Elementary School Presentations

Our students loved Bruce’s workshops! He does a fantastic job engaging and connecting with students. Not only do students have a great time, but they get a real taste of what it is like to be an author and illustrator. Bruce is most gracious and brings many personal touches to his visit. These touches are what make the day so memorable for so many students.

Allison Wagner
Computer Teacher/Librarian, St. Joan of Arc School

Wow…how lucky are we to have such a talented author/illustrator living right here in Nebraska. The children loved Mr. Arant’s author visit. He really grasped the students’ attention. All three presentations were interactive, fun, and creative. He taught students how to use their “imagination muscles” and the power of words! He encouraged students that anything is possible!

As the librarian, Bruce was a wonderful author to have come to our building. He is very “low maintenance,” flexible, interesting to talk to, and fun to have. He genuinely loves the students. Would definitely have him back and recommend him to any school looking for a fun, interesting, interactive author visit!

Ann Coffman
Librarian, Ponca Elementary

Bruce did a great job working with our students to share his experience as an author and an illustrator. Having him both for assembly presentations and leading a workshop in collaboration with our art teacher offered our students a highly engaging opportunity to develop their creative skills.

Garret Higginbotham
Principal, Rockbrook Elementary

The Blair Primary students were enthralled, inspired and really enjoyed the opportunity to meet an author. They were enthralled by the imaginary creatures Bruce drew from their suggestions, inspired to be writers too and enjoyed hearing an author read their book. Great day for our kids.

Carol Nickerson
Library Media, North/South Primary, Blair Public Schools

Today we had author Bruce Arant present how to write BEGINNINGS, MIDDLE, AND ENDINGS to our fourth graders. He worked diligently with me prior to his presentation to tailor his delivery the way we wanted it.  I gave him samples of the tools/language we use and he incorporated them ALL in his presentation! The students worked on writing a new ending with him as well as using their imaginations to create a visual representation of a character.

I am sure we’ll invite him back next year. He has just been nominated for a Golden Sower Award for his book, Simpson’s Sheep Won’t Go To Sleep.

Carol Salerno
Fourth-Grade Teacher, Castelar Elementary

Bruce Arant is a fabulous teacher and presenter, besides being a wonderful children’s book writer and illustrator. Last year he spent the day in our fourth grade explaining how he wrote and illustrated Simpson’s Sheep Won’t Go to Sleep! during his workshop. He not only captured the attention of 120 students for an hour but then taught each class of 25 for an hour each. The lesson was hands-on, showing students how they all can draw with a few special strategies. While drawing he emphasized the importance of writing, editing and proofreading before you publish a final draft.

This year he will spend the whole day at our school speaking to all students in two assemblies (K–2 and 3–5) and then presenting his writing workshop to each of the four fourth grade classes. We feel honored to have Bruce come to our school and share his talents.

Judy Hughes
Fourth-Grade Teacher, Rohwer Elementary

Bruce Arant has become a yearly staple at Conestoga Elementary. We schedule Mr. Arant to present three different assemblies. An author/illustrator workshop to kindergarten through second grade in which he emphasizes the importance of using imagination while writing and illustrating fiction. As descriptive writing is emphasized in lower grades, this assembly really hits the spot. He also presents a third-through-sixth grade illustration workshop in which students learn to depict emotions by drawing facial expressions. This hands-on workshop keeps the students enthralled and provides a perfect vehicle for further classroom art projects. His final assembly is a fourth grade writer’s workshop. An especially important workshop, it helps to prepare students for the state writing exam as Mr. Arant focuses on the beginning, middle, and ending elements of a story, along with the use of “stretching tools” that help make the text more interesting. Staff and students look forward to his presentations and we can’t wait to have him back next year.

Trinity Jensen
Media Specialist, Conestoga Elementary School

Mr. Arant delivered a relaxing, entertaining and educational presentation to our Kindergarten through the sixth grade. It was the absolutely most relaxing author visit I ever had! From his first presentation to his last he never lost his enthusiasm. He performed seven, 50–60 minute presentations in one day!

In grades K–3 he read his Golden Sower Nominee book to the class, giving special attention to how to talk like Farmer Simpson. He conversed with the students as he illustrated and then drew a one-of-a-kind animal for each grade with suggestions coming from the students. The fourth grade students were involved in a writer’s workshop where Mr. Arant taught them how to exercise their “imagination muscles.” Students shared their writings and drawings with Mr. Arant. Fifth and sixth grade students learned how to make facial drawings to demonstrate expression with some simple tricks and tips. When the fifth and sixth grade students left, they had twenty different facial expressions to reference the next time they needed to illustrate an emotion! I drew right along with the students and used my new skills for jack-o’-lantern carving!

In preparation for his visit he came a week ahead of time to meet me and finalize his schedule. He didn’t bat an eye about following my schedule and doing seven presentations in one day. He was up to the challenge! He also goes beyond the usual author visit. Before he came, the students in grades three through six had written questions for him. I rewrote each question and sent it to him via email. He answered every student’s question through my email! He is also very flexible and strives to do what’s best for the students in the school.

If you enjoy a relaxed author/illustrator that is flexible enough to name a spider after it started crawling up the projector or one that doesn’t mind a stretch break for the young ones during his presentation, give him a try. You get an author and an illustrator all in one visit!

A couple of observations I made during the presentations: Although the sixth grade seemed a little chatty, they were all on task drawing right along with him. A student in the writer’s workshop who struggles with writing a sentence wrote a several sentences to share!

Regina Loehr
Librarian, Castelar Elementary