Want to Get Your K-5 Students Hyped to Read?
Then Bring Justin Colon To Your School!
Craig Amarando
Fourth Grade Teacher, JFK E.S., NY
I was so impressed with this presentation. The way Mr. Colon interacted with the students was phenomenal. All the students were engaged the entire time. The way he reenacted his book was truly amazing. He had students playing certain roles from the book. I loved the way he explained the process of making a book. JFK was lucky to have Mr. Colon come and visit. Some students came up to me after the show and said that was the best assembly ever!
Danielle Melia
Library Media Specialist, George A. Jackson E.S., NY
Justin was incredible. He was extremely well prepared. He set up the auditorium prior to the students walking in to spark interest and curiosity. His energy was contagious and he had every student participating. He had students up out of their seats, on the stage with him, and excited to ask and answer questions. The students asked for his books for weeks after and the teachers said it was one of the best guests we ever had at our school.
TISSA KING
Third Grade Teacher, Schwartz E.S., Oklahoma
Justin gave an amazing presentation. I loved the way he included many students and handed out prizes. He was engaging 100% of the time—no small feat for second and third graders! He delivered laughs, inspiration, and positivity to the students of our little school. Thank you, Justin!
Lisa Sumpter
Teacher, Schwartz E.S., Oklahoma
Amazing presentation. Exciting and engaging for the students. Would highly recommend.
Heather Cory
Library Media Specialist, Cleveland Bailey E.S., Oklahoma
Justin Colón was an excellent presenter! He had the kids and teachers engaged the whole time. The teachers and students are still raving about the visit days later!
LeAnn Hanna
Library Media Specialist, Schwartz E.S., Oklahoma
Justin Colón was an excellent presenter! He had the kids and teachers engaged the whole time. The teachers and students are still raving about the visit days later!
Heather Roe
Special Education K-5 Behavior Teacher, Del City E.S.
Justin was great!! He was so engaging for the kids, he kept the conversation flowing with different topics for the kids. He had a great sense of humor and made the kids laugh so much! He is a great author!
Jessica Ladoniczki
Library Media Specialist, Citrus Park E.S
Justin Colon's school presentation was engaging for all grade levels, K-5. Our students were actively listening (thanks in part to Justin's enthusiasm and engaging slides), there were opportunities for students to share, and included student participation in the storytelling! Once you book a presentation with Justin, his welcome packet included everything you'll need and with editable items. This made advertising our event and communicating with families and staff so easy and exciting.
Jen Caressimo
Library Media Specialist, Cross Prairie K-8
Hosting Justin Colón at our school was an absolute privilege. From the moment he began speaking, he had every student fully attentive and completely engaged. His care and attention to detail were evident before he even arrived—Justin prepared an incredibly thoughtful author welcome kit, complete with promotional signage and even a reserved parking sign. During his lively retelling of The Quacken, Justin captivated the entire audience. Students were on the edge of their seats, laughing, gasping, and hanging on every word.
Julia Wood
Library Media Specialist, Essrig, E.S., Florida
Justin was immediately responsive and supportive through the process via emails, his Welcome Packet, and online resources . . . All the resources on his website helped to enhance our students’ experiences with the book and expectations for his visit. Justin spent a full day at our school with three large group presentations, photos with all the classes and lunch with fifteen students. Each presentation touched on importance of reading, writing, creativity, curiosity, and imagination while being appropriately adapted to the age of the students.
Jean-Marie French
Library Media Specialist, Limona E.S., Florida
We LOVED having Justin visit our school. From the ease of the communication to set up the visit to the provided resources in the Welcome Kit to the actual visit, everything was fabulous. Justin was extremely energetic and relatable with students K-5. Even the teachers had a blast. Students loved seeing glimpses of his life that he shared in the presentation and enjoyed helping the story come to life. We emailed Justin questions and he replied back the same day! The teachers and students are asking when he can come for another visit.
Chelsea Parker
Fifth Grade Teacher, Vineyards E.S., Florida
The 5th graders were very engaged. The presentation was lot of fun and entertaining. The balloons were a fun start. Great job at making the kids feel confident too.
Ed Plaia
Principal, Park Avenue Memorial E.S., NY
Our students thoroughly enjoyed this assembly. Your love for literature, curiosity, exploring, and theatre was palpable to the audience. They were interacting throughout, and I'm sure they will be inspired to read more, write more, and follow their dreams - whether they want to be beekeepers, or lawyers, or authors, the opportunity is there for them when they believe in themselves.
Stacey Couch
Library Media Specialist, Celebration K-8 School, Florida
Every class that has come in the past two days and teachers in passing are just talking about you non stop! They all can't wait to see the wall signing! Thank you again for making every child and teacher you spoke to feel special! . . . They all want to know when you are coming back.
Tracey Everhart
Library Media Specialist, Fishhawk Creek E.S., Florida
We were fortunate enough to host author Justin Colón, and I can’t recommend him highly enough! Justin was incredibly organized, engaging, and full of positive energy throughout the day. He was mindful of grade-level differences, thoughtfully scaffolding each presentation to suit the audience. His storytelling was genuine and heartfelt, bringing his book to life while sharing the journey of an author. What stood out most was how he seamlessly wove in teachable moments—from the writing process and book publishing logistics to acting, voice, and intonation.
