School Visits

RENÉE GRAEF Illustration & Design

School Visits

Program Description | Testimonials | Book List | Bio

Picture Books and Pioneering

Renée Graef's presentation guides students through the creative process of illustrating a children's book. She starts with the inspiration and follows the

process through the final artwork. Many examples, tips, and techniques are shown throughout the talk: including thumbnails, sketches, and photographic reference. Research and revisions are discussed as well.

Two primary characters in Renée's artwork, Kirsten Larson (American Girl Collection) & Laura Ingalls Wilder (My First Little House books), represent American pioneers. The Homestead Act, a covered wagon trip and the daily life of a pioneer family are discussed. Renée talks about the pioneer spirit of children today and the tools they can use on their own adventurous road of discovery.

Presentations are tailored to the audience's grade level (kindergarten thru 8^th grade). Renée will conduct a question and answer period afterwards. Following the talk, Ms. Graef (rhymes with "safe") likes to draw for the class. The large illustration is custom made for your school. This is a great way to remember the event! The creative drawing exercise is more interactive with a group of 30-60 children. For groups larger than 60 children, it is more appropriate to do only the presentation and Q & A without the creative drawing.

Honorarium

$975 per day for local visits.
$975 per day plus travel expenses* for non-local visits.

This includes 2-3 presentations (40-55 minutes each).
A fourth presentation can be added for an additional $300.
The day can be shared between neighboring schools.

*Travel expenses include lodging and transportation.
No additional travel expenses for local visits —
including trips to Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay
and points in between.

Click on map to enlarge

For more information,
please contact Renée at 262.376.8845 or renee@graefillustration.com

Testimonials

"Renée Graef is not only an excellent artist and illustrator, she is also an outstanding educator and presenter. She presented the creative process involved with illustration to the Gibraltar Middle School students in a very captivating and approachable way. Her illustrations are very impressive and familiar to students."

"In the presentation, students discovered that illustration and the visual arts can be an exciting, rewarding and viable profession. Students were very interested in her presentation and felt comfortable asking her questions. Students became engaged with the creative process by making an illustration with the school name. Students did not want to leave the class, even at the end of the day, students lingered to continue illustrating with Renée."

Vinni C.
Friends of Gibraltar Coordinator
Gibraltar Schools
Fish Creek, WI

"Thank you so much for a wonderful day at the museum. Renée Graef is wonderful and the kids enjoyed the presentation! Thank you also for allowing us to eat in the museum and especially in the beautiful archive and library room! You do a great job and we always look forward to the letter that comes in the mail from the Herbert Hoover Library!"

Pat B.
ELP Coordinator, North Cedar School District
Lowden, Clarence, Mechanicsville, Stanwood

"On behalf of Bishop Hayes Catholic School, I want to thank you so much for the opportunity to bring our students to Renée Graef's presentation at the Herbert Hoover Library. Learning can take place in a variety of ways, and Renée kept the attention with her presentation, illustrating her drawing as we watched, and her knowledge and love of children's books. As a bonus, we took home very special books with the signed nameplate. The students immediately spotted lots of her pictures that were discussed in those books. Our thanks again. Bless all of you for extending students' (and adults') learning in such a beautiful medium. Our students are working on their thank yous which I will send later this week. It was so nice to meet you and your staff who were all so helpful and accommodating."

Blessing, Jessica I.
Bishop Hayes Catholic School

"Thank you so much for this delightful day. I enjoyed every minute of Ms. Graef's talks and learned so much about illustration art. I was surprised and pleased to receive my own personal copy of the "Little House" book." I really do appreciate these special events that reach out to the Docents as well. Every one I've attended has been a learning experience. Thanks for everything you do."

Janet E.

"I am still in shock. What a wonderful day. Thank you for your generosity, I was at the point of tears because I was having so much fun, fun, and fun ... as did the girls. What an incredibly special day."

Thank you, Katie H.
TAG teacher

"Thank you for the invitation to participate in Renée Graef's presentation. It was wonderful! The students loved it and the teachers as well. Two second grade boys (after finishing their art projects which they did well) drew pictures and wrote captions. Independently they both told me they were being illustrators. The whole session was first rate. Thank you again."

