School Visits

🎤 School Author Visits with Mark Gunning

 Interactive • Funny • Creative • Inspiring

Bring stories, mystery, humour, and the writing process to life through engaging author presentations designed for students from Kindergarten to Grade 8.

 ✨ PRESENTATION OPTIONS 

Option K -🐝 Kindergarten — Interactive Story Adventure <Length: 25 minutes>

“The Very Bad Bee Idea” (Adapted from The Killer Bees story) 

A hilarious interactive read-aloud filled with:

•  audience participation 
•  dramatic storytelling 
•  visual slideshow support 
•  laughter and prediction moments 

Students help guide the story while learning how ideas become stories.
Includes:

✔ Interactive read-aloud
✔ Story discussion
✔ Student participation
✔ Follow-up colouring/activity pages

Option 1 - 🐝 Grades 1/2 — Interactive Story Adventure <Length: 25 minutes>

“The Very Bad Bee Idea” (Adapted from The Killer Bees story) 

A hilarious interactive storytelling session based on The Killer Bees story from The Adventures of William and Thomas, where students join in as William and Thomas attempt one of their worst ideas yet.
Through dramatic storytelling, humour, audience participation, and visual slideshow support, students become part of the adventure as they discover how writers build characters, plot, suspense, and funny moments into stories.

Students will:

•  predict what happens next 
•  react to story twists 
•  help uncover clues and bad decisions 😄 
•  explore how stories are created from simple ideas 

Includes:
 
✔ Interactive read-aloud
 ✔ Large visual slideshow presentation
 ✔ Audience participation moments
 ✔ Story discussion
 ✔ Follow-up colouring/activity pages

This high-energy session is designed to keep younger students laughing, engaged, and excited about stories and reading.

Option 2 - ✍️ Grades 3/4 — Interactive Read-Aloud & Story Breakdown

<Length: approx. 45 minutes>

Students discover:

•  humour 

•  pacing 

•  storytelling techniques 

Students actively help improve parts of the story while learning how writers create engaging scenes.

Includes:

✔ Interactive read-aloud moments

✔ Dialogue mini-lesson (Time permitting)

 ✔ Writing organizer/activity sheet

Option 3 -🕵️ Grades 5/6 — Mystery Read-Aloud & Story Breakdown

<Length: 40-50 minutes>

 
Students step inside the world of mysteries through an interactive read-aloud experience filled with suspense, humour, clues, and surprising twists.

As the story unfolds, students help break down how mystery writers:

•  build suspense 
•  hide clues 
•  create red herrings 
•  keep readers guessing 
•  hook the audience from the very beginning 

Throughout the session, students are encouraged to predict outcomes, spot suspicious details, and think like real mystery writers.

Includes:
 
✔ Interactive mystery read-aloud
 ✔ Story breakdown discussion
 ✔ Audience participation
 ✔ Mystery writing mini-lesson
 ✔ Takeaway mystery writing sheets and story starters

This engaging session is designed to spark creativity, critical thinking, and a sense of mystery while helping students understand how authors build compelling stories.

Option 4 - 📚 Grades 7/8 — What Happens After You Finish Your Story?

<Length: 50 minutes>

A behind-the-scenes look at:

•  editing 
•  publishing 
•  cover design 
•  self-publishing 
•  persistence 
•  the real writing process 

This cinematic-style presentation explores how books move from rough draft to published story.

Includes:

✔ Interactive editing challenge

✔ Publishing process discussion

✔ From story to published book

🎤 EACH VISIT CAN INCLUDE

✔ Q&A Session

 ✔ Signed books

 ✔ Personalized book orders

 ✔ Writing activities

 ✔ Teacher extension materials

 ✔ School library signing

✨ What a Visit Looks Like

 Every session is interactive, high-energy, and designed to get students thinking, laughing, and creating.

📚 Interactive Read-Alouds

 Stories come to life through humour, dramatic storytelling, audience participation, and large visual slideshow presentations that keep students fully engaged.

