School visits

My high-energy, inspirational and downright funny presentations gallop across a vast terrain taking in such highlights as childhood dramas, my journey towards a writing career, setbacks and successes, with loads of writing tips and insights into the publishing process along the way.

While my lively and engaging workshops focus on adding value to stories.

I’m happy to talk to any age and my presentations can be tailored to any kind of event. From keynote conference speaker to after-dinner entertainment; School graduation to Book Week assembly; and everything in-between.

You can book me in New Zealand through the NZ Book Council and in Australia through Creative Net.

Contact me to discuss how I can help you.

We were so grateful that Kyle was willing to come and work with students at Century Elementary School. Both staff and students enjoyed his presentations. His slide show and sense of humor were a treat for all of us! Just the other day I had a little girl stop me in the hallway after school and say, “Kiss, kiss! Yuck, yuck!” Then she gave me a great big hug. It’s wonderful when books elicit that response from children! – Century Elementary School, Grand Forks, North Dakota.

Wellington 2014

In July I was in Wellington to talk to the wonderful kids who’d made enormous sculptures based on my stories. Here are some of them!

Brisbane Book Week 2012

What a fabulous time I had at Book Week in Brisbane. It was not only my first Book Week in Australia, but also the first time I’ve visited schools in my old hometown. The schools were all very keen AND I had a a couple of unexpected connections! I had a nice chat to a woman I went to school with (nearly 30 years ago!) – she popped into my session at Our Lady of the Angels school. Then at the end one boy informed me his Dad went to school with me, too. (We actually won a prize together going to a School Camp fancy dress party in Grade 7 as a totem pole.) Small world.

I also visited St Aidan’s (who have a fabulous Literature Festival each year with 7 writers/illustrators – this year including Jackie French); Landsborough, Kurwongbah and three schools in Ipswich. Great to see so many schools keen to have writers visit. Nobody but sportspeople visited my school when I was growing up.

My visit to Waikato 2012

I had a jolly time visiting some schools in Waikato during August. I was initially invited to the launch of Blue Gnu at the fabulous Storyteller Bookshop in Matamata. It’s a long way to travel, so I asked around to see if any schools might like a visit while I was there. I had a fantastic response, so spent most of the week there. And what fantastic schools they were! Hopefully I’ll get invited back again sometime soon.

Some recent-ish school visits etc

I have been terribly slack with posting photos, I’m afraid. Mainly because I post most events etc on my Facebook fan page. So if you really want to keep up visit my Facebook page.

In the meantime, here are a collection of photos from the last six months.

Winton May 2012

Bluestone School, June 2011

Storylines Tour 2011

April 2012

I’m afraid I’ve been very tardy with my posts about school visits lately. It certainly doesn’t mean I haven’t visited any schools. In fact, I’ve been very busy lately. Too busy to post any details at the moment. But hopefully that will all change soon.

I’m looking forward to visiting Christchurch on May 9/10 to talk to young librarians for the Canterbury Literacy Association. I’ll also be visiting Windsor and Kirkwood schools.

Then on Sunday 13 and Monday 14 I’ll be popping down to Invercargill for the Southland Festival. I’m doing a storytelling session in the library at 4pm and another storytelling session in Winton on Monday morning. Later I’m popping in to St Patricks school and I’ll finish off with a public tallk at 6pm in the Invercargill library. It’s all being organised by the wonderful Dan Davin Literary Foundation.

November 2011

What a great day it was at Te Anau’s 21st Birthday party. Lots of people in fancy dress. (Have you noticed how nearly every children’s librarian is slightly MAD about fancy dress parties?) There was a clown and me, too. But the highlight for me was the Duck’s Stuck! birthday cake. Delicious!

School Visits in the USA 2010

Here are some photos of my trip to the USA in September and October. I visited about 40 schools in North Dakota (ND) and did over 150 talks. Some of the schools were very big. Sometimes I had to talk to 600 kids! No wonder I nearly lost my voice! I went to so many schools I’ve forgotten which photos were taken where. So if you recognise yourself or your school, let me know and I’ll add it! If you have any photos from my visit, I’d love to see them too.

