School & Library Visits
An experienced presenter, Sue Farrell Holler’s presentations are interactive, engaging and often humorous.
Presentations
Perseverance, hope and love in action are the hallmarks of Sue Farrell Holler’s work. An experienced presenter and workshop leader, her sessions are interactive, engaging and designed to get kids excited about reading, writing, and telling stories.
Sue uses props and digital photos to give a sense of the real people and places behind her stories. Whether it’s a group of Kindergarten kids sitting on the floor or senior high kids in a workshop, she always reads to the audience because, really, what’s better than having someone read you a story?
School & Library Visits
An experienced presenter, Sue Farrell Holler’s presentations are interactive, engaging and often humorous.
Presentations
Perseverance, hope and love in action are the hallmarks of Sue’s work. An experienced presenter and workshop leader, her sessions are interactive, engaging and designed to get kids excited about reading, writing, and telling stories.
Sue uses props and digital photos to give a sense of the real people and places behind her stories. Whether it’s a group of Kindergarten kids sitting on the floor or senior high kids in a workshop, she always reads to the audience because, really, what’s better than having someone read you a story?
Choose a Presentation
NEW! Grades K-3: The Penpal Three-Pack
Virtual Sessions Only: Includes 3 Author Visits
Looking for a unique way to inspire students to write? Have you ever thought of “adopting” an author?
The Penpal Three-Pack includes three 30-minute virtual author visits and at least three letters from Sue. Following each session, students are encouraged to write letters, stories or create drawings that are sent to the author who writes back to the class.
To maintain student motivation, author sessions are typically booked once per month in either the September-December term or January-May. (Individual classrooms only.)
An Edmonton teacher who took part in the pilot program last year described the series as bringing “excitement and anticipation” to her classroom as students practiced being authors themselves. “It was a powerful way to get kindergarten students to tell their important stories. Susan (Sue) became our special author friend, the kids looked forward to seeing her and getting letters back from her in the post,” says S. Ellett, Teacher.
Curricular Links
- Social studies – community, field trips, nature, FNMI, Ojibwemowin vocabulary
- Language arts – creating stories from real life, listening, reading, writing, sharing knowledge
- Health – empathy and understanding
- Science – how wild plants grow and change, animals of Alberta, animal identification
Grades K-3: Picture books – Finding Moose / Raven, Rabbit, Deer
Virtual Session: 30 Minutes (Choose one book)
In-Person Session: 60 Minutes (Both books)
“Finding Moose” is Sue’s newest picture book. Set in early spring, readers will recognize the characters from “Raven, Rabbit, Deer.” In this companion book, the grandfather and grandson search the woods for an elusive moose. Along the way, they find signs of spring, signs of moose and plenty of things that make them happy, but no moose. Or is the moose somewhere unexpected?
The “Finding Moose” virtual session includes a reading of the story complemented by photographs of the common wild plants and the telltale signs of moose. In-person sessions feature a display of actual plants. As with “Raven, Rabbit, Deer,” this book introduces vocabulary in the First Nations’ language of Ojibwemowin.
Set in winter, the “Raven, Rabbit, Deer” session includes a reading of the story about Grandpa and his grandson going for a woodland walk in which they greet the animals in English and in Ojibwemowin. Sue supplements the images in the book with photographs from one of her daily walks that show how animal tracks look in real life and discusses other ways to identify what animals might be hiding. In-person session includes a display of a rabbit skin, deer antlers, moose hair and feathers.
Curricular Links
- Social studies – community, field trips, nature, FNMI, Ojibwemowin vocabulary
- Language arts – creating stories from real life, listening, reading, sharing knowledge
- Health – empathy and understanding
- Science – how wild plants grow and change, animals of Alberta, animal identification, winter, spring
Grades K-3: Picture books – To the Post Office with Mama/To the Pool with Mama
Virtual Session: 30 Minutes (Choose 1 book)
In-Person Session: 60 Minutes (Both books)
With a combination of storytelling and reading from her picture books Sue brings students a message of perseverance and following your heart. “To the Post Office with Mama” and “To the Pool with Mama” are both set in rural Alberta.