Karen R., Art Teacher
Hoover Elementary, West Branch, Iowa

Book List
(partial)

INDIVIDUAL BOOKS | AMERICAN GIRL | LITTLE HOUSE

B is for Badger: A Wisconsin Alphabet
by Kathy-jo Wargin, Sleeping Bear Press

B is for Bookworm: A Library Alphabet
by Anita C. Prieto, Sleeping Bear Press

The Nutcracker
by E.T.A. Hoffmann, adapted by Janet Schulman, HarperCollins

Who Carved the Mountain?: The Story of Mount Rushmore
by Jean L. S. Patrick, Mount Rushmore History Association

My Favorite Things
by Rodger & Hammerstein, HarperCollins

Bedtime in the Southwest
by Mona Hodgson, Rising Moon

Paul Bunyan's Sweetheart
by Marybeth Loriecki, Sleeping Bear Press

While You Are Away
by Eileen Spinelli, Hyperion

Grandma I'll Miss You
by Kathryn Slattery, Chariot Books

Are You Sleepy Yet, Petey?
by Marie Hodge, Sterling Publishing

Betsy Ross: The Story of Our Flag
by Pamela Chanko, Scholastic

If Jesus Came to Visit Me
by Jill Roman Lord, Ideals Publications

If Jesus Walked Beside Me
by Jill Roman Lord, Ideals Publications

What a Wonderful World
by George D. Weels & Bob Thiele, Hal Leonard Publishing

Secret of the First One Up
by Iris Hiskey Arno, Northword

Bedtime Prayers
edited by Jennifer Frantz, Harper Blessings, HarperFestival

At the Root of It All
by Savannah Waring Walker, Scholastic

Duke's First Case: Jessie & the Missing Yarn
by Raymond Coutu, Duke the Bear Detective Series, Bear & Company

Poker & the Cupcake Chase
by Raymond Coutu, Duke the Bear Detective Series, Bear & Company

Babette & the Apple Bandit
by Raymond Coutu, Duke the Bear Detective Series, Bear & Company

Geranium Morning
by E. Sandy Powell, Carolrhoda Books

The Summer of Dreams: The Story of a World's Fair Girl
by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler, Silver Burdett Press

The Little Princess
by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Doubleday

Little Lord Fauntleroy
by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Doubleday

Secret Garden
by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Doubleday

Back to Book List

AMERICAN GIRL

Kirsten books by Janet Shaw
Meet Kirsten
Kirsten Learns a Lesson
Kirsten's Surprise
Kirsten Saves the Day
Happy Birthday, Kirsten
Changes for Kirsten
Kirsten on the Trail
Kirsten Snowbound!
Kirsten and the Chippewa
Kirsten and the New Girl

Paper dolls
Kirsten, Samantha, Molly, and Felicity

Spot (vignette) illustrations
Meet Samantha
Meet Molly
Meet Addy
Addy Learns a Lesson
Addy's Surprise
Addy Saves the Day
Happy Birthday, Addy
Changes for Addy

Back to Book List

LITTLE HOUSE
Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, HarperCollins Publishing

My First Little House picture books
Santa Comes to Little House
Winter in the Big Woods
Dance at Grandpa's
Going to Town
Christmas in the Big Woods
Summertime in the Big Woods
The Deer in the Wood
Going West
Prairie Day
A Little Prairie House

HarperFestival Little House books
My Book of Little House Paper Dolls: The Big Woods Collection
My Book of Little House Paper Dolls: Christmas on the Prairie
My Little House Sticker Book: A Day in the Big Woods
The Little House Baby Book
The Little House Baby Photograph Album

Little House chapter books
Hard Times on the Prairie
The Adventures of Laura and Jack
School Days
Little House Farm Days
Little House Parties
Animal Adventures
Laura and Mr. Edwards
Pioneer Sisters
Farmer Boy Days
Christmas Stories
Laura and Nellie
Laura's Pa
Laura's Ma
Little House Friends

Chapter books by Melissa Wiley
The Martha Years
Little House in the Highlands
The Far Side of the Loch
Down to the Bonny Glen
Beyond the Heather Hills

Prairie Girl by William Anderson

Back to Book List

Bio

More about Renée coming soon...