Presentations
As a children’s author, Dianna knows that her purpose is to engage children with the awe and wonder of nature, ignite curiosity, and with hope, inspire stewardship of our home in the galaxy. From the tendrilled eggs of dogfish to the sweet, gooey feet of a butterfly; from the mysterious delicacy inside a seed to the athleticism of snails in their shells; and from Lamborghinis inspired by beetles to baby Komodo dragons that roll in their own poop (with good reason!), Mother Nature offers us opportunities to discover the who, what, where, why, when and how of her designs.
Presentation options include:
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THE WICK IN THE CANDLE/ From mind-boggling to “passionately curious”
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POLLINATORS’ SPRING FLING! Growing a rainbow… and eating it!
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TO THE MOON AND BEYOND! From big dreams to astonishing achievements
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15 SECONDS/From orchard to playground, the juicy journey of a small moment
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MOTHER NATURE’S ARCHITECTURE/ Blueprints with biomimicry
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PK STORY TIME/in-class reading at no charge
See details below
Full-day visits: Dianna will hold up to three 55-minute sessions. Whether full or half-day, Dianna offers “Lunch with the Author” for up to 12 students, and an optional (but recommended!) book signing. She encourages librarians to schedule an in-person book signing time so she can speak personally to each child. However, she will also sign books behind the scenes to be distributed to students later. She will read to PK at no charge.
Half-day visits: Two 55-minute presentations, a book signing, and optional lunch with the author). Also included is a 15-minute reading with PK at no charge.
Half-day sessions are limited to schools within a 45-minute radius of her home in Canyon Lake, Texas (between Austin and San Antonio), unless schools within a 30-mile radius book a minimum of 2 half days/4 schools.
Included at no charge in a full or half day is a 15-minute story time in the PK classroom.
Single presentation: Schools near her location in Canyon Lake, TX can request a single session scheduled between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. These schools are in New Braunfels, Bulverde, Spring Branch, Dripping Springs, Wimberley, and northwestern San Antonio.
$350.00 PER SESSION/ A single session is limited to 2 grades
Travel expenses vary by location. Typically, they are fuel and a modest hotel, or about $200.00 or less.
In addition to presentations, Dianna is excited to announce that she will once again offer writing workshops for students in grades 2-5, beginning in March 2025.
PRESENTATION OPTIONS – Choose one per 55-minute session
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THE WICK IN THE CANDLE/From mind-boggling to passionately curious
Dianna will read portions from her internationally acclaimed 7-book nature series (illustrated by Sylvia Long): AN EGG IS QUIET, A SEED IS SLEEPY, A BUTTERFLY IS PATIENT, A ROCK IS LIVELY, A NEST IS NOISY, A BEETLE IS SHY, and A SHELL IS COZY. What drives her to explore the natural world is curiosity, and she begins her presentations with: I wonder why, how, when, who, what, where. As Albert Einstein said, “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” Accompanying her talk is a PowerPoint slideshow of selected illustrations, plus photos of objects in their natural environment. STEM topics may include animal and plant life cycles, adaptation, habitats, environmental threats, conservation and teamwork. In addition, time permitting, she will highlight some “small moments” in her life that became stories. In each of her presentations, plenty of time is designated for Q&A.