Hazel Hutchins

Kindergarten – Grade 2:  30 minutes via Zoom, Google Meets or Skype.

     Description: This session is presented in two short sections with a break between for questions and/or finger plays or a short movement exercise.

 Part I: Where do books come from? – I briefly show my notebooks with scattered ideas, several crossed-out rough drafts, final good draft and examples of rough and finished art, by various illustrators. I then show photographs of my own family and the “mirroring” illustrations that were done for the picture book Ben’s Snow Song. Young students especially love to see these as it helps them relate to book creation on a personal level.

Part II:  Story Time! – Using an object or personal incident to draw my young audience into the moment, we enjoy one of my books with student participation and on-screen illustrations. When reading my most recent picture book, The Truth About Wind, (for example) my worn and beloved cloth rabbit becomes part of the event as do the students’ own feelings about toys and stuffies—lost, found and still missing.

     Curriculum tie-ins using the following picture book titles by Hazel Hutchins:

– Colour, art, creativity, friendship:   Snap!, Anna at the Art Museum and Mattland.

– Emotions, honesty, community and making difficult choices:  The True Story of Wind.

– The concept of time, often used as a Math supplement:  A Second is a Hiccup.

Grade 3 to Grade 6: 45 minutes via Zoom, Google Meets or Skype.

     Description: This session is presented in two sections, each followed by a short period during which students are invited to ask questions.

Part I:   Idea to Finished Story –  Using examples from my own books and showing images of written notebooks, corrected rough drafts, finished copy and pictures by various illustrators (which help me further explain the story process) I reinforce the idea that we all have creative ideas that can be turned into stories.  I briefly talk about how I became a writer. I outline my three favourite ways to find a story idea.

 Part II:   Writing Tips  –    Topics include getting off to a strong start, identifying the problem, different ways of planning, keeping your reader–and you as the writer!–engaged in the story by adding tension or doing a bit of unusual research, writing strong characters and finding an ending. For grades 3/4 I keep the process fairly simple.  For grades 5/6  we explore more deeply.

If there is time, I then provide a fun, short sentence and ask students to suggest a single descriptive word that will make it more interesting.  I always enjoy their wide-ranging answers!

     Curriculum tie-ins using the following chapter books by Hazel Hutchins:

-Science, research, family life, friendship, responsibility: TJ and the Cats, TJ and the Haunted House, TJ and the Rockets, TJ and the Sports Fanatic, TJ and the Quiz Kids

-Animal Welfare, community, friendship, family: The Great Bike Rescue.

Cost for online sessions:

If booking more than one session per day (maximum of 5 presentation times per day):

• $ 100 per session for K to Gr 2 (30 minutes)
• $ 110 per session for Gr 3 to Gr 6 (45 minutes)

If booking only one session per day:

• $125 for K to Gr 2 (30 minutes)
• $140 for Gr 3 to Gr 6 (45 minutes)

(g.s.t. is charged in addition to the above rates)

Other:  A maximum of 3 classes at a time for online presentations please.

If at all possible, Hazel enjoys being able to see the classes on camera as well as being able to talk back and forth with students during question and discussion times.  Thanks!