Interspersed with reading her stories aloud, Sue talks about becoming a writer and her mother’s unfailing belief and encouragement.
If requested, for a Grade 3 class, she will read a section of “Lacey” which is set on the Siksika First Nation, rather than read a second picture book.
Curricular Links
- Social studies – community, mapping, field trips
- Science – using the senses, winter
- Language arts – creating stories, listening, reading, looking for visual clues
Grades 4-6: Lacey & the African Grandmothers
Virtual Session: 40 Minutes
In-Person Session: 60 Minutes
Set on the Siksika First Nation east of Calgary, “Lacey and the African Grandmothers” is based on the true story of a Blackfoot girl who uses her ingenuity and talents to help African women who are raising AIDS orphans.
This session is a strong introduction to First Nations’ culture. In addition to reading from her work, Sue will show photos of the real people and the real place behind the novel to aid discussion of what she learned while researching the story. In-person sessions include a display of the beautiful hand drum she received as a gift while writing “Lacey” and a smudge bowl.
Curricular Links
- Social studies –community, social justice, social action, globalization (global community), FNMI
- Language arts – oral storytelling, creating stories from real life, listening, reading
- Health – empathy and understanding
Grades 7-9 and 10-12: Cold White Sun
Virtual Session: 40 Minutes
In-Person Session: 60 Minutes
Empathy, understanding and seeking about us what is the same – rather than what is different – are the messages behind this session. Everyone has a story and sometimes the best thing we can do is listen and learn and find out what we have in common.
“Cold White Sun,” tells the story of a teenage refugee from Ethiopia who arrives in Calgary one cold spring evening. He is disoriented, alone and has no resources. Based on extensive research and intense interviews, this is an emotionally-charged novel that details Tesfaye’s life in Ethiopia, his eventual escape, and what happens to him in Canada.
As well as talking about the development and writing of this book, Sue uses photographs and an interactive and fun oral multiple choice quiz, “How much do you know about Africa?” to teach students and help them move beyond the stereotypes of what they think Africa – and particularly Ethiopia – is like.
Curricular Links
- Social studies –social justice, globalization (global community), politics, Africa/Ethiopia, refugees
- Language arts –creating fiction from real life events, writing, listening, reading
- Health – empathy and understanding
Grades 10-12 and Adult: Cold White Sun
Virtual Session: 40 Minutes
In-Person Session: 60 Minutes
The research and writing of “Cold White Sun” is the focus of this session in which Sue talks about how her awareness of Africa and the plight of refugees grew as she interviewed, researched and wrote about one refugee. This YA novel opened her eyes to her own culture and some of the difficulties newcomers face.
As well as talking about the development and writing of this book, Sue uses photographs and an interactive and fun oral multiple choice quiz, “How much do you know about Africa?” to teach students and help them move beyond the stereotypes of what they think Africa – and particularly Ethiopia – is like.
With broad experience as a journalist and author of picture books, middle grade and young adult novels, Sue is happy to respond to audience Q&A’s about “how-to” and careers in the literary arts.
Not every writer wants to be a novelist, but students who can write well need never be out of a job. If there is enough student interest, she will tailor a session specific to careers in writing – highlighting some jobs that students may not have considered.
Curricular Links
- Social studies –social justice, globalization (global community), political science, Africa/Ethiopia, refugees
- Language arts –creating fiction from real life events, writing, listening, reading
- Health – empathy and understanding
- CTS – careers in the literary arts
The Basics: All Grades to Adult
Virtual Session: 15 Minutes
Available to all grade levels and to adult audiences this is a bare bones basic Q & A session. It is best suited to a class that has read/studied one of her books, book clubs and those with a defined interest in writing.
There is no formal presentation. This is strictly a Q&A opportunity.
