And their sister!
December 29, 2008
December 20, 2008
Merry Christmas from the Matotts!
We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season with the ones you love!
December 15, 2008
Writing to you from????
Do you recognize the place?
WOW, do I have a short story from an experience on this beach coming soon!
The Sky Is Not Falling! Let's laugh! Let's focus on the positive! Let's READ!
There are many real life scary things going on with the world right now. I have been reading a ton of articles about the ways kids are responding to the constant negative messages coming out of the television and time and time again the advice is to make them feel safe, cared about and confident that things can and will get better. To give them examples of wonderful things that are going on right now and are not reported on the evening news (An example, Cresthill Middle School in Highlands Ranch, CO just did a canned food drive to help the less fortunate. 35,000 cans were collected in ONE school!!! Did you hear that? 35,000 cans of food collected by seventh and eighth graders and of course the lovely teachers and staff!) The constant advice to parents is to give kids hope and to provide positive, happy things to focus on rather than all of the grown up problems. When I was a boy I remember my Dad telling me the story about Chicken Little and assuring me that my world was in fact NOT crashing down. The sky would still be blue in the morning, soon enough the low, dark clouds that had momentarily taken over the sky would drift away and sure enough the storm that was troubling me passed.
As an adult I FRACTURED the old story about Chicken Little in my book The Sky Is Falling - Little Chicken Charlie and it has become the book kids tell me is my funniest yet... How many times have we heard the sage old saying: "Laughter is the best medicine!"?
So, if you need a good laugh, pull out a copy of The Sky Is Falling or The Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Arnie the Doughnut or The Stinky Cheese Man or a Roald Dahl book (any of them will do) or a Dr. Seuss book, my favorite being Yertle The Turtle. If you need some sage advice, take it from Jerry the Dog, my narrator in The Tails Tales of Mr. Murphy and you will find as you read that you are smiling, then chuckling, then laughing and all of a sudden those things that were weighing SO heavily will fade away... at least for the moment those low, dark clouds will drift away.
December 9, 2008
Books are the "door" to the head and heart
Rossman Elementary School in Cheyenne, Wyoming honored me greatly when I visited their school last month. Everywhere you looked my books were covering the doors.
The kids were so excited when I walked in because each one of them were given a copy of one of my signed books to keep by the school. My hostess, Reva, is about the nicest person you could meet as was the rest of the staff AND students!
A special Thanksgiving feast was served for lunch, complete with Turkey, Dressing, Cranberry, taters and all the fixins! Talk about the opposite from a regular school lunch. No offense to my lunch lady friends!
After a very fun day of assemblies we had a great evening with the families who came back for more story telling and book signing (and I believe the draw bigger than me was the fact that there were nachos for all!
We wrapped up late and then I headed north to Wright Wyoming to meet more Wonderful Wyomingites! (You can see their slide show at the top left under "relevant links".
No wonder this author loves visiting schools!
No wonder this author loves visiting schools!
THANK YOU TO MY FRIENDS AT ROSSMAN!!
December 8, 2008
Books are the "door" to the head and heart... continued...
Mr. Matott was a very personable visitor to our school.
He took the time to talk with my class individually and connected with the students on a personal level.
Leanna Frum,
Title I Tutor,
Rossman Elementary
"You should know that I do use your conversation with “the bully who wants to not be a bully anymore” when we talk about changing his behavior. I see some progress."
Lara Schiffbauer, LCSW
School Social Worker
Rossman Elementar
December 7, 2008
A whole Class of Reviews - Go Ask Mom
Go Ask Mom By
Alexis
Go Ask Mom is a great book that will get you off your chair and want to keep
reading. This book will make you laugh and maybe change the way you think of
some things. Some of the things in this are kind of gross but will still make
you want to keep reading. One of the things I love most about this book is that
it has amazing word choice.
A really good book to get! By Alyssa
Go Ask Mom is one of my favorite books now. The main character's name is Gabe.
Gabe has an eye patch and a bad leg. There are some funny parts and some not so
funny parts. There are also some really sad parts as well. But it is still a
really good book, you should read it!!
