[tx-yac] Will Weaver: TX and AZ School Visits Spring 2010

[BalkinBuddies at aol.com]

Will Weaver, author of such popular  titles as Striking Out, Memory Boy, 
and Full Service, has begun a new “Motor  Novels” series on dirt track 
racing. Saturday Night Dirt came out in April  2008 and in 2009 was named an 
American Library Association’s 2009 Quick Pick for  Reluctant Young Adult 
Readers. According to Children's Literature, "the excitement  and drama of dirt 
track racing comes to life in this intense novel....Weaver  uses enough 
mechanics and racing lingo to create authenticity yet never so much  to cause 
boredom or confusion for someone who does not know the difference  between a 
carburetor and a crankshaft. Racing fans will zip through this  fast-paced 
book."  The sequel, Super Stock Rookie, is recently out, and  a third, Checkered 
Flag Cheater, is  slated for 2010. 
To call attention to reading in  general and the “Motor Novels” in 
particular, Weaver has formed a stock car team  complete with a teenage driver. He 
takes the car to schools and libraries. In  his presentations, he talks 
about the process of writing a novel, how a novel is  published, and the value 
of reading – along with a message of positive  life-style choices, such as 
staying in school. The Team Weaver No. 16  “Bookmobile” stock car is the hook 
to draw in reluctant readers. Part of  Weaver's message is that it's okay 
to be a reader, that writing is not a miracle  but a process, and there's a 
good book out there for everyone -- it's just a  matter of finding it. His 
focus is on teen literacy, and his presentations are  interactive with lots of 
Q & A with the students.  The model for his presentations is the  good 
old-fashioned *show and tell.*  Students get a look at a real race car during 
sessions that are tailored  to individual school or library needs. Weaver is 
breaking new ground with this  unique approach to books and reading.  
Weaver has a son in Austin and so is particularly interested in a trip to  
Texas – perhaps in Spring 2010, and would like  to do a school tour with the 
race car if Austin area schools are interested. Four or  five schools would 
be needed to make the trip feasible. Weaver could visit one  or two schools 
a day for 2 or more days, depending on distance and time, and  could stop 
in each school for a half hour stop. Expenses would include gas  mileage from 
his home in Minnesota, hotel, and meals. Also hotel and  meals for the 
driver, if he brings him along. His fee is $1,500 a day, plus  expenses, all of 
which could be split among the schools. 
You can see his race car, and check  out his racing blog (with photos) that 
has hundreds of new visitors weekly, plus  see a race in action on Youtube 
when you visit  willweaverbooks. 
Weaver will also be in Phoenix, AZ on March 27, 2010 to be a judge at 
YALSA's  WrestleMania. If area schools are interested in having him do a school 
visit  while he is there, please let us know. 
Any interested schools in TX or AZ  should contact Catherine Balkin of 
Balkin Buddies as soon as possible, and be  sure to include what date(s) work 
best for you. Catherine can be reached at  telephone 718 857 7605 or email her 
at Catherine at BalkinBuddies.com or _BalkinBuddies at aol.com_ 
(mailto:BalkinBuddies at aol.com) . 
Thank you for your  attention.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.tsl.state.tx.us/pipermail/tx-yac/attachments/20090914/0259f928/attachment.htm