Erin Castle
Library Media Specialist, Deerfield E.S., South Carolina
. . . an unforgettable experience for all of our students, Kindergarten through fifth grade. His spectacular props and energetic presentation kept every student fully engaged. The interactive balloon activity during The Quacken story was especially loved — it brought the story to life and had students laughing, participating, and excited about reading and writing. In addition, his promotional digital drive was both helpful and creative, making it easy to build excitement leading up to the visit.
Megan Tusia
Library Media Specialist, Bixby North Elementary, Oklahoma
Justin was kind, energetic, and kept the students captivated for the entire presentation. He did three presentations while he was with us, and he thoughtfully catered each one to the appropriate grade level. He kept everyone laughing and moving while still effectively teaching students about the writing and publishing process. I was constantly amazed at his ability to manage such a large crowd of littles. They would be loud and crazy playing a game, and he could quickly get them calm and sitting and ready to listen.
SETTING UP YOUR VISIT IS AS EASY AS:
Interested in a visit and want to know more? Click the ‘Inquire Here!’ button to the right. Then, fill out the quick form and click submit. I’ll be in touch shortly!
We’ll chat logistics through email, and even phone and/or Zoom if you like. Once everything sounds good, I’ll send over a contract for you to sign and return, along with an invoice for your records.
Welcome Kit
Once you complete and return the contract, I’ll email you a welcome kit and educator guide.
- Author’s biographical info
- Ideas for generating enthusiasm
- Activity sheets for students
- Book sale order form
- Promotional author visit fliers
- Tentative schedule
- Equipment checklist
- Info to provide author
Complies with common core standards. Contains:
- Discussion questions
- Extension activities
- 25 activity sheets covering ELA, Math, Art, and Science
Educator Guide
Each presentation is 45 minutes long unless otherwise noted. I am happy to tailor presentations to the grade level, audience size, and needs of the organization.
Set Pieces
The school mystery of the morning will be, “What’s with all the ‘Do Not Feed the Ducks’ signs? And will there be live ducks?! That’s because fun set pieces and upbeat music will greet students and staff the moment they enter the presentation space.
An Animated Storytime
My slide deck features me as a child, fun facts about me, the touching story behind why I became an author, an animated storytime version of the book (filled with lots of sound effects), and visuals of how the story evolved from manuscript to finished book.
Audience Interaction
We’ll crank up the workout music and students will participate in a series of vocal and movement exercises. Then, they’ll shout sound effects from the book with enough volume to shake the school. Select students will come on stage and help me act out scenes, complete with cue cards, before taking a bow to a round of applause. I’ll ask questions throughout the presentation, and leave time for Q&A. There will also be prizes!
Autographs
I am happy to sign books, whether students purchase them through a book sale or bring their own copy from home. I’ve also autographed everything from potato chip bags to cardboard cafeteria trays and notebooks.
Your Welcome Kit will contain a custom order form for your schools book sale, should you wish to host one. I can help secure the books for you at a highly discounted rate and arrange to sign them in advance and bring them with me the day of our visit. I’m happy to connect you with a local independent bookstore, my publishers, or even provide the books directly.
*Please see the ‘Discounts’ section above regarding book sales.
INCLUDES:
- Three assemblies
-
‘Lunch with an Author'
(approx. 15 students) -
Swag
(Bookmark + sticker for each student) - Optional Book Signing
- Free Copy of each of Justin's books for school 's library
PRICING:
Long Island
$1300
NYC
Includes all five boroughs
$1600
Upstate & Select
Tri-State
$1900
Out of State
$2500
Rate is all-inclusive, with travel and lodging already included.
INCLUDES:
- Two assemblies
- Optional Book Signing
PRICING:
Long Island
$700
NYC
Includes all five boroughs
$850
Upstate & Select
Tri-State
$1900
Out of State
$1500
Rate is all-inclusive, with travel and lodging already included.
INCLUDES:
-
Zoom session via Zoom
or Google Meet
PRICING:
30 Minutes
$150
60 Minutes
$250
Full Day
$700
(Up to three sixty-minute sessions)
What age groups are your school programs appropriate for?
I have presented to grades pre-k through 5 and can tailor my presentation(s) accordingly. When presenting to a larger audience, it’s ideal to have an audience closer together in age/grade level. For instance, Kindergarten and first together, second and third together, and fourth and fifth together.
Does our school have to host a book sale for you to visit?
Your school is not obligated to host a book sale in order or me to visit. However, book sales can generate enthusiasm among students, especially since I personalize/autograph each book. This promotes a love of literary while supporting me, the author, and whichever small business the books are purchased through. I am happy to help you through the process, providing you with a custom book order form and highly discounted rate.
Can we take photos and/or record video during the visit?
The school may take photos during the presentation to sharing internally and post to social media. However, the school must obtain my prior written consent before using any photos, recordings, or materials for commercial purposes or media distribution.
Audio or video recording, broadcasting, and streaming of my presentation are not permitted.
Your school is responsible for securing media consent and release forms for any individuals shown in photos.
What is the length of your program(s)?
My programs run about one hour long However, I suggest a 30 to 45-minute presentation for kindergarteners.
What is your preferred audience size?
As a performer, I love the energy of presenting to and interacting with a larger audience. However, I am just as happy to present to smaller audiences, including individual classrooms.
For multi-school bookings, can you visit 2+ schools per day?
How soon or far in advance can we book a visit with you?
I have presented to schools in less than a week from their initial inquiry. And I have booked events over a year in advance.