Go Ask Mom By Amanda
Go Ask Mom is a wonderful book for all ages. My class just finished reading it
after Justin Mattot visited our school. I loved it because it had a mix of humor
and emotions. Also each chapter was its own story. Some parts are gross yet
funny, and I would read this book over again. I think you should bring this book
home and let the whole family enjoy it.
Pure Hilarious-Go Ask Mom By Andrew
Gabriel Peters is a fourth grader who lives in a life of action, drama and
adventure, even though he has a bad leg and an eye patch. I think this is a
great read for kids and adults of all ages. It has also taught me many valuable
lessons, like not to quit in a dare off!! This is without a doubt a 5 star
read!!!
Go Ask Mom By Ashley
This book is fantastic! It is funny and exciting. I didn't want to stop. I can
NOT wait for the next book! I hope you like this book as much as I did.
Go Ask Mom By Cameron
Go Ask Mom is about Gabriel Peters, he is a one eyed geekazoid that gets made
fun of a lot at his catholic school. His personal bully, Ronnie used to beat
Gabe up, but Gabe told Ronnie a funny story, then Ronnie became Gabe's personal
bodyguard.
Go Ask Mom By Cassie
Go Ask Mom is a wonderful book! Sometimes it feels like a rollercoaster, because
it's funny at times, sad, gross, but either way it's a great book for all ages!
Justin Mattot is a very funny guy; I know this because he came to my school,
Aspen Creek K-8. Some of this stuff in Go Ask Mom is a true part from Justin's
life. This is a book you won't want to put down! It's a great book and I
recommend it to all readers!
Go Ask Mom By Cooper
Go Ask Mom is an amazing book filled with detail. Gabriel is a boy whose leg is
not growing right, has a lazy eye and can barely see, and gets bullied all the
time. He finds his own way to take care of bullies, with a little help from his
dad. He has many adventures in this exciting book of friendship and problems in
Gabriel's world.
A 5 star book By Corrynn
Go Ask Mom is a book that I highly recommend. It is about a kid named Gabriel
Peters who has to put up with bullies at home, and school. He uses every source
he has to get back at them. I think that's what Gabe {nickname} does in this
book, can help anyone with their problems.
Go Ask Mom By Elizabeth
Go Ask Mom is the first book I have read by Justin Matott and it has inspired
me. I am writing my own story, like his now. It was a great book, I can relate
to Gabe with the part about a sibling that beats up on you. I had fun meeting
Justin when he came to my school. He is a funny guy. I look forward to reading
more of his books. He also gave us a copy of his sequel before it was out. I
will look forward to reading his third. I give it a five star rating.
Go Ask Mom By Emily
Go Ask Mom is a great book, I loved it! It was hilarious; you just couldn't put
the book down. The author came to our school; he is a really funny guy in real
life. This is the kind of book you would want to read.
Go Ask Mom By Alex
Gabriel has one lazy eye and one short leg so everybody picks on him. He has two
bullies, one is his big brother and the other is Ronnie. Ronnie [lemon face] is
his school bully. Carl is his personal bully. I would really recommend this book
because it is a good book.
Stories from the Upper Bunk By Audrey
Go Ask Mom is a very emotion filled story about a boy named Gabriel Peters. He
has a lot of troubles, from his one shorter leg to his dorky eye patch and
glasses. As you could imagine, this kid gets picked on a lot. But he does have
one major bully, Ronnie. Ronnie was a big dude for his grade, he was probably
held back. Gabriel has another thing to worry about, his Big, Mean, Harry, Scary
older brother, Carl. Follow Gabriel and his friends on some super funny tales
and some heart breaking losses as they find their way to a bully free (or close
to free) life of crazy adventures.
Go Ask Mom By Daniel
It's a great book for kids and adults. It's about a kid named Gabriel Peters who
has a bad leg and an eye patch because of his lazy eye. Gabe has a big older
brother who beats him up. He overcomes his bullies by telling scary stories and
being funny. I give this book 5 stars.
