Books Talks
The goal of Karen’s book talks is to inspire a passion for reading and to promote a deeper understanding of ourselves, our world, and the community around us. They may include how she evolved as a writer, the writing life, an introduction to the work, a short reading, a discussion of issues raised by the reading, an oral storywriting exercise involving the audience, and questions and answers. She introduces her books by discussing how they were written, how a story is structured, and the writing techniques used. Her goal is to inspire audience members to share her passion for reading and writing.
For grades K to 3, Karen will showcase any of her picture books My Street Remembers, One Tiny Bubble and Sour Cakes with a focus on the history of the land where we live, prehistory evolution (STEM), and social-emotional learning.
For grades 4 to 6, Karen will showcase any of her middle-grade novels: Monster vs. Boy, Bog, The Castle Key, and possibly Cut the Lights. Issues such as mental health, tolerance and believing in oneself may be discussed.
For grades 7 to 12, Karen will highlight her novels and short stories for teens, including Punch Like a Girl, Cut the Lights, The Yo-Yo Prophet, Pure, and Take the Stairs. Issues such as bullying, depression, social justice, and prejudice may be explored. Performance and visual arts are also featured in these titles.
Book talks may be in person or virtual. Recent and upcoming book talks are below.
Middle-Grade: Monsters and More! An Exploration of Story
Karen will introduce herself as a writer through her childhood photos and writing, relating to the idea that we are all full of stories. She will then introduce her middle-grade novels such as Monster vs. Boy as a framework for where we can get our creative ideas. We will explore writing to understand the world, writing from personal experience and interests, and writing from what-if questions. Karen will facilitate an oral story-writing exercise with the group and conclude with a Q&A. Handouts include tips for writing one’s own stories and places young authors can submit their writing. Karen’s novels include explorations of mental health, combatting prejudice and relationship-building. Themes: Building resiliency and mental health; Combatting racism and prejudice; Relationships, inclusion, and anti-bullying; Writing activities; Developing community and working creatively with others.
New for Fall 2025: What Does Your Street Remember?
Karen will take students on a journey of the collective history of one North American street using her picture book My Street Remembers as a framework. We will notice the place where the students live—who walks there now and what they know about who walked there before—and what it means to belong to a place. We will discuss treaties through the lens of collective friendship and what it means to be a good friend. And we will observe what we can do to connect and reconcile with the place where we live. Karen will speak from her identity as a person of settler heritage and use her collaboration with Anishinaabe illustrator Cathie Jamieson as a model for community-building. She will conclude with a gratitude activity for the place where we live and a Q&A. Themes: Relationships with place and inclusion; Indigenous experiences and reconciliation; Developing community and working with others; Environment and nature; Combatting racism and prejudice.
New for Winter 2026: Dinosaurs and More! An Exploration of Your Earth Family
Karen will take students on a journey of the evolutionary history of life on Earth using her picture books One Tiny Bubble and/or One Cosmic Rock as a framework. We will celebrate our common ancestry through our Last Universal Common Ancestor, or LUCA, the one-celled organism that sparked all life on Earth over 3.5 billion years ago. We will celebrate the resilience of life on Earth through the story of the asteroid responsible for the dinosaurs’ extinction 66 million years ago. And we will honour the diverse life-forms that thrive on our planet today—including humans. Karen will facilitate an oral story-writing exercise with the group and conclude with a Q&A. Themes: STEM; Environment and nature; Building resiliency and mental health; Writing activities.
New for Spring 2026: Bring Your Umbrella: Bad Weather, Bad Moods, and Good Ideas
Karen will introduce herself as a writer through her childhood photos and writing, relating to the idea that we are all full of stories. She will then take students on a social emotional journey using her picture books The Cloud That Stuck and/or Sour Cakes as a framework. We will develop strategies for managing a difficult mood. We will explore ways to handle situations that are beyond our control. And we will acknowledge empathy, emotional acceptance, and difficult feelings in a warm, accessible way. Karen will facilitate an oral story-writing exercise with the group and conclude with a Q&A. Themes: Building resiliency and mental health; Developing community and working creatively with others; Environment and nature; Writing activities.
Fees
For current rates and availability, please contact Karen, or Authors’ Booking Service at abs@authorsbooking.com. Funding assistance is available through The Writers’ Union of Canada Readings Subsidy Programs.
Testimonials
“A superb speaker and workshop presenter, Karen Krossing loves to nurture young writers and help them reach their potential.”
Kingston WritersFest
“Working with Karen is always a pleasure. She is very responsive and organized, and her enthusiasm, energy, and commitment have made her an excellent addition to all library projects she has been involved in.”
Ken Sparling, Communications Officer, Toronto Public Library
“Thanks very much for your interesting and well-received talks at Surrey Public Libraries. It was great that the kids were attentive and had so many questions at the end. I heard the comment that your presentations were ‘inspiring!'”
Melanie Boyle, Information Services Librarian, Surrey Public Library
“The students told me that they really enjoyed your visit, and I’ve had a number of requests for your books in the library! They also loved the writing activities you did with them and kept talking about them in the class following your presentation. Thank you again for a fantastic session!”
Jennifer Kugelman, Teacher-Librarian, Hugh McRoberts Secondary School
“Students benefited greatly from hearing Karen discuss the process behind building a book and editing. She also had some very practical advice for students, such as what to do when they experience writer’s block, and the children realized how much re-writing and editing is required to create a publishable piece of work. Many children were interested in reading Karen’s books after the presentation.”
Grade 7 Teachers, West Point Grey Academy
“Karen really inspired the students, and it was a pleasure having her here. She did a great job, and I would highly recommend her.”
Claire Argyropoulos, Youth Services Specialist, Barbara Frum Library
“The young audience you saw at your talk has expressed to me at various occasions how much they enjoyed your talk, your presence, your personality, your writing, and your communication skills.”
Irene Tsai, Wexford Collegiate
“[My grade 9s] thought you spoke very sincerely; they felt connected because of the personal anecdotes and questions; they liked the sound of your voice and thought you read very well.“
Liz O’Brien, Unionville High School