Authors’ Booking Service is pleased to announce that children’s picture book author Anita Reynolds MacArthur and illustrator Karen Roy are now scheduling visits to Ontario schools and libraries.  
 
Anita and Karen would love to plan a visit to your school or library. The author and the illustrator may be booked separately at a rate of $200 + GST per session (equivalent to two half-hour presentations for primaries). They may also be booked as a team for the combined fee of $300 + GST per session. Standard kilometrage from Toronto applies.  
 
This dynamite duo is available to visit your school in and around the GTA.    
  
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Published Works

A Royal Little Pest (published by Pollywog Bog Books (November 2008); distributed by Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited)
 
A Royal Little Pest: Mine! (published by Pollywog Bog Books (October 2009); distributed by Fitzhenry & Whiteside Limited)  

Here’s what educators are saying:

"Karen Roy and Anita Reynolds MacArthur visited our school on February 24th to share their book A Royal Little Pest. They were great! The kids really enjoyed the presentation. They were both very engaging, entertaining and educational. They kept the students interested and involved with a reading and a visual presentation about the graphic illustrations used in the book. I would definitely recommend them!" 
Sandy Taylor, Teacher-Librarian/Site Manager 
Carruthers Creek P.S.  
 
 
“Thanks Anita… I have to tell you that I've had several teachers come to me today to say how much they enjoyed the presentations.”     
Karen Fullerton, Teacher-Librarian 
St. Bernadette C.S.   
   
 
“I read your book today at school. I have a spec. ed class of 12 children who have language disabilities. The very first comment before I even spoke a word about the book was from a boy who never comments on anything. He said "Way cool pictures, that book looks like it would be good to read!” Who could say how great it was, better than an 8 yr. old who hates to read. In the end we read the book twice. Used it to make inferences, predictions, connections, and all those good things teachers try to teach. Our new buzz words in the class are “don't be a MacCheeky!” 
Thanks for giving me good stuff to teach with today.” 
Wendy Racovali, Primary Language Teacher 
Colonel J.E. Farewell P.S.  

Author/Illustrator Presentation Details

All author/illustrator presentations are tailored to meet the needs of the students, so as the grade levels increase, the discussions become more enriched. Anita and Karen present to students from JK/SK through to grade 8.  
 
The author reads A Royal Little Pest, discusses the message of the story and her inspiration for writing it. She also discusses the elements of a story (character, plot, setting) and uses hardcopy manuscript to demonstrate how a story goes from rough copy to final copy. Anita uses a PowerPoint presentation to display the pages of the book as she reads.    
 
The illustrator discusses how she brings the elements of the story from black and white to vibrant colour. Karen uses a PowerPoint presentation to demonstrate how she creates her illustrations.    
 
The author/illustrator presentations conclude with a brief insight into the world of publishing and how this dynamite duo came to be. A question and answer period closes each presentation.  
 
Book marks or posters (signed by the author/illustrator) are handed out at the conclusion of each presentation.  
 
Author Equipment requirements: Access to a computer w/PowerPoint and a LCD projector with screen or SMART Board. 
 
Illustrator Equipment requirements: Access to a computer w/PowerPoint and a LCD projector with screen or SMART Board. 
 
Anita and Karen are comfortable in a classroom, library, auditorium, or gymnasium. Generally, a maximum of 60 students is manageable at one time.