“I just wanted to follow up with you to let you know that Nancy’s presentations today at Spring Creek Elementary were wonderful! She was so engaging and inspiring. She adapted her presentation well for each age group, and she made a positive impact on students and teachers alike. We are thrilled.
Erika”
“We just can’t say enough about how much we loved Nancy! She was able to speak to first through 6th graders in three separate sessions, and she had them all highly engaged and participating. She is so dynamic!
Angie Alford”
“On behalf of the P.S. 44 school community, I 'd like to express my gratitude for your informative and engaging presentation. You are such a talented writer who possesses a wealth of background knowledge. It is evident that your presentation has fostered an educational and inspirational impact on our grade 4 and 5 students. We are most appreciative and look forward to reading more of your wonderful books. Thank you.”
Best regards,
Alisa D. Bialor, Librarian, P.S. 44R, New York City
I’m the author of ten picture book biographies, with six more books in 2023 and three scheduled for 2024. My books have earned starred reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly, won the 2021 National Jewish Book Award, a 2022 Sydney Taylor Honor and two Sydney Taylor Notables, and first place in the National Foundation of Press Women, been chosen by the Hamilton Read Aloud project of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, the 2021 Sakura Medal shortlist, a 2020 Notable Book for a Global Society, the 2019 Anne Izard Storytellers’ Choice Award, the 2018 South Asia Book Award, the 2021 and 2018 Children and Teen's Choice Book Awards, Junior Library Guild selections, three Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, three Silver Eureka Awards and a Little Free Libraries/Children’s Book Council Pick for the Action Book Club.
They’ve been on on multiple state reading lists, including the 2016 and 2021 Bank Street College Best Books for Kids, 2016 New York Public Library Best Books for Kids list, the 2017 Texas Library Association's 2X2 and Topaz lists, 2017-2018 Kennebec Valley Book Award Books, the 2018 Illinois School Library Media Association's Monarch Award Master List, Connecticut's 2018 Charter Oak Children's Book Awards list and the 2018-2019 and 2021-2022 Louisiana Young Readers' Choice awards. I’m a three-time presenter at the Ruby Bridges Reading Festival selection at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tenn. with books selected for the March Book Buzz for the eMissourian, the Children’s Book Council’s Hot Off the Press list and the Mighty Girl’s list.
A joy sharing THE WILLIAM HOY STORY with Christina Johnson's P.S. 287 kids for #DeafHistoryMonth! Honored that the story of this great #DeafHero is part of the HMH Curriculum. I love teaching kids a few words in sign language and showing them video of the real Hoy, courtesy of Cam Miller Films! Thank you to my friend Patricia A Sarles MA for making this possible.
Published: THE WILLIAM HOY STORY, HOW A DEAF BASEBALL PLAYER CHANGED THE GAME; MANJHI MOVES A MOUNTAIN, CHARLIE TAKES HIS SHOT, HOW CHARLIE SIFFORD BROKE THE COLOR BARRIER IN GOLF; IRVING BERLIN, THE IMMIGRANT BOY WHO MADE AMERICA SING; THE QUEEEN AND THE FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE, QUEEN CHARLOTTE’S GIFT TO ENGLAND; MARTIN & ANNE, THE KINDRED SPIRITS OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. AND ANNE FRANK.; BEAUTIFUL SHADES OF BROWN, THE ART OF LAURA WHEELER WARING and FOR SPACIOUS SKIES, KATHERINE LEE BATES AND‘AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL,’ DEAR MR. DICKENS, and A QUEEN TO THE RESCUE, THE STORY OF HENRIETTA SZOLD
Coming: Three new picture books and one board book in 2023 (plus two chapter book biographies to be announced):
A native New Yorker, I’m a graduate of Harvard University, with a master's from Columbia University, a writing instructor at Writing Barn in Austin, Texas, a member of the Nonfiction-Ninjas.com, Nonfiction Chicks, Kidlit For Growing Minds, Harvard Storywish, SCBWI and 12X12.
In the April 29, 2022 highlights reel for Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD
Presenting A Queen to the Rescue at the Yeshiva at Flatbush, from the New York City School Librarians newsletter
Presenting at Magen David Yeshiva in Brooklyn, printed in the New York City School Librarians newsletter
NOW BOOKING AUTHOR VISITS FOR 2023-2024
Contact Carole Weitzel at AUTHORS AND MORE for details and fees
Email: carole@authorsandmore.com
Phone: 512-914-2596
Facebook: @AuthorsandMoreBookings
Twitter: @AuthorsandMore
Instagram: @AuthorsandMore
Sharing Manjhi Moves a Mountain, my Author Journey, The William Hoy Story and sign language with the Tigers of McLaughlin Strickland Elementary in Farmers Branch
A virtual visit with students in London, talking about Dear Mr. Dickens, as part of a virtual educational program that shares the book and teaches children how to be upstanders, offered by The Charles Dickens Museum in London.
Sharing my Authors Journey with students at Bridlewood Elementary in Flower Mound, Texas
Using books to teach perseverance and character to kids at Prairie Creek Elementary
ALSO AVAILABLE FOR SPEECHES, WORKSHOPS, IN PERSON AND VIRTUAL
Presentations for my author school visits touch on important reading and writing skills and ideas students and teachers can carry back to the classroom. Author visits for elementary schools are different from those for middle schools. I can adjust presentations to meet the curricular needs of each school assembly, as well as offering different programs for younger and older elementary students. I enjoy talking to round tables of Young Authors and can make even large school assemblies feel interactive. I have served as a panelist and speaker at Texas Library Association, International Literacy Association, National Council for Teachers of English, Ruby Bridges Reading Festival at the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tenn., the Margot Rosenberg Pulitzer Dallas Jewish BookFest in Dallas, Houston Jewish Book Festival, Nashville Jewish Book Festival, Ohio Jewish Book Festival, Temple Sinai Jewish Book Festival, New York City Public School Librarians’ conference, Dallas Book Festival, Tulisoma South Dallas Book Festival in Fair Park and the North Texas SCBWI and can address educators, young adults, adults and seniors as well as kids.
A school visit by a children’s book author, whether in person or virtually, is an exciting way to promote literacy. I love to visit schools and share with students the joys of writing and reading. I also have exciting and engaging interactive virtual programs that include Power Points that bring context to true stories and attention to craft, readings, time for questions and answers, and a discussion of themed projects that give kids to take the inspiration from these real-life heroes and take action to become the heroes and heroines of their own lives. My biographical subjects offer an opportunity to teach the values of perseverance, resilience and following your dreams. Plus, they offer an opportunity to see history from the perspective of a diverse group of people, including women who are all too often left out of textbooks. My books come with free Teacher Guides, resources and projects that allow you to post their accomplishments on dedicated pages on my website.