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Betty Tatham

School and Library visits are my favorite “author activities.” While directing the YWCA of Bucks County, I wrote my first children’s book Penguin Chick in 1996 and it was published by HarperCollins in 2002. I have written four additional science books: How Animals Shed Their Skin, How Animals Communicate and How Animals Play, published by Franklin Watts, Scholastic in 2002 and 2004. Sea Otter will be published by Henry Holt in 2005. At the YWCA I designed and implemented reading, writing and tutoring programs that help more than 500 children each year to improve school performance. I retired in 2003 to make writing for children, school visits and other presentations a full time career.

School Visits

I like to customize presentations to meet the needs of each school. The
following programs have been popular with students, teachers and librarians:

All Five Elementary School Grades
Two interactive assembly programs followed by classroom visits. Power Point
presentation of Penguin Chick and photographs of emperor penguins in
Antarctica for both groups, followed by discussion of the publishing process.
Older students also see photographs and hear excerpts from my Scholastic
books (for students in grades 4 to 8). Discussions focus on science, research
and language arts. Younger children discuss science facts, how to find ideas
and what makes a book exciting. “Penguin activities.” are also popular.

One or Two Grades Only
One interactive assembly program for all the children in a specific age group
(Power Point, similar to above). Classroom visits are customized to the
students’ curriculum (penguins, Antarctica, reptiles, birds and flight,
endangered species, animal habitats, the food chain, etc.). With a
strong focus on language arts, research and writing/story telling skills, this
program is suitable for students in grades K – 8.

Junior High or Middle School Students
In an interactive assembly program, I read excerpts and show slides
(Power Point) of photographs from the three Scholastic science books.
Discussions focus on science facts (animal communication,
play behavior, the dangers some animals face while molting and how
animals get their food and defend themselves. Classroom or small group
discussions center on the writing and publishing process, including role of the
author, editor, experts and acquisitions committee, re-writing and rejection slips.

Other Presentations at:
Conferences, seminars, workshops, library special events, science centers,
aquariums, etc. Presentations are customized to suit audience interest.

Honors Received by Penguin Chick
Part of the award winning Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science book series,
Penguin Chick received the following honors in 2003: A “Best Children’s
Book of the Year” (Children’s Book Committee at Bank Street College of
Education), Governor McGreevey’s Book of the Month (February),
“Outstanding Science Trade Book of 2003” (National Science Teachers
Association), One of 150 Award Winning Top Choices (Children’s
Literature Choice List), “Editor’s Choice” (Early Trumpet Book Club).
Penguin Chick is available through traditional and on-line bookstores,
Scholastic Book Clubs and the Children’s Book of the Month Club.
It will also be published by Scott Foresman in a reading textbook for
third grade students.

Want more information?

Call Betty Tatham
215-860-5223 or e-mail me through my website www.bettytatham.com

To Order My Books
Both on-line and traditional bookstores carry my books.
For schools and libraries who order directly from the publishers:
HarperCollins 1-800-242-7737
Penguin Chick, 2002
ISBN 0-06-028594-X (h.cr.) ISBN 0-06-028595-8 (lib. bdg.)
ISBN 0-06-445206-9 (pbk.)

Franklin Watts, Scholastic 1-800- 621-1115
How Animals Communicate, 2004 ISBN 0-531-12167-4 (lib. bdg.)
How Animals Play, 2004 ISBN 0-531-12173-9 (lib. bdg.)
How Animals Shed Their Skin, 2002 ISBN 0-531-12042-2 (lib. bdg.)
ISBN 0-531-16590-6 (pbk.)

Coming next:
Sea Otter, Fall 2005, Henry Holt Books for Young Readers

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