Thank you forthe invitation

to visit your schoolor library.

Here is a taste of what you can

expect from me and what you can do to prepare your

studentsfor my visit.

A short biography of Ashley WolffI grew up in the small, country town of Middlebury, Vermont at the foot of the Green Mountains. I skied and skated in the winter, and bicycled and swam in the summer. The rest of the time I read and drew pictures of horses and princesses. My family had lots of animals like dogs and guinea pigs, white mice and a foot long

alligator named Lurch. I went to high school in Vermont and then went to Art School in Rhode Island. In college I

drew all the time and studied printmaking and illustration. My favorite course was called “Picture and Word.” When I moved to California more than 25 years ago, my first job was as an artist at a small newspaper. In 1983 I began painting murals and illustrating books for a living. and I’ve been doing that ever since. I’ve published nearly 50 books for children. I live in San Francisco with my husband, two teenage sons and a border collie named Lucy.

I live in this old, blue house in the Bernal Heights neighborhood of San Francisco, CA.

I amrighthere!

My art studio is inan upstairs bedroom.

Woof!

Two Important Questions:When Can I Come?

How much will it cost?

The earlier you schedule a visit the better. A year ahead is not too soon, but

don’t hesitate to inquire anytime.

My honorarium is: $1200/school day$500/library talk

Other expenses a school or library may be responsible for include:* Car travel expenses

at federal mileage rate* Airfare* Hotel* Meals

* Rental car, if necessaryillustration from Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten

When I come to visit I will bring lots of gear:

A LaptopA Digital projector

a portable sound system with wireless mic“Magic” CrayonsBooks for display

Autographing Pens

Your school will need to supply the rest:

A darkened room in which to show slidesA large screen or white wallA compact projector cart

An extension cord a 3’x6’ table for displaying books

A large, sturdy easel equipped with plenty of white, unlined

paper

if I am flying to you, I will NOT bring the sound system. I will NEED a lapel mic. A

hand held does not work when I am drawing.

illustration from Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten

I will present THREE assemblies per day. I will also make ONE additional classroom visit. For

instance, to an afternoon kindergarten or a group of serious, upper-grade writers and

artists.

Since I bring a lot of equipment, I like to remain in one location like the cafeteria, library or auditorium for my

assemblies and to have the students come to me.

I enjoy having lunch with the teachers and, of course, will spend time autographing any books

that are purchased.

I have done hundreds of Author Day visits and I know what works well for me:

1. I strongly prefer that students be seated on the floor, youngest ones in front, as close to me as

possible.

2. I like the front row to be short and for each row behind that to widen, so the easel, screen and I are

the pivot of a fan-shaped audience.If the screen is portable this works best if I am centered on the shorter wall of a room or in a

corner.

3. I like teachers to sit on chairs on the edges of the fan, close to their class.

You can make me feel welcome by making a banner like this...

or like these.

One school made this adorable centerpiece inspired by an illustration in Stella & Roy.

I have found that the more involved your students are with reading and studying my books and artwork before I arrive, the better time we have on Author Day.

The many faces of Miss Bindergarten!

In return, I want to personalize my visit to

your school as much as possible:

Before I arrive, I will send you a bookmark similar to the ones

here. On it will be your school’s name and location and the date

of my visit.Please print enough of these so

that each child can have one. That way, even if they cannot buy a book, they will have a

souvenir of the day. When I arrive I will draw your

school mascot and leave it for you.

I am currently best known as the illustrator of the beloved Miss Bindergarten series.

I chose to portray this extraordinary Kindergarten

teacher as a Border Collie for 3 reasons:

Like all teachers, she is highly intelligent,

she is skilled at herding,and, most important, she is willing

to work like a dog!

I have illustrated, and sometimes also

written, nearly 50 books for children. I will weave references to many of them into

my talks. The ones on this and the previous page are currently in print and available.

These are Spanish bilingual These also come in a Spanish bilingual edition

Many of my favorite books are Out of Print. However, you may already own them in your school library. Please look around for

any ofthese and share them with your

students as well.I mention many of them in my

talks.

Since I am a visual learner and teacher, the core of my assembly is a slide presentation. I

begin by explaining how I have always loved to read and draw.

I will show examples of the art I made as a child and how books have always been

important to me for many different reasons.

illustration from Miss Bindergarten Stays Home from

Kindergartenby Joseph Slate

Illustration from A Year of Beasts

I tell students that I always wanted to be an artist, but I’m not sure my teachers

thought I’d succeed!

I show them many examples ofmy childhood art

and compare them with the way I have learned to draw now.I emphasize the importance of

practice!

illustration from I love My Mommy Becauseby Laurel Porter Gaylord

My family and friends have always been the stars in my books.

I show and tell stories about how I disguise and transform them. I want

students to understand that they can use their own loved ones as inspiration for

characters and stories.

illustration from Block City

by Robert Louis Stevenson

Next, I ask each child to think to themselves about an animal whose name begins with the same 1st letter as their name. I call on students and we begin to create a story from their ideas. I teach them basic techniques of illustration

like forward momentum, changing scale and point of view and the importance of letting the text and picture each carry their own weight.

I will autograph each one. They will be done in oil pastel

and can be laminated on the low heat setting.

You will keep all the

drawings I make, so

supply me with the best quality paper you can find.

Students treasure a mementoof an author’s visit. I frequently meet

teens who bring me books I signed for them when they were in grade school.

During Author Day, time must be scheduled for me to personalize and

autograph each one. You may contact me for information on how to order

directly from the publishers or distributors, or arrange with a local

bookstore to handle sales.

I encourage all schools to arrange to sell books both before I arrive and on the

day of my visit.

We can have a fun and successful Author Day if we hold hands and work together!For more information visit me on the web at: www.ashleywolff.com,

email me at: ashley@ashleywolff.comcall me at: 415 826 7345,

or write me at: 98 Cortland Avenue, SF CA 94110

illustration from Miss Bindergarten Celebrates the Last day of Kindergarten by Joseph Slate

Brochure illustrations copyright 2006 Ashley Wolff