Go Ask Mom By Cory
This book is so amazing. I think this book is so funny as well. In one part this
is so wacky as well. The part that is so funny is about when (Gabriel) starts
pushing a bully (Ronnie) back toward the school. This is why I recommend this
book to you. Also I like this book because in this one part Gabriel and friend
went camping and found a cave.
Go Ask Mom By Chase
The book was really enjoyable and funny! I liked how Justin Mattot pulled things
out from his life and wrote a book about it. He also had really good and
interesting details. I love his books!
Go Ask Mom By Chloe
I think Go Ask Mom is a great book because you can feel how Gabe feels about
being bullied. It is so funny when he steals Carl's underwear and chops it up
and buries it. Even though I was disgusted when they were pushing the dead
raccoon's stomach and it farted. I was laughing so hard because the details were
so good. GO ASK MOM ROCKS!
Go Ask Mom By Hailey
This book is a really good book I would read it more then four times. The author
came to our school and he made me laugh so hard that my lungs were going to
break. There are scary things that happen I hope it becomes a lesson to me. It
seemed that there is a lot of story telling I can't wait to read the next book!
Go Ask Mom Reviewed by Jake
Go Ask Mom is an amazing reminder of all your childhood memories. It explores
the memories of Justin Matott and seen through the eyes of Gabriel Peters and
all his fun adventures. This book revolutionizes the way of story telling,
taking an ordinary life and making it fun to read and make you want to read
more!
Contrasting one summer of adventure into a 230 page story, this book has
excruciating detail. This man has an interesting life of bullies and friendship
with friends, and reminds you of the brighter side of life, like when the book
told of an abused boy named Tyler.
These powerful pages of story telling will I never forget. The book has
adventures, funny stories, disgusting parts, and including mean old ladies. It
is a guide to bullies. This book is very inspiring.
Go Ask Mom By Kai
The book Go Ask Mom is an awesome book about dealing with your personal (or not
so personal) bullies. It really inspires you to be a better person. I love how
he based things in the book on his real life as a kid. He'll leave you
wondering, did he really do that? A little gross, but it's worth the price! It
has a lot of humor, you'll be laughing out loud so hardly, and you'll feel sad
when Gabriel Peters (the main character) gets bullied, and you will cheer at the
crazy pranks he does. YOU WANT TO READ THIS BOOK!
GO ASK MOM! By Kaitlyn
Go Ask Mom is an AMAZING book! It is about a boy who is very different and very
smart. His name is Gabe Peters. This story will make you laugh your heads off!
It is so funny. Once you start reading it you won't be able to put it down. I
recommend this book for all ages. If you want a book that is very descriptive
and funny, I would read Go Ask Mom!
Go Ask Mom By Adrian
Go Ask Mom is such a good book. The book is about Justin in his childhood.
Justin used to get picked on by his older brother, just because he looked weird.
Gabe has two friends. Justin had one short leg and an eye patch for his lazy
eye, that's why Justin always gets picked on. Justin always used to tell scary
stories so his big mean brother could get really scared and not tease him. This
book rocks!
Go Ask Mom By Noah
Go Ask Mom is one of my favorite books I have ever read. It is very funny and
sad and personal. Justin Mattot came to our school and he is a very funny guy.
When our teacher was reading it to us we always wanted her to keep on reading. I
would definitely recommend this book for all ages.
Go Ask Mom! By Sarah
I love Justin Matott's book Go Ask Mom! Stories from the Upper Bunk. This book
is a great combination of humor and truth. Most of the main character's life
experiences are based on Justin's childhood adventures. This book is great for
all ages, if you do not believe me "Go Ask Mom!"
Go Ask Mom By Sarah
Go Ask Mom is a great book for all ages. The book is so funny and descriptive
you will laugh so hard you cry. It is a book I would recommend and my class
would to. It is funny, sad, and scary too. The pranks are ones you would never
imagine. The book is by far the best book I have ever read because of all the
excitement
GO ASK MOM! BY ZACH
I would say GO ASK MOM is the best book I have ever read, so I give it five
stars. It was the first Justin Mattot book I have ever read. It was funny and
cool. I think it is going to change the world because it tells bullies to stop
bullying.