✍️ Writing & Creativity Activities

 Students actively participate in mystery challenges, editing activities, story-building exercises, and creative writing prompts designed to spark imagination and build confidence.

🕵️ Behind-the-Scenes Writing Discussions

 Students discover how authors create characters, build suspense, edit rough drafts, develop story ideas, and turn unfinished writing into published books.

🎤 Q&A with the Author

 Students ask questions about:

•  writing 
•  publishing 
•  story ideas 
•  books 
•  the creative process 
•  and the world of William and Thomas

🧰 Flexible Programs

 Sessions can be customized for:

•  individual classrooms 
•  grade groupings 
•  library presentations 
•  half-day visits 
•  or full-day school workshops 

Programs range from 25-minute to 50-minute interactive readings to extended writing workshops and publishing presentations.

📄 Takeaways for Students & Teachers

 Sessions may include:

•  writing sheets 
•  story starters 
•  mystery activities 
•  reflection pages 
•  colouring sheets 
•  classroom extension materials teachers can continue using after the visit.

🌟 The Goal

Every visit is designed to leave students:

•  laughing 
•  thinking creatively 
•  excited about reading 
•  and inspired to tell their own stories.

Ready to book a visit?

Mark reads from one of his books while actively engaging students through questions, predictions, and discussion. As the story unfolds, students explore how characters develop, how humour is used, and how themes such as friendship, courage, and determination shape the story. Students are encouraged to think like writers while enjoying an entertaining and interactive experience.

 Option 2: Cracking the Mystery! (Grades 3–5) 

This interactive presentation introduces students to the key elements of mystery writing through examples from The Itchygooney Witch. Mark explores how authors use clues, red herrings, suspense, and character reactions to keep readers guessing. Students actively analyze story moments, discuss possible solutions, and participate in a short mystery-writing challenge that they can continue in class. The session builds critical thinking skills while giving students practical tools to create their own mystery stories. 

Option 3: From Idea to Author: The Writing Journey (Grades 4–5)

Mark takes students behind the scenes of the writing process, from first ideas to published books. He shares real examples of drafting, revising, and perseverance, showing students that writing is a process—and that mistakes are part of the journey. The session includes student Q&A and encourages creativity, confidence, and resilience.

📚 Benefits of an Author Visit

 📖 Inspires a Love of Reading

An author visit is more than just a presentation—it’s an opportunity to inspire creativity, build literacy skills, and show students that stories and ideas truly matter.

✍️ Builds Writing Confidence

Interactive storytelling, humour, suspense, and audience participation help students connect emotionally with books and become more excited about reading.

🧠 Supports Literacy Learning

Students see that writing is a process filled with brainstorming, mistakes, editing, and creativity. Sessions encourage students to share ideas, take risks, and believe in their own storytelling abilities.

 
Presentations naturally reinforce important literacy skills, including:

•  reading comprehension 
•  dialogue 
•  story structure 
•  suspense 
•  vocabulary 
•  editing 
•  creative writing 
•  critical thinking

Sessions are designed to support Ontario literacy expectations while keeping learning engaging and memorable.

🎨 Encourages Creativity & Imagination

 Students participate in mystery challenges, story-building activities, editing exercises, and interactive discussions that encourage imaginative thinking and problem-solving.

🌟 Creates Memorable Learning Experiences

 Author visits bring stories to life in ways students remember long after the presentation ends. Humour, audience interaction, visuals, and storytelling help create a lasting connection to books and writing.

👨‍🏫 Supports Teachers & Classrooms

 Many sessions include:

•  writing extensions 
•  activity sheets 
•  story starters 
•  reflection activities 
•  classroom follow-up ideas 

Giving teachers resources they can continue using after the visit.

🎤 The Bigger Goal

The ultimate goal of every visit is simple:
To help students leave feeling inspired, creative, and excited to tell their own stories.

For bookings, contact us at itchygooneybooks@gmail.com

Download a copy of Mark's program to share with your school and colleagues.