We love engaging with people of all ages about topics ranging from gender identity and expression, to writing and publishing picture books, to book bans. We work with schools, libraries, conferences, faith communities, and other organizations to create engaging presentations that meet the individual needs of each audience. Our sessions for younger kids are typically 25-30 minutes, for older students typically 45 minutes, and for adults, our presentations are in the 45-90 minute range. We are happy to design a session that fits the unique needs of your particular group.
To arrange a speaking engagement, please contact How Now Booking.
Recent Presentations
Jacob’s New Dress
Appropriate for pre-K to second grade, this talk is centered around the true story of our son, Sam, a little boy who loved dresses. We discuss societal expectations, our family’s journey, and how we came to write our book. We do a read-aloud of Jacob’s New Dress, followed by a guided Q&A. Our emphasis is on cultivating an environment where students feel safe to express themselves, explore their identities, and appreciate and support others.
Building a Culture of Kindness: One Book at a Time
Our signature talk for older kids and adults covers what inspired us to write our books. We discuss kids & gender identity, The Great Bathroom Debate, pronouns, our history as banned authors, and a review of the state of book banning in our country—and what we can all do about it.
Banned and Proud!
We’re children’s book authors who write books for little kids, yet our books are banned in 26 states, in Malaysia, and by the Department of Defense. Why would anyone ban our books? This talk for adults and older students looks at the many issues around book banning. Where is it taking place? Why is it taking place? How do libraries, public schools, and free speech interact? How do book bans affect kids? What does it feel like to be banned? And wait, how did you one of your books go all the way to the Supreme Court???
I Have to Pee, so Let Me Be!
What’s the worst part of the day for kids who don’t fit gender norms? Using the bathroom at school. This presentation centers around Jacob’s Room to Choose, our book about everyone being able to use the bathroom safely. We discuss how people react when they’re confronted with people who don’t look the way they expect, and how to navigate the world with respect and kindness. We lead a lively quiz on the history of public bathrooms—ranging from gross-out fun to surprising facts—showing that what we consider normal now has not been this way for very long at all. Adaptable for all ages.
Jacob’s Missing Book
Since 2020, there has been an unprecedented explosion of book banning across the United States. This presentation centers around Jacob’s Missing Book, which tackles the topic of book bans from a kid’s-eye point of view. What happens when a child’s favorite book is taken away? How do teachers and librarians explain complex adult conflicts to kids? What is so important about stories that books are taken away? Adaptable for all ages.
Behind the Scenes: How We Became Authors and the Path to Getting Published
Where do our ideas come from? What is a writing day like for us? How do two people work together to write one book? How do we work with our illustrator, our publishers, our agent, and our fellow authors? This talk for students and adults can be tailored according to the age and needs of our audience.
Casual Chats
Lunchtime meetings with middle school and high school GSAs (Gay Straight Alliances or Gender Sexuality Alliances) to chat about whatever is most interesting to students. We often include a version of such an informal gathering with older students between formal classroom presentations for all ages.
To arrange a speaking engagement, please contact How Now Booking.
