School and Library Visits

I enjoy teaching kids about the process of making comic books, and I’d be happy to visit your school or library, either in person or virtually. My multi-media presentation shows students how I write and draw a graphic novel, and demonstrates the five most important elements of visual storytelling—elements kids can use to create their own comics!

The presentation is for groups of any size, grades 3-6. It lasts 45 minutes (including Q&A), but I also have a 30-minute version, which some people prefer for virtual visits. For in-person visits I sign books and chat with the kids after the talk, naturally. Sometimes kids show me the comic books they’ve made, which is always inspiring. For virtual visits I can mail your school signed, personalized bookplates that kids can stick into their books.

Contact me at doogiehorner@gmail.com to schedule an appearance or get more information.

How much does an appearance cost?
Virtual visits: Are $100. What a deal!
In person visits: Email me your location and I’ll send you a quote. The cost of a book talk varies depending on how close your school or library is to my hundred-year-old and definitely not haunted farmhouse in Western New York. Buffalo, Rochester, and the Finger Lakes region are all pretty close to me, but I’m happy to travel further. (I try to keep the cost of visits low, because I know schools and libraries aren’t exactly rolling in cash, and I greatly appreciate the work you do to enrich our communities.)

If you are a school or library looking to purchase 20 or more copies of the book, you can order directly from the publisher, Penguin, who will give you a discount on bulk orders.

• You can download a PDF with info about the talk here.

• Here’s a handy-dandy blank order form you can give to students to help keep track of book orders

• And here’s information about ordering books from Penguin (bulk orders only for schools & libraries).

A lot of kids have built their own versions of Trash Robot at home. Here’s one made by George Polyzogopoulou from Athens, Greece.