Contact Information
Phone: 612-701-4968
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.trishaspeedshaskan.com/
Book Category: Children’s Fiction, Fiction, Nonfiction, Picture Books
Age Group: K-6
Picture Books:
The Itty-Bitty Witch illustrated by Xindi Yan, Amazon/Two Lions, 2019
Punk Skunks illustrated by Stephen Shaskan, HarperCollins, 2016
Truly, We Both Loved Beauty Dearly! The Story of Sleeping Beauty as Told by the Good and Bad Fairies illustrated by Amit Tayal, Picture Window/Capstone Press, 2014
Honestly Red Riding Hood was Rotten!: The Story of Little Red Riding Hood as told by The Wolf illustrated by Gerald Guerlais, Capstone Press, 2011
Seriously, Cinderella is SO Annoying!: The Story of Cinderella as told by the Wicked Stepmother illustrated by Gerald Guerlais, Picture Window/Capstone, 2011
Graphic novels:
Q & Ray: Case #1: The Missing Mola Lisa illustrated Stephen Shaskan, Graphic Universe (Lerner), 2017
Q & Ray: Case #2: Meteorite or Meteor-Wrong? illustrated by Stephen Shaskan, Graphic Universe (Lerner), 2018
Q & Ray: Case #3: Foul Play at Elm Tree Park illustrated by Stephen Shaskan, Graphic Universe (Lerner), 2018
Writer’s Toolbox: Art Panels, Bam! Speech Bubbles, Pow! Writing Your Own Graphic Novel illustrated by Stephen Shaskan, Picture Window Books (Capstone), 2011
More Books:
“The Music Family” Series – Picture Window Books (Capstone), 2011, illustrated by Robert Meganck
The Brass Family
The Keyboard Family
The Percussion Family
The String Family
The Woodwind Family
“What’s the Difference” Series – Picture Window Books (Capstone), 2009, illustrated by Bandelin-Dacey
What’s the Difference Between a Porpoise and Dolphin?
What’s the Difference Between a Tortoise and Turtle?
“Word Fun” Series – Picture Window Books (Capstone), 2008-9, illustrated by Sara Gray
If you were an Alliteration
If you were a Capital Letter
If you were a Compound Word
If you were a Contraction
If you were Onomatopoeia
If you were a Plural Word
“Math Fun” Series – Picture Window Books (Capstone), 2008-9
If you were a Fraction illustrated by Francesca Carabelli
If you were a Minus Sign illustrated by Francesca Carabelli
If you were a Minute illustrated by Francesca Carabelli
If you were a Plus Sign illustrated by Francesca Carabelli
If you were a Divided-By Sign illustrated by Sarah Dillard
If you were a Times Sign illustrated by Sarah Dillard
“I Live in the Ocean” Series – Picture Window Books (Capstone), 2008, illustrated by Todd Ouren
I am an Octopus: The Life of a Common Octopus
I am a Sea Horse: The Life of a Dwarf Sea Horse
“Read-It! Readers: Tongue Twisters” Series – Picture Window Books (Capstone), 2008, illustrated by Jisun Lee
Betty and Baxter’s Batter Battle
The Fairies’ First Flight
“Read-It! Readers” Series – Picture Window Books (Capstone), 2008
Ava the Angelfish illustrated by James Mackey
Camden’s Game illustrated by Necdet Yilmaz
Highlights
Trisha Speed Shaskan has written over forty books for children. For over twenty years, Trisha has taught a variety of creative writing classes to students at every level from kindergarten to graduate-school. Trisha has also been a literacy coach, run a tutoring program, and worked in a children’s library. Trisha is an energetic teacher and presenter who loves to visit schools and libraries and share her passion for learning, creativity, books, and writing. Trisha holds an MFA in creative writing. Currently, she teaches writing classes to children at The Loft Literary Center. Trisha and her husband Stephen Shaskan who is a children’s book author and illustrator live in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Awards
2009 McKnight Fellowship/Loft Award in Children’s Literature
Presentations
Musical Storytime: My husband/author/illustrator Stephen Shaskan and I discuss and read our picture book Punk Skunks plus a couple more of our picture books, sing songs, and do a group activity.
Storytime featuring Folktales & Fairytales: My husband/author/illustrator Stephen Shaskan and I discuss and read (Stephen’s) picture book The Three Triceratops Tuff, my picture book Honestly Red Riding Hood was Rotten!: The Story of Little Red Riding Hood as told by The Wolf, sing songs, and do a group activity.
Library Tours:
My husband/author/illustrator Stephen Shaskan and I have done two library tours. For one library tour, we did musical storytimes. For another library tour, we taught comic/graphic novel workshops. We’re open to teaching workshops or doing storytimes for your library system.
Workshops for Children & Teens:
Get A Clue: Writing Mysteries! Set up a crime scene! Discover clues! In this 2-hour writing workshop, you’ll learn about mystery writing while using props to inspire you to write your own story! Beware! Along the way, you’re sure to find evidence that proves mystery writing is fun!
Fracturing Fairy Tales! In this two-hour workshop, students will learn how the Wolf from Little Red Riding Hood became a vegetarian or how the heart of each fractured fairy tale features the main character! Students will pick a fairy tale, create a character, and begin writing a story.
Writing and Illustration Workshop for Children & Teens (along with Stephen Shaskan):
Creating a Graphic Novel Character
Do you like to read Smile? Calvin and Hobbes? Do you like to draw? Write? Have you ever drawn a character from different angles? In this class, you’ll learn different tools that will help you create a graphic novel character and start your own story.
Library Workshop for Adults:
Picture Books 101: Writing and Illustrating Picture Books (with illustrator Stephen Shaskan)
Have you ever wanted to learn the basics of writing and illustrating picture books? In this workshop, we’ll explore the types of picture books, learn the elements, and do a quick writing exercise!
Intergenerational Workshop:
Get a Clue! Writing Mysteries for Children and Adults!
With the help of children’s book author Trisha Speed Shaskan you will: Set up a crime scene! Discover clues! In this writing workshop, you’ll learn about mystery writing while using props to inspire you to write your own story! Beware! Along the way, you’re sure to find evidence that proves mystery writing is fun! *This intergenerational class is for children ages 7 to 14 years old. Each child should sign up with a grandparent or guardian/significant adult.
Author Visits/School Presentations: Trisha Speed Shaskan varies her presentations per grade level. In each presentation, Trisha connects her childhood experiences to the books she’s written. Trisha shows the process of a book from conception to publication. Each interactive presentation includes a group activity, such as creating a character.
Here are examples:
For k -1st grade: What If…? Imagine, Laugh, and Play with Words: How I Create Stories
For 2nd – 3rd grade: Imagine, Laugh, and Play with Words: How I Create Characters
For 2nd – 6th grade: Mysteries, Science, and Stories: Creating the Graphic Novel Series Q & Ray
For 4th – 6th grade: How the Wolf Became a Vegetarian: Exploring Perspective or Point of View through Fracture Fairytales
For 3rd – 5th grade: How I Discovered an Octopus is Blue-Blooded: Writing Nonfiction
Trisha and her husband/author/illustrator Stephen Shaskan also visit schools together where they discuss the writing and illustration process of creating their picture book Punk Skunks and their graphic novel series, Q & Ray. As the grade levels increase, the presentations contain a greater level of detail about the process of creating the book. For each presentation, Trisha and Stephen do an interactive group activity.
Fees
Trisha is willing to work with you to fit your budget and needs. Her fees for presentations vary. Please email her: [email protected]