Book Me!

Yes, I would love to share my books and my process at your school, library, or event. Whether in front of a large assembly, a classroom, or a barn filled with cardboard, I look forward to brainstorming with you and building fun, dynamic presentations that fit any age audience.

School Presentations for Kids can be scaled up or down depending on AV availability and audience size and run approximately 45 min. I share my path to becoming an author-illustrator, read of one of my books and share a behind the scenes look at the process of its creation. I discuss how I take inspiration from my real life, embrace my mistakes, revise and enrich my ideas through research. Presentations include interactive props (full-sized polar bear, anyone?) movement breaks and encouraged participation to keep kids interested and inspired. I end with a drawing demonstration focussing on the fun of drawing by scribbling first and worrying later, and a Q and A. Presentations can be paired with a simplified art workshop for classroom settings. I am happy to sign and personalize books at all appearances and encourage pre-ordering from your local independent bookstore.

Fraidyzoo Costume Workshops are an exploration in costume/mask making using recycled materials. They encourage imagination and ingenuity, finding what you need in what you have and prioritize personal expression over perfection. Workshops can be organized in classrooms or event spaces, and adjusted for any age group depending on time, resources, and the mess tolerance of the working space. In classroom settings with ages 4 and up,  I demonstrate how three simple steps transform a flat shape into a 3D horse head and they use this template as a jumping off point towards their own ideas. Simple coloring tools, scissors, hole punch and pipe cleaners are the minimum that is required. Workshops with older kids (8 and up) are successful with more time and space, and include a larger variety of construction, coloring and transformation materials. Participants are encouraged to go completely wild.

Presentations for Teens and Adults are a deep dive into creative problem solving and the development of an idea through the sketch dummy process into the finished book. I share more from my experience as a storyboard artist for the film industry and show how those skills are employed to convey action, mood and humor and how the process of storyboarding and revision can help break a story in any medium, wide open. Presentations can be paired with workshops on storyboarding film clips as a way to dissect composition and the success or failures of a visual narrative.

Full Day School Visits include up to three 45 min-1 hr presentations, or two 1 hour presentation/simplified workshop combos.

Half Day Visits of 1 presentation/simplified workshop can be scheduled in the New York City area

Please contact thyraheder.events@gmail.com for fees and availability.

Thyra brings a perfect blend of talent, enthusiasm, and approachability to her events. She is a joy to work with; we especially appreciated her flexibility in creating a wonderful “make-art-with-the-illustrator” workshop for our children’s book festival. 

– Jo Ann Dent, Co-Chair & Founder, Sheboygan Children & Teen’s Book Festival

Thyra captivates the children she visits not only with her whimsical stories and enthusiasm but also through her ability to reveal the magic behind her illustrations. Thyra's interactive drawing sessions build upon the children's curiosity and excites them to take a closer look at the story told through the illustrations. 

– Myra Hernandez, Program Coordinator, Behind The Book