Q & A's

Questions & Answers

PLEASE NOTE: I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that I no longer visit schools outside of New Jersey and the suburbs of Philadelphia. The good news is that I have put my school visit on DVD for schools I can't visit personally.

The DVD includes my talk for grades 1-3 about the My Weird School series, my talk for grades 3-6 about the baseball card adventure series, a slide show titled "A Day In The Life Of An Author, and me reading my picture book "Casey Back At Bat" for grades K-1. Plus, a few bonus features.

If you're interested in watching a two-minute preview of the DVD, click here. And if you're interested in purchasing the DVD for your school, send me an email at dvd@dangutman.com.

Lots of authors visit schools. Why should we invite YOU?
Because nobody does what I do. I write books mostly about sports, and kids are sports nuts. By tapping into something they are already fascinated by, kids become drawn into my presentation immediately and it makes an impact. Besides sparking their interest in reading and writing, they will learn about taking the initiative, handling rejection, and following their dreams. I don't just come to schools to plug my books (Well, I do that, too!).
Many of our girls don't like baseball or basketball. Won't they be bored?
No! Nearly all my books have a major female character, and The Million Dollar Kick is my first book in which the main character is a girl. Girls will also particularly appreciate Mickey & Me, The Get Rich Quick Club, The Homework Machine, and The Million Dollar Goal.
What children's books have you written?
Click on Dan's Books for a complete list and description of my books.
What grade level are your books aimed at?
There are no firm rules, because not all kids read at the same level in one grade. But here's a rough guideline...
- Beginning readers: Babe Ruth and the Ice Cream Mess, Jackie Robinson and the Big Game, They Came from Centerfield, Funny Boy (series), Tales from the Sandlot (series), My Weird School (series), Casey Back at Bat.
- Middle readers: The Kid Who Ran For President, The Kid Who Became President, The Million Dollar Shot, Honus & Me (and the rest of the series), The Get Rich Quick Club, The Homework Machine.
- Advanced readers: Johnny Hangtime, Race for the Sky, Qwerty Stevens (series), Virtually Perfect, Getting Air, The Secret Life of Dr. Demented, Nightmare at the Book Fair.
What is your fee?
$1,500 for a full day at your school in New Jersey. Outside of New Jersey, I charge $2,000.
Will you do a half-day program for a reduced fee?
No, but if you team up with a nearby school, I will visit one in the morning and the other in the afternoon. The fee for the day is the same, and I will do a maximum of two programs at each school.
Do you charge for your expenses?
If I have to drive an hour and a half or more from my home to get to your school, I may request that you put me up in an inexpensive motel the night before. I don't want morning traffic to spoil the day at your school.
How long is your presentation? How do you structure it?
I talk for 45-50 minutes. For grades 1 and 2, I keep it a little shorter. The presentation is in three segments:
How many presentations will you do in a day?
Preferably three, but I will do four if absolutely necessary.
Do you read from your books?
Only to the Kindergarten classes.
How many students do you like to speak to at once?
I've done 20 and I've done 400. The key is the room. I can do around 100 in a library setting, more in an amphitheater. Gyms usually don't work very well regardless of the number of kids, and the worst is a cafeteria with those big tables in the way. I like the kids sitting on the floor, as close to me as possible. I think the ideal size is about 100 kids.
Do you do small group workshops too?
Yes, I'll take 15-25 kids (or one class) and create a story with them in half an hour. If I do four presentations, however, there usually isn't time for small group workshops. I could do two large group presentations in the morning and three or four workshops in the afternoon. Let's talk about that.
Will you go into classrooms to chat informally with the kids?
Sure, if there is time. But there is question & answer time at the end of the assembly.
Is your presentation appropriate for all grades?
To be honest, my strength is grades 3-5. I do a thirty minute assembly for grades 1-2, but they are my toughest audience. I can't seem to hold their attention very well (who can, right?). I love to pop into a kindergarten class for fifteen minutes to read them one of my picture books, but they don't have the attention span to sit through an assembly unless you sing and dance, neither of which I do. A typical K-6 school will have me do three assemblies (grades 1-2, 3-4, 5-6) plus one or two kindergarten pop-ins. I do NOT do grade 7 or higher.

Can you give us some references? Sure.

Judy High: 215-233-6000	Shelley Riskin: 847-657-2749
Anne Shimojima: 847-433-0155	Sylvie Thorstensen: 856-858-2855
Judy Witte: 201-848-5727	Annette Guenther: 908-730-9021
Sal Cusmano: 201-843-8664	Lucille Hager: 215-428-4256
Adam Bloom: 215-321-2410	Debbie Dodd: 732-505-5920
Anne Avignone: 732-793-8485	Melissa Messerall: 856-429-2058
Cathy Gomber: 908-508-9651	Barbara Curtin: 908-696-1635
Linda Seidman: 201-785-2301	Pat Pavlak: 908-709-6262
Dell Dimmerling: 610-041-0426	Sue Rikkola: 908-766-0622
Diane Whitney: 630-894-4454	Margaret Best: 201-670-2740
Laura Tom: 732-821-7478	Chitra Ravichandran: 732-297-2941
Ann D’Innocenzo: 973-379-4550	Trisha Noble: 201-848-5730
Marie Mazzeo: 973-535-8000	Heather Sekela: 609-898-9473
Norma Shropshire: 609-898-9003	Karen Bloemker: 484-266-2108

Do you need any equipment?
Yes. A screen on which to project slides, an extension cord, cart, microphone, and a long table (or surface such as a stage I can display things on). If I fly or take a train to your school, I ask you to supply a carousel-style slide projector, so I don't have to bring my own. For my grade 1-2 assembly, I need a large easel with a piece of blank paper on it, and a thick marker.
Do you have a teacher's guide?
Yes. Click on the blue words above to see it. I will also send one in advance of my visit.
How do we arrange for students to purchase your books?
Two easy ways:
1. Talk to your local bookstore, who can make all arrangements and handle the sales. Ask the store for their school event discount.
2. Work directly with the publishers. I will send you information and a sample order form you can send home with the students four weeks in advance of my visit. You order the books you need directly from my publishers by phone, and have them shipped to you. My publishers offer a 40% discount to schools. Usually there is no minimum order, no shipping charge, and unsold books can be returned at no charge (except postage). Publishers discounts are higher on direct orders, as there is no middleman to handle the ordering, billing and returns.
In either case, I autograph the books on the day of my visit.
Will you autograph things besides your books?
I would rather not, but if kids ask and there is time, I won't say no. I will send autographed bookmarks you can photocopy and give away. Signing a bunch of scraps of paper takes up a lot of time that could be going toward learning.
What can we do to get the students excited about your visit?
Throw a sports day when I visit. Have the kids wear t-shirts with their favorite teams on them. Assign them to read sports books, write sports stories, make posters, banners, and prepare questions for me. Invite 5-10 kids to have "lunch with the author." I will send you more suggestions when you invite me to your school.
How far in advance should we contact you?
Six months to a year, if possible. I usually book up the next school year between January and May.
How do I reach you?
The best way is by Email (also go to the About Dan section or dangut@comcast.net).
How do I pronounce your name?
"Gut" as in "cut;" not, "Goot" as in 'boot."