Rainey and Jazz the DreamDog® Live!

Storytelling by Rainey in your school makes Jazz the DreamDog and Monsters in Your Bed…Monsters in Your Head come to life by engaging your students through:

• Listening to a fun, educational and inspiring story through a very interactive and uplifting style that is unique to "Rainey."
• Participatory games where the children act out the different roles in the book, play rhyming games and even create a group story of their own.
• Doing fun drawing and illustration exercises that make all the kids smile.
• Learning about how a children's picture book is made.
• Sharing thoughts and ideas triggered by the book.
• Meeting and petting Jazz the DreamDog (if your school policies allow Jazz to join Rainey for storytime!)
• Much, much more…

Keep reading to find out how Rainey will work with your school
to have one of your best storytelling experiences ever!

Notes from Rainey on the DreamDog Storytelling Program:

I like to tailor my talks to the topics that you are currently discussing or studying. There are so many different topics we can cover that I usually work with each school to individualize the program to meet your needs. Some of the topics I have done before include:

1) The Writing Process -

• Coming up with ideas for my books
• Developing characters
• Finding a voice when you are writing
• Creating conflict/resolution
• Doing the rewrites - the crucial step

In this workshop we play lots of games together, such as making up our own add on story and developing our own characters.

2) Turning Ideas into Books -- This is a program demonstrating the process and many steps a book goes through before you actually hold something in your hands.

I bring my sketches from my first meeting with Betsy (the artist for DreamDog Press) and her layouts.

• We discuss creating a flow for the story and illustrations to go together. (I even show secrets that are woven into the illustrations from my real life!)
• Students get to see the press sheets to show them what the book looks like straight off the press before it is cut into pages and bound.
• We look at the printing process with F&Gs (folded and gathered sheets before they are bound into books).

3) Fears and How to Let Go of Them -
This is an interactive workshop that works best with smaller groups. It is very interactive and everyone gets a chance to share their fears and what steps they have taken to deal with them. Together we explore new options and ideas for saying good-bye to our fears (nighttime fears and other fears, in general). Children have some great ideas and hopefully help each other through these talks.

4) Helping the Homeless and Ways we Can All Make a Difference in Our World
This is usually combined with other workshop topics and students have been inspired to have school clothing drives and food drives as a result of our discussions. It is important for all of us to be aware of how fortunate we are and ways we can help those who need it in our own communities. (One school in CT created Valentines and took them to a local family shelter.) All kinds of wonderful ideas are generated through this topic.

5) "The Magic is in You!"™
In this workshop, we discuss the special, unique parts of each of us. We all possess some quality that is our own special gift to share. We tap into those gifts and have children thinking of their unique positive characteristics and reveling in their individuality. This is a real "feel good, positive, learn to love your differences" discussion that is so important for fragile, young developing egos. This is a real self-esteem builder.

Audience Size:
I think that smaller groups are more conducive to discussion and interaction, two things that characterize my school visits. It is helpful if we have assemblies by grade rather than by number. That is, all the first graders together rather than everyone in one hallway, etc.

I really like to get to know the students and hear what they have to say. It is an important part of the DreamDog philosophy not to just talk to children but to provide an opportunity for them to speak and for us to really listen. This is one of the core ideas to opening the dialogue on many of the important social and psychological issues addressed in our books. And, it is important that children are able to express themselves and know that their ideas are being heard with respect and interest and enthusiasm.

It's great if students can sit around me on the floor in an informal setting. It's easier to grab hugs on the way out, rather than being on stage in an auditorium. (But, we can do that, too.)

Note: Although my books are targeted to children ages 3-10, I have also given speeches to older students on a number of topics, including:

1) Deciding What to Be When You Grow-up: This is a great seminar for high school and even college-age students. As many of you know, I was an attorney for many years before becoming an author. This workshop discusses the many factors that influence what we do with our lives, how to make changes and transitions, how to find something you love to do, finding joy in your life and your job, and knowing that no job or career is forever.

2) Moving Beyond Fear: Although the first book deals with nighttime fears, I have used the theme to discuss fears of all kinds. Fear of Change, Fear of Becoming an Adult (Yuk!) and Fear of the Unknown are all common problems students face at different stages in their lives. We can talk through some of these demons and bring them into the light, where they are not so frightening.

3) Tapping into Your Creative Side: Who would have ever thought that an attorney had this in her? Through this hands-on seminar, we explore how to reach your creative side and what to do once you get there!

Teacher and Parent Workshops also available.

Length of Programs:
Each of the programs discussed in approximately 50 minutes to one hour depending on class time. The longer the time, the more Q&A we can do together.

One of the things I love best about being an author and storyteller is the opportunity to meet and talk to all of you. It is so great to:

• hear what you think of my story
• find out what were your favorite parts
• learn which characters you liked best and why
• see how you act out certain characters as we read the story together
• discuss some of your nighttime fears and what you do to say good-bye to them
• talk about what things you do to help others in your community, etc.

I have lots of questions to ask you…probably as many as you might have for me! I'd love to come and talk with you. Just follow these steps and we'll have a wonderful visit!!!

Here are some things you can do to help prepare for my visit:

1. Make sure your school library has plenty of my books so you can check them out and be ready for Q&A time when I'm there.
2. Have your school librarian or teacher read my book to all classes that will attend my assemblies.
3. Give your students fun assignments related to the concepts and themes addressed in my book. (See, Note to Parents and Teachers at the back of the book).
4. Arrange to have my books available for students to buy and have autographed and paw-o-graphed. I can come to the school with the books already autographed if I have the names of all students purchasing books at least one week in advance. That way, students will not have to wait in a line or miss any classes. (If this is not possible, I will stay at the school and sign the books after the assemblies, and the students can get them the following day.)

How to order my books for the visit:

1) Order your books directly through me. Call me at (703) 535-1545 to discuss a school discount.
2) Order the books through a wholesaler if this is the way your librarian prefers. If you have not done this before, I don't advise it as it takes several weeks to set up an account and books must be ordered several months in advance.
3) Order the books through a local bookstore. Again, you will need to contact the bookstore manager well in advance of my visit so they can have enough books available. Most stores require a six to ten week lead-time.
(The books are available through Barnes and Noble, Borders, Amazon.com, or through our website. Plus, if there is an independent bookstore in your area, please let me know. We would love for them to carry the DreamDog series.)

Cost of my Visit:
1) One assembly (This is usually for just one grade) $150
2) Half day $250
3) Full day $400

Please call me for rates out of the DC/VA/MD region (as we will need to include travel expenses).

If you have any questions or to schedule a visit,
call us at DreamDog Press 

(703) 535-1545,

Or E-mail us.

Jazz and I can't wait to meet all of you.
Until then, remember: "The Magic is in You!"™