These are some of the great kids at the first school I visited near Salisbury. They made a fantastic poster with Andy covered in kisses and had a row of fluffy animals making the tug’o’war scene from Duck’s Stuck!

The kids at Minot Lewis & Clark Elementary in Minot sent me an email too.

Thank you for Reading to us. I liked Kiss, Kiss, yuck, yuck. My mom is the same way. – Preston (grade 3)

I love Kiss Kiss Yuck Yuck cause that kid is in a situation with his aunt. I love the book! – Gabbi (grade 5)

I love your accent, and how you told us about your life. I likded how you read your books. You are full of humor. – Lakota (grade 5)

I love your book, Kiss, Kiss Yuck, Yuck! You are hilarious! Your accent is cool! I think it’s cool that you live in New Zealand. Your house is really cool, and you have very funny jokes. Thanks for coming to our school! – Kali (grade 5)

I like all of your books they are very funny, especially Kiss, Kiss, yuck, Yuck. Awesome presentation. – Megan (grade 5)

I loved your book Kiss, Kiss, Yuck, Yuck it is very funny. I had a lot of fun listening to it. Thank you for coming to our school, because I know you had a lot of choices. I hope to read one of your other books real soon. – Brody (grade 5)

Thank you for coming to Lewis & Clark. I love Kiss, Kiss, Yuck, Yuck. You could write a book about a beaver in my bathtub. –  Alex (grade 4)

Thank you for reading to us! Do you remember my Grandmother? Her name is Paulette. I like Kiss, kiss, yuck, yuck it’s my favorite book! – Keegan (grade 3)

At one school all the kids turned up with big lips stuck on their mouths! That was funny

I got some amazing letters and drawings from the kids at Central Elementary in Wahpeton the other day. Some of them are SO funny! And I loved the drawings! I wish I could draw. Their teacher Laurie Stiller made a special Aussie Kangaroo Kiss Kiss card for me as well.

Some teachers wrote to me as well. I love getting emails, especially nice ones like these!

St Johns School in Wahpeton

He did a fantastic job connecting with his audience, giving them ideas or signs of what might help them be writers and gave a great sample of his work. There was much talk about him and his presentation in the classroom afterwards. – 1st grade teacher

I thought he was very engaging. He kept the kids’ attention and made being an author seem to be a real profession! – Music teacher

My children had a delightful time listening to Kyle’s stories–I think they could have stayed there, all afternoon. He has this wonderful voice, and his accent kept them enchanted. – Kindergarten teacher

I loved the author and went out and bought the book he suggested! – 4th grade teacher

He was energetic and fun to listen to. He made the kids laugh. He motivates everyone to be a writer…even a student who didn’t behave well in school. Although, like all jobs, one has to keep trying and trying until you get it right. – 6th grade teacher

North Dakota Librarians’ Conference

I also attended the North Dakota Librarians’ Conference in Grand Forks and received my Flicker Tale award for Kiss!Kiss! Yuck!Yuck! I met lots of lovely librarians and also award-winning author Sheila Solomon Klass. This is me with Linda Austin who organised my whole North Dakota trip!

We were so grateful that Kyle was willing to come and work with students at Century Elementary School. Both staff and students enjoyed his presentations. His slide show and sense of humor were a treat for all of us! Just the other day I had a little girl stop me in the hallway after school and say, “Kiss, kiss! Yuck, yuck!” Then she gave me a great big hug. It’s wonderful when books elicit that response from children! – Century Elementary School, Grand Forks ND

We really enjoyed hearing Kyle’s presentation. He was hilarious with the kids. They were totally into him! I teach Title 1 Reading to 1st & 2nd graders here and after Kyle’s visit, I had all my 1st grade students draw and color what they thought his pirate ship looked like and I hung them out in the hall for all to enjoy. They were a hit. – Central Elementary, Bismarck ND