Authors in Schools Poets

Bring Bruce Lansky to Your School!

Called “The King of Giggle Poetry” by his fans, Bruce Lansky is the creator of the popular GigglePoetry.com website and author/editor of humorous poetry books that have sold over three million copies. Based in Minnesota, Bruce has performed workshops and assemblies at more than 500 elementary and middle schools from coast to coast and has been a featured speaker at scores of reading and media conferences. Bruce teaches students how to write several kinds of poems using rhyme and free verse. His interactive program gives students a chance to create and perform poems. Students learn how much fun it can be to read and write poetry. Students are so inspired, Bruce often receives bags and boxes of poems and thank-you notes from students he has inspired—sometimes before he’s even left the school!

Home: Minneapolis, MN

Travels to: Bruce travels nationally, but often visits the New York metro area, Colorado, Arizona, and Florida.

Bruce is the author of: My Dog Ate My Homework! (Meadowbrook Press) and If Pigs Could Fly... And Other Deep Thoughts (Meadowbrook Press).

Rates

One Full-Day Visit (for schools within Minnesota): $1,000 plus travel expenses*

Evening Event (for schools within Minnesota): $250 plus travel expenses

Two-Day Residency: $2,600 plus travel expenses
Three-Day Residency: $3,750 plus travel expenses
Evening Event: $400 plus travel expenses (available only when booked in conjunction with a school visit)

*PLEASE NOTE: One-Day Visits are only available within Minnesota. All out-of-state visits must be a minimum of two full-days in length. Team up with schools in your area to split the cost of the visit fee and travel expenses!

Click here to get started on planning your visit!

Biography

Bruce Lansky is an internationally known poet and anthologist. He has a passion for getting children excited about reading and writing poetry. His respect for children is so great, they play an integral part in choosing poems for his poetry collections. Not surprisingly, Lansky's poetry books—including Mary Had a Little Jam, If Kids Ruled the School, and Kids Pick the Funniest Poems—are currently among America's best-selling children's poetry books. He is also the editor of the middle-grade fiction anthology, The Best of Girls to the Rescue. Bruce is the creator of GigglePoetry.com, the number one poetry web site for kids. Called “The King of Giggle Poetry,” by his fans, Lansky’s poetry books have sold over two million copies. Lansky has performed in more than five hundred schools from coast to coast and has shared his creativity, humor, and inspiration at scores of teacher conferences.

Click here to read an interview with Bruce Lansky!

Event Description

Bruce’s interactive presentation style and entertaining poems motivate children to read, perform, and write their own poetry. Bruce gets children and their teachers involved in his programs by giving them opportunities to suggest words or rhymes to complete poems and to perform poems in front of the group. The positive reinforcement they receive from Bruce and the audience motivates them to read and write more.

During four to six action-packed workshop sessions, “The King of Giggle Poetry” teaches elementary- and middle-schoolers how to write many kinds of rhymed and unrhymed poems. By the time he leaves a school, kids think reading and writing poetry are fun. Teachers tell him that students who’d never been interested in reading and writing suddenly can’t get their noses out of his books!

Bruce offers two presentations when he visits schools. Equipped with his guitar and wacky sense of humor, he usually kicks off the day with his “Giggle Poetry Concert”—an interactive and entertaining 45-minute large group assembly for either the entire school or two groups broken into younger and older students (i.e. K – 2^nd grade & 3^rd – 6^th grade). During the “Giggle Poetry Concert,” Bruce introduces himself and his work, while simultaneously getting students (and teachers!) excited about poetry with various poetry activities. Following the assembly, Bruce offers smaller group poetry writing workshops (usually to one grade level at a time or multiple classes grouped together), in which he talks about the relationship between rhythm and rhyme. Using his own zany poetry as a springboard for discussion, he’ll help students write original works.

Click here to get started on planning your visit!

Sample Poem

Mind Your Manners

Don't drum on the table.
Don't play with your food.
Don't talk while you're chewing;
it's terribly rude.

Don't leave the fridge open.
Don't slam the screen door.
Don't throw dirty laundry
all over the floor.

Don't fight with your brother.
Don't pull the cat's tail.
Don't open your big sister's
personal mail.

Don't pester your parents.
Don't stick out your tongue.
Don't do what your parents did
when they were young.

Testimonials

“It was a pleasure to meet Bruce. The teachers were so happy to have him at our conference. Tell him to keep doing what he is doing! He is fantastic!”

—Val VanHorssen, SDRC Conference Chair, 2009 South Dakota Reading Council Conference, Sioux Falls, SD

“Bruce Lansky was the best author visit we've ever had—and we've had lots!”
—Toni Ann Schmitt, Teacher, John M. Marshall Elementary School, East Hampton, NY

“Bruce got the kids excited about writing. Sometimes we'll have programs just for entertainment, but this fostered the kids' creativity as well. There was a lot of audience participation. He got the kids and parents up reciting the poems.”
—Holly Kirsten, Youth Services Librarian, Ashley Elementary School, New Baltimore, MI

“The 2009 Illinois Reading Council Conference, Reading! Engage! Excite! Ignite!, was a huge success thanks to people like Bruce who contributed so much to the excellent program. The 2009 IRC Planning Committee appreciates his willingness to share his time and expertise with the teachers in Illinois. I heard nothing but great comments about Bruce's presentations. We were delighted to have him as a featured speaker this year at our conference.”
—Arlene Pennie, IRC Executive Director, 2009 Illinois Reading Council Conference, Springfield, IL

