Students...
At the beginning of October, Ms. Guest came to Pine Cobble, visiting Beginner 4 through third grade classes. By the time she arrived, we had fallen in love with her books.
Ms. Guest has done an exceptional job creating books that are fun to read aloud, ones that young readers will be eager to read themselves.
Go out and introduce yourselves to Iris and Walter; buy a copy of their book and give it to a child or a friend. You, too, will fall in love with them just as the students at Pine Cobble did."
Lisa Cushman
Librarian
Pine Cobble School, MA


"It was such a treat to have you visit our class. The kids loved your books. They are perfect for second graders. Iris and Walter are such lovable characters. The kids related to them immediately. We all enjoyed your presentation. The kids talked about it for days."
Sue Lynch
Second grade teacher
Williamstown Elementary School, MA

"My kindergartners absolutely LOVED having Elissa Haden Guest visit. Since some of my students are becoming very interested in writing, it was inspirational for them to hear that a REAL author could have started writing at their age! The characters of Iris and Walter reflect a very sweet relationship between a young boy and girl. Not only is this appealing to the children but I find it so refreshing and wonderful to be able to use these characters as a basis for class discussions about friendship."
Marni Shapiro
Kindergarten Teacher
Brandeis Hillel Day School
Marin, CA

"I want to tell you how much we enjoyed your visit. I have had such positive feedback about your books from parents and students. Everybody wants to check them out, and one parent dropped by just the other day to tell me she could hear her daughter reading it out loud to herself in her bedroom. This parent was almost in tears, because reading has been a struggle for her daughter and this was a big deal. Please keep writing these wonderful stories. They are charming and are the kind of books my beginning readers love. I feel so lucky to have discovered them."
Linda Spoor
Librarian
View Ridge Elementary
Seattle, WA

"Our first graders love Elissa's Iris and Walter stories and it was wonderful for them to have a chance to hear where her ideas come from. Her presentation using stories and slides demonstrates how the books are a great collaboration between her and the illustrator, Christine Davenier."
Carol Hogan
Librarian
Discovery Elementary School
Sammamish, WA

"Dear Elissa,
Your presentation was excellent and just perfect for the group. The children loved your story."
Marianne Hoebel
Second grade teacher
Berkshire Country Day School, MA

"Your visit to my first grade class yesterday was a sheer delight—not only for my students but also for me to be able to witness their enthusiasm and attention toward you! Your stories are adorable! Thank you for sharing the entire process with us, a most valuable experience which will undoubtedly have a lasting impression on the students. You have inspired budding authors!!!"
Ginny Engberg
First Grade Teacher
Monte Verdi Elementary School
San Bruno, CA

"My class loved your visit. You were such a hit. You are a terrific role model, inspiring their creative writing and fostering their love of reading."
Lois Kelly
Third Grade Teacher
Monte Verdi Elementary School
San Bruno, CA

"Ms. Guest read from her wonderful children's books. She explained to the students the steps it takes to publish a book. My students were particularly interested in Ms. Guest's work because they publish their own stories in our classroom. They were fascinated to see that a real author uses the same writing steps that they do in order to publish a book. The connection to the real world of publishing was invaluable."
Kathleen Walker
Third Grade Teacher
Redding Elementary School
San Francisco, CA



"Dear Elissa,
The first graders loved your presentation and had such
fun viewing your slides!"
Renee Otero
Lower School Librarian
San Francisco Day School

OTHER AVAILABLE PROGRAMS:

Elissa is available as a speaker, panelist and writing workshop instructor for both children and adults.

She has spoken to the California Reading Association, to the International Reading Association and to the American Library Association. She’s been a children’s book panelist at the San Francisco Public Library as well as at the San Francisco Writers Conference. She is a frequent faculty member at the Big Sur Children’s Writing Workshop.

ENDORSEMENTS

Elissa Haden Guest attended our Big Sur Children's Writing Workshop and was one of the most well received faculty members we have had in the seven years of workshops. She received totally positive evaluations from our attendees, who
said her comments were right on the mark and extremely helpful. Most of the attendees said words such as,” wonderful," "insightful," "warm and friendly,” and "intuitive." We plan to have Elissa back to the workshop often.
Andrea Brown
President, Andrea Brown Literary Agency,Inc.
Director, Big Sur Children's Writing Workshop