Virtual Visits
Aimée will spend up to an hour via Zoom, Skype, or Google Meet with your students, patrons, or book club members in grades K-5 and older.
She prefers that group size be limited to roughly 30 students so she can see the faces of the students who are asking the questions … and they can in turn see her face. Students presentations may be in school or home school.
When you book a virtual visit, we will mail you a set of four (4) of Aimée’s books for your classroom or library. Please read one or two of these books with your students before Aimée’s presentation so they can ask questions about the books’ content.
As you can see below, Aimée offers virtual visits on three different topics (all of which can be adjusted to suit the ages of your students). Choose the topic that works best for you!
Please contact Winding Oak so we can work with you to set the date, as well as a connection testing date beforehand. We can send you technical guidelines, as well as a pre-visit activity for your students, once we know that you’d like to proceed.
Let Nature Inspire Your Writing!
In this interactive session, Aimée will talk with students about how she uses nature to inspire her writing—both fiction and nonfiction—and how they can, too. Students will share the results of their pre-visit assignment (a simple prompt that will get them thinking about nature-based ideas for their writing). Aimée will also read one of her picture books with the group. A bibliography of nature themed books will be provided to teachers after the visit.
Everyday Heroes—Bringing History to Life
In this interactive session, Aimée will talk with students about her love for nonfiction —especially stories about “Everyday Heroes,” people who made a difference for their families and communities through the work they did. Students will share the results of their pre-visit assignment (a simple prompt that will encourage them to identify their own “Everyday Hero”). Aimée will also read one of her picture books with the group and discuss some guidelines for researching and writing nonfiction.
A bibliography of “Everyday Hero” books will be provided to teachers after the visit.
Fun with “If-Then” Stories—Tall Tales and Imaginative Play
In this presentation, Aimée will explore “If-Then” stories like Laura Numeroff’s If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, David LaRochelle’s The End, and her own Do Not Rake Your Garden in a Party Dress. We’ll talk about the structure of these stories and why it is important to turn off our “internal editors” when we brainstorm. Students will use the result of their pre-visit assignment (a short list of plot, setting, and character ideas they create) to come up with the basis of their own “If-Then” story. Teachers will be provided with a lesson plan after Aimée’s visit that will help students continue their work with regard to predictive storytelling and sequencing.
Fee Structure
Full-Day Visit: $1,000 for three 45- to 60-minute sessions with up to 50 students. A lunchtime conversation with a small group can be added within this fee.
Individual Presentations: $300 for one 45- to 60- minute interactive session with up to 50 students. $500 for one 45- to 60-minute presentation to more than 50 students.
Professional Development Workshops: $500 per hour, no limit to audience size
Aimée Bissonette
Photo credit: Erik Bell,
Sarah Pierce Photography
