Virtual Visits
Would you like Jacqueline to visit your school to talk about her books, the writing life, and why lemonade is her favorite drink? If so, she can visit your school virtually, offering an engaging presentation and interacting with your students as if they were in the same room. Take a look at the program descriptions below and contact Melissa Barr for more information or to request a school visit.
Programs
All of Jacqueline’s virtual visit programs include highly interactive elements designed for the virtual environment. To “experience” a virtual visit with Jacqueline, take a quick look at the following 5-minute videos. To learn more about specific programs, read the program descriptions below. A virtual visit with Jacqueline is an experience your students will never forget!
Kindergarten
Grade 1
Grade 4
THE WRITING LIFE
Presentation for Grades K–5
Every writer’s path is different, but in this presentation I describe my own path to becoming a best-selling children’s author. Along the way, I had to learn the essential building blocks that turn an idea into a story, the importance of revision, how to deal with rejection, and my own best practices for getting my writing work done.
WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS
Presentation for Grades 3–5
The idea for The Lemonade War began as I watched my two sons arguing over a lemonade stand. How did that first idea evolve into a book? What did I keep from that real-life incident and what did I change—and why? How did that single book evolve into a series and where is the series headed now? In this presentation, I answer all your students’ questions about Evan and Jessie and the book that has inspired millions of young readers to turn lemons into lemonade.
EXPLORE THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD WITH ME
Presentation for Grades K–3
Who doesn’t love an adventure? Sydney, that’s who! But his best friend, Taylor, is determined to see the whole wide world. In this presentation, I introduce the two main characters from my early chapter series, Sydney & Taylor: Sydney, a very loyal skunk, and Taylor, an excitable hedgehog. I describe—in thrilling detail!—how the book came to be: from first idea through revision through illustration and finally printing. It’s a Great Expedition that young readers will never forget!
For all inquiries, contact Melissa Barr at melissa@jacquelinedavies.net
THE BASICS
To request a virtual visit with Jacqueline, please contact Melissa Barr.
All of Jacqueline’s virtual visits are via Zoom, and she will host the meeting. If your school needs to use a different platform or has a hosting requirement, please note that in your initial request. Once you schedule a visit, we will send you a Zoom link for the visit well in advance of the date.
No recording of the visit is allowed.
Each session is one hour (forty-five minutes for kindergarteners.). This hour includes time to address technical issues that might arise at the beginning of the session and admit the students to the Zoom meeting. The remainder of the hour is devoted to the program and a Q&A session at the end.
If your school is located outside of the Eastern Time Zone, please note this in your initial request for a visit. All arrangements are made according to Eastern Time, and the school is responsible for calculating local time in relation to Eastern Time.
The school is responsible for ensuring that it has the proper technology requirements to participate in a Zoom meeting. The school is also responsible for making sure that any participants who need to access the presentation remotely are equipped to do so.
If you have any questions about Jacqueline’s virtual visits, please contact Melissa Barr.
PRO TIPS
Please prepare the students ahead of time by sharing Jacqueline’s books with them. Specifically, students must have read at least one of Jacqueline’s picture books or several chapters from one of her novels.
Teachers should be prepared to facilitate the Q&A session by having questions prepared ahead of time or by being prepared to call on individual students to ask questions, either remotely or in the classroom.
Make sure the students understand what constitutes appropriate behavior during a Zoom author visit. It is the teacher’s responsibility to manage classroom behavior during the visit.
Please group students appropriately by age: For example: Grades 1 and 2 work well as a group. Grades 3–5 work well as a group. However, Grades K–5 do not work well as a group, and a grouping with this age span should be avoided at all costs!
FEES
The fee for a single presentation is $1,200.
You are welcome to split the fee with as many schools as you like. For example, if three schools share the meeting, each school pays only $400. If ten schools share the meeting, each school pays only $120. However, the total number of connections to the meeting (including classroom connections and remote connections) may not exceed 100. (If you require more than 100 connections, please let Melissa know well in advance of the visit.)
Payment in full must be received before the visit.
BOOK SIGNING
We strongly recommend that you offer books for sale in conjunction with the virtual visit. A book is a wonderful reminder of the time spent with the author, and it helps to reinforce the author’s message.
You may order books from any source: your local bookstore, online, Wellesley Books (which is Jacqueline’s local bookstore), the publishers, or directly from Jacqueline. If you order books from Wellesley Books or from Jacqueline, the books will be personally signed before they are shipped to you. If you order books from any other source, Jacqueline will sign bookplates (not personalized) that the school provides.
Upon request, we will provide a PDF of a personalized book order form that the school may use to collect book orders.
If you have any questions about book orders or signing, please contact Melissa Barr.