“All the teachers and students in our elementary schools enjoyed Bruce Lansky's presentation immensely. The students are writing, writing, and writing! Just what we had hoped for!”
—Dawn Ackley, Teacher, Adams & Cleveland Elementary Schools, Fergus Falls, MN

“The day was a huge success. Bruce had 'rock star' status!”
—Rebecca Shoniker, Literacy Facilitator, Wesley Chapel Elementary, Monroe, NC

“We really appreciated the writing sessions in which Bruce taught the students how to count beats in a poem and determine rhythm. Our students don't have enough opportunities to write, so this was great!”
—Dr. Judy Sweetman, "Author's Day" Coordinator, Northwest Area Education Agency (AEA), Sioux City, IA

“We thank Bruce so much for being a part of the Colorado Conference of the IRA this year. We truly enjoyed his singing, outrageous poetry, and ability to make those around him smile! What a gift.”
—Patsy Thompson, Librarian, Bell Middle School, Golden, CO

“It was awesome because Mr. Lansky was funny, very funny! I love his poems.”
—Nehemiah Rogers, Fourth Grade Student, Jones Elementary School, Portage, IN

“Bruce Lansky's poetry is the only thing some of my 5^th and 6^th grade students will read!”
—Mary Lou Benesch, Teacher, Dodge Elementary School, Dodge, NE

“Bruce Lansky is easily the best author we've ever had in our school.”
—Laura Reiman, Media Specialist, Columbine Hills Elementary School, Columbine, CO

“The kids, teachers—EVERYONE—absolutely loved what Bruce did. I am so impressed that everyone, of all ages, was able to be successful and involved with him. We had a wonderful day.”
—Nancy Martin, Teacher, Grover Heights Elementary School, Grover Beach, CA

“Bruce is the best author we’ve ever had at our school!”
—Loel Olson, 5th Grade Teacher, Luverne Elementary School, Luverne, MN

“My students absolutely love Bruce’s books. Some of my boys were very reluctant readers at the beginning of the year. When I read them a couple of his poems and they started to giggle, I knew that I had them! They were hooked.”
—Etna Osetek, Starlight Cove Elementary School, Lantana, FL

“Wow. Neat. The Bomb. Great. Cool. Zany. Awesome. Fantastic. Unbelievable. Zowie. These are just a few of the words that the kids used to describe Bruce. What a perfect way to celebrate writing. I'm looking forward to next year and having him back.”
—Leslie Green, Rice Lake Elementary School, Maple Grove, MN

“I don't think we have had an author come to our school who has made such a lasting impression. The students are wanting to write poems in art, in music, and in their homerooms. There have been some really good poems that have been written because of Bruce.”
—Jan Gallagher, Media Specialist, Rogers Elementary School, Rogers, MN

“Bruce Lansky came to our school! What now? It will be hard to find anyone to follow his act. Students, staff, and parents described his visit as follows: He gave 100 percent to our students; he enjoys his work; he was awesome, energetic, dynamic, enthusiastic, inspiring. Our circulation of poetry has tripled since Mr. Lansky's visit. His Poetry Workshop motivated and inspired our students’ curiosity about poetry. A huge thanks to Mr. Lansky for coming to Heritage Elementary. We will remember him and his poems for a long time. We hope to see him again someday.”
—Virginia Burns, Grapevine, TX

“Kids begin to realize that Lansky is in their world. It's a world of logical, orderly nonsense and cheerful frankness that most grownups have traded in for easy platitudes, cliches, and euphemisms—weak attempts, perhaps, to make sense of the delightful, frightening, comforting nonsense that is life. But their world is more fun—and probably more real and true.”
—Tribune, November 12, 2000, Detroit Lakes, MN

“Thanks for the fun and inspiring poetry lesson! We got so busy creating rhymes after Bruce’s workshop that we forgot to go to gym!”
—Mary Christie Williams, Linden Elementary School, Linden, NJ

“Since my tenure here, I remember no other individual having such a positive influence on our students as Bruce did.”
—Sue Ann Wendover, Parkway Elementary School, Miami, FL

“Bruce showed our students how reading poetry can enrich their lives.”
—Maureen Granger, McCleery Elementary School, Aurora, IL

“The children were enthralled. Bruce is truly a caring, loving, and exciting author.”
—Debra Smith, Gashland Elementary School, Kansas City, MO

“With Bruce's presence, a writing exercise becomes fun and motivating.”
—John Calligan, Sherwood Forest Elementary School, Federal Way, WA

“Bruce makes the kids feel so special by the way he includes them in his poetry.”
—Carol Larson, Mississippi Elementary School, Coon Rapids, MN

“Bruce Lansky's poetry inspires both teachers and students. His poetry is a great way to help inspire children to become involved and interested in their own writing. Long after his visit, the children continued to read and write poetry. The children are still reciting their favorite poems and, of course, laughing the whole time.”
—Creative Writing Teacher, Jersey Community Charter School, Jersey City, NJ

“Bruce was fantastic. He motivated some of our most reluctant writers. Many went back to their classrooms eager to write poetry.”
—Teresa Joiner, West Zephyrhills Elementary School, Zephyrhills, FL

“When Bruce Lansky speaks to you at a crowded conference, he makes you feel like you’re the only person in the room. His attentiveness and expertise inspire and entertain all who attend.”
—Kathy Froriep, Professor of Literacy, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ

“Bruce Lansky is easily the funniest poet on the planet”
—Georgia Reading Association

If you’re interested in booking an event with Bruce Lansky, please fill out the Speaker Visit Query form or contact our Author Appearance Manager at admin@authorsinschools.com. We look forward to working with you!