Iowa Reading Association ESEA Title 1 Conference April 8-9, 2010
Confirmed Featured Speakers To Date Will Be:
Bob Kann
Storyteller/Juggler/Magician.
He has a Ph.D. in Curriculum in Instruction from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
He is an author of several children’s books including the Teacher’s Choice Award winning biography A Recipe for Success: Lizzie Kander and Her Cookbook. As an entertainer, he has performed for schools, libraries, performing arts centers, and festivals throughout the United States since 1982. He also works as a consultant for schools, universities, social service agencies, and other organizations on topics related to reading, humor, motivation, diversity, creativity, and storytelling. Bob usually can be found reading his favorite book on levitation. He can't put it down. He has a web site at www.bobkann.com
Eric Kimmel
Eric has wanted to be an author since he first discovered back in kindergarten that people called
authors make books. His first book came out in 1974. Since then he has published over fifty
titles, many of which have won numerous state awards, appeared on school and library
recommended lists, and won prestigious awards such as the Caldecott Honor Medal (Hershel
and the Hanukkah Goblins) and the Sydney Taylor Picture Book Award (The Chanukkah Guest
and Gershon’s Monster). His website is WWW.EricAKimmel.com
Kim Doner
Kim Doner is an artist who writes, illustrates, designs, teaches, and speaks professionally.
She is recognized asan award-winning author/illustrator of children’s books. Most often,
Kim is invited to speak at school and literaryconferences. Presentations are engineered for
age groups (ages 3 to 103), interests, and curriculum/situational needs. She shares tools she
uses to invent stories, build rhymes, develop characters, apply math, utilize science, design
scenes and maintain dogged optimism when things don’t go as planned (which is usually the case in any creative foray/attempt/mission). Her website is www.kimdoner.com
Warren Hanson
Warren Hanson is an artist, writer, speaker and musician. He is the illustrator of Tom Hegg’s
classic CHRISTMAS TEA and PEEF books, READING WITH DAD, TELL ME WHAT
WE DID TODAY, and many others. Warren is an accomplished writer. The simple message
of comfort in his book THE NEXT PLACE has brought peace and hope to over 600,000
people all across the country since its release in the fall of 1997. Warren is also a musician
and songwriter, with CDs entitled WAITING FOR THE WIND and CHRISTMAS & ALWAYS. He now has recorded readings of some of his most popular unpublished stories and poems for children and adults. He is a popular speaker for adult groups and elementary schools. He has spoken at reading and literacy conferences across the country, presented programs for hundreds of church groups, volunteer banquets and other gatherings, and has enlightened and delighted tens of thousands of school children. Warren is a native of Yankton, South Dakota. He now lives and works in Houston, Texas. His website is www.warrenhanson.com
Peter and Connie Roop
Peter Roop, a Wisconsin State Teacher of the Year, has been bringing books and children
together for over 30 years. He has written extensively for Cricket and Cobblestone
Magazines. He currently writes and speaks full-time. Last year he visited 22 states and
talked with over 50,000 students!
Connie Roop, a high school environmental science teacher, is a recipient of the Women Leaders in Education Award from the American Association of University Women and a Kohl Education Foundation Award for Exceptional Teaching. In 1997 and 1998 she led groups of students to Belize to study the rainforest.
Together, Connie and Peter have written 100 children's books ranging from historical fiction to nonfiction. Seven of their books are "Reading Rainbow" books, including Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie, a Feature Book. Their books have received recognition from the National Association of Science Teachers, National Council of Teachers of English, the Children's Book Council, and the American Library Association. They received Wisconsin's Laura Ingalls Wilder Book Award. They have presented over 800 workshops for students, educators and writers in 26 states. Their website is www.authorsillustrators.com/roop/roop.htm
These are just a few of the speakers who will be attending! Keep your eyes and ears open for news of others who are yet to be confirmed!
Be certain to put the dates on your calendar for next spring!