Elizabeth Levy Author Visits - Live and Skype
I-Magic-Nation
I like to inspire my audience to use their imagination.
All mediums for a story start as a blank slate. I offer a variety of presentations both live and via the internet to assemblies, classes, teachers and writers’ groups. After the visit, our connection continues through the web. Whether speaking to a large group or doing a writing project, I want to inspire children and adults to think like writers.
My Presentations
Egyptian Students Turning Their Classroom into a Cruise ShipInspiration:Students will stand up and act out key scenes from my books and recreate the moments that inspired my books.- Learn how to do research: To write my books, I have learned ballroom dancing, played football and taken cruises. I even visited the Cockroach Hall of Fame. Whatever your interests, it’s all “research.” I try to teach some of the tricks of finding the perfect detail that makes writing come alive.
- Humor: I love to share jokes. I discuss with children what’s funny—and what’s not (teasing, sarcasm, making fun of others). My book “My Life as a Fifth-Grade Comedian“ shows how important it is to be careful about humor, and the damage that can be done by adults or children who use humor in hurtful ways.
- Magic tricks. As a child I spent a lot of time daydreaming. Now I have magic tricks that help children value the "I" and the "Magic" in all of us.
Writing Projects
I love actually creating stories and books with children. We can create a project that that can be simple but still appear on your school’s website, or even on Amazon.com, as we did with a project in New Orleans, sponsored by the PEN American Center. There I worked with writers Robie Harris, Susan Kuklin and Fatima Shaik to create “The Story Is Us!"
When I do a writing project, the children and I start with why we love stories and mysteries—not just in books, but daydreaming when things get tough or we can’t sleep. As writers, we are in control. We can make our stories turn out the way we want them to. We play “what if….”
Then once we get a rough draft down on either a computer or smart board or just old-fashioned paper and pen, we go about the hard work of revising. We work on using more vivid language and making sure that the whole story knits together. Then we work to correct the spelling and grammar, because mistakes “stop” the reader, and we want our readers to love our story.
Turn Your Classroom into a Cruise Ship!
Liz at The Bronx New SchoolI not only love to write FOR children...I love to write WITH children.
I have done a variety of projects with schools, from poetry, to turning their classroom into a mystery cruise ship. We pick a place that fits what the children have been studying. In the Bronx, the children are visiting the homelands of their families. In another school, we went to Brazil because the fifth graders were studying the Western Hemisphere.
If you are interested in doing a writing project with me, either through Skype or a through a school visit, let’s brainstorm.
Color It Purple!
Whether it is in a large assembly or in an intimate writing project, I want kids to learn that the best writing comes from the heart.
Paula DanzingerOne of my best friends was Paula Danziger.
Paula loved to teach children that every story should have a mix of red lines for funny parts, and blue lines for sad parts. And if you layer your writing just right, the whole page can turn purple. I want us all to learn to write with a “purple heart.”
Equipment Needed
I bring my own PowerPoint presentation, and I can send it to you ahead of time. I prefer to use the school’s computer, if possible, although I always travel with mine.
Scheduling
I have a busy travel schedule, and arrangements tend to be made well in advance, so please contact my publishers early to make plans. Contact:
Catherine Balkin
Agent for Author Appearances:
Catherine@balkinbuddies.com
www.balkinbuddies.com
Reviews from schools
“Elizabeth Levy is an incredible woman, adored by the children of P.S. 11 where she has become an intricate part of the school’s ‘family.’ Her involvement in projects with the children—the opportunity to work with a well-known author—gives them a sense of worth. Because what they do with her in the classroom is what she does in her life, they feel they are writers. And, when she travels, she takes their writings with her, in a sense bringing the children all over the world, and the world to them. She’s made our neighborhood come alive.”
Emilyn Garrick, teacher, P.S. 11, New York City
“Elizabeth Levy’s program is the very best. She gets the kids very excited, then she easily calms them down—she has total control over her audience. The kids love her books—they’re the most used books in our library—and her books lend themselves to lots of fun. She keeps up with the kids, what they’re thinking. She’s genuine and inspiring.”
Elva Matous, reading specialist West View Elementary School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
“I am only expressing the sentiments of the entire John F. Kennedy population, including students, teachers and parents when I say that you were the best author we ever had!”
Barbara Brodsky, Ed. Deer Park Union Free School District Deer Park, New York