School Visits with Michael Rex

Hello.  Just want to let everyone know that I am always booking school visits.

I love meeting my readers.  The hardest part of my job is working alone day after day.  Being able to spend time in a school with hundreds of laughing students is always a joy, and a great way to remember why I do what I do!

My high-energy presentation focuses on the making of a book.  I start with ideas, sketches and rough drafts then move onto re-writes and finally to the illustration process.  I also do a live drawing demo for the students, and if there’s time, have the students draw along with me.  I always end with a Q and A so the kids get a chance to ask me anything they want.

I stress the importance of writing and re-writing over and over until the work is the best it can be, and let the kids know that even a “pro” gets things wrong.

I have presented in single classrooms and in very large auditoriums, and feel comfortable talking to groups of any size.

I will gladly speak to any age group, but feel that my presentation is best for K-6.  When speaking to older students, I essentially do the same talk, but I add more details, and sometimes discuss the frustrations and difficulties of making books.

I also have a presentation based on parody.  I guide the students through the creation of modern parodies, discuss the “rules” of parody, and then we write and draw our own together.  We also discuss how anyone can make something funny.

If you are interested in a visit, please contact me for rates and availability. I live in NJ, and have travelled to schools all across the country. If fees are a concern, I can offer discounted rates if multiple schools can be booked for visits.

I hope to hear from you!---Mike Rex

mikerexbooks@gmail.com

2015 News...

Happy New Year!  I feel that I can still say that since it's only January 31. I haven't posted since October, which I think is one of the longest lulls I've ever had.  The truth is, I have been crazy busy, and things are amazing right now.  In a few weeks I'll have a ton of news about Fangbone!  I'm also working on the art for Icky Ricky 6, and the picture book I wrote about in the previous post.

I was going through my phone and deleting pictures that I no longer need, and I came across these 3 shots from a school visit.  I had eaten lunch with some kids, and then we drew on the table cloth.  Truthfully, I can't remember what school it was, but I had a lot of fun, and this kids seem to enjoy it as well.

I'll be posting often in the next few weeks.  Enjoy.

Lindbergh School, Palisades Park NJ

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."---Milton Berle

I need a volunteer...

One of the things I do during my school visits is have a child from the audience pose for me. I ask the student to act as if he or she is fighting a battle, and then I give them props and costume.  This is probably the most fun part of my visit.  I then use the child as a model while the audience watches me draw.  When doing this, I stress the idea of looking at something while drawing it, and that even a professional such as myself might make a mistake.

Also during my visit I talk about the writing process, and how I don’t just write my stories once, but I write them “again, and again, and again…” to make sure that they are as good as they can be.  And when I’m done with all of that writing, I feel like the guy on the screen in the last photo.

Thanks to Arielle Goldstein for the great photos.  You can read Arielle's blog here TechnicallyLibrarian

My First "Icky Ricky" Fan

I received this letter from a very happy mother a few days after a recent school visit.  "Icky Ricky" was designed with new readers in mind.  Many of the chapters are stand alone stories, and there is art on every page.  I'm kind of amazed that a five year old is reading it, but more power to him!

'THANK YOU!  I think it was just last week you spoke at SJA and made an AMAZING impression on my kindergartner!  My son has strong reading skills but I have been want to find a chapter book to capture his attention.  But, after seeing you speak, he DEMANDED I take him to the public library where he immediately found "Toilet Paper Mummy". 

Initially overwhelmed by the 120 pages, I encouraged him to take it one page at a time.  And his teacher let him read the book to the class.  Two days and 91 pages later, he is almost done! So if you ever wondered the impact you had on children when you present, I can tell you that you certainly reached my five year old."

Visiting Sandy Hook, Pt. 2

I’ve been meaning to write more about going to Sandy Hook, but in the long run there isn’t much more for me to say that isn’t obvious.  I am glad that I was able to be a part of this great group. I feel privileged to have met such amazing teachers and staff, who I will forever see as heroes. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to share some laughs, some joy, or provide a few moments of distraction for the students, faculty and community of Sandy Hook.

I’d also like to thank Marc Tyler Nobleman for dreaming up and spearheading the visit, and for doing all of the legwork.

Marc's Blog 

Here’s some press on the event.

School Library Journal

Huffington Post

Goofy picture of me.