Alexis
Go Ask Mom is a great book that will get you off your chair and want to keep
reading. This book will make you laugh and maybe change the way you think of
some things. Some of the things in this are kind of gross but will still make
you want to keep reading. One of the things I love most about this book is that
it has amazing word choice.
A really good book to get! By Alyssa
Go Ask Mom is one of my favorite books now. The main character's name is Gabe.
Gabe has an eye patch and a bad leg. There are some funny parts and some not so
funny parts. There are also some really sad parts as well. But it is still a
really good book, you should read it!!
Go Ask Mom By Amanda
Go Ask Mom is a wonderful book for all ages. My class just finished reading it
after Justin Mattot visited our school. I loved it because it had a mix of humor
and emotions. Also each chapter was its own story. Some parts are gross yet
funny, and I would read this book over again. I think you should bring this book
home and let the whole family enjoy it.
Pure Hilarious-Go Ask Mom By Andrew
Gabriel Peters is a fourth grader who lives in a life of action, drama and
adventure, even though he has a bad leg and an eye patch. I think this is a
great read for kids and adults of all ages. It has also taught me many valuable
lessons, like not to quit in a dare off!! This is without a doubt a 5 star
read!!!
Go Ask Mom By Ashley
This book is fantastic! It is funny and exciting. I didn't want to stop. I can
NOT wait for the next book! I hope you like this book as much as I did.
Go Ask Mom By Cameron
Go Ask Mom is about Gabriel Peters, he is a one eyed geekazoid that gets made
fun of a lot at his catholic school. His personal bully, Ronnie used to beat
Gabe up, but Gabe told Ronnie a funny story, then Ronnie became Gabe's personal
bodyguard.
Go Ask Mom By Cassie
Go Ask Mom is a wonderful book! Sometimes it feels like a rollercoaster, because
it's funny at times, sad, gross, but either way it's a great book for all ages!
Justin Mattot is a very funny guy; I know this because he came to my school,
Aspen Creek K-8. Some of this stuff in Go Ask Mom is a true part from Justin's
life. This is a book you won't want to put down! It's a great book and I
recommend it to all readers!
Go Ask Mom By Cooper
Go Ask Mom is an amazing book filled with detail. Gabriel is a boy whose leg is
not growing right, has a lazy eye and can barely see, and gets bullied all the
time. He finds his own way to take care of bullies, with a little help from his
dad. He has many adventures in this exciting book of friendship and problems in
Gabriel's world.
A 5 star book By Corrynn
Go Ask Mom is a book that I highly recommend. It is about a kid named Gabriel
Peters who has to put up with bullies at home, and school. He uses every source
he has to get back at them. I think that's what Gabe {nickname} does in this
book, can help anyone with their problems.
Go Ask Mom By Elizabeth
Go Ask Mom is the first book I have read by Justin Matott and it has inspired
me. I am writing my own story, like his now. It was a great book, I can relate
to Gabe with the part about a sibling that beats up on you. I had fun meeting
Justin when he came to my school. He is a funny guy. I look forward to reading
more of his books. He also gave us a copy of his sequel before it was out. I
will look forward to reading his third. I give it a five star rating.
Go Ask Mom By Emily
Go Ask Mom is a great book, I loved it! It was hilarious; you just couldn't put
the book down. The author came to our school; he is a really funny guy in real
life. This is the kind of book you would want to read.
Go Ask Mom By Alex
Gabriel has one lazy eye and one short leg so everybody picks on him. He has two
bullies, one is his big brother and the other is Ronnie. Ronnie [lemon face] is
his school bully. Carl is his personal bully. I would really recommend this book
because it is a good book.
Stories from the Upper Bunk By Audrey
Go Ask Mom is a very emotion filled story about a boy named Gabriel Peters. He
has a lot of troubles, from his one shorter leg to his dorky eye patch and
glasses. As you could imagine, this kid gets picked on a lot. But he does have
one major bully, Ronnie. Ronnie was a big dude for his grade, he was probably
held back. Gabriel has another thing to worry about, his Big, Mean, Harry, Scary
older brother, Carl. Follow Gabriel and his friends on some super funny tales
and some heart breaking losses as they find their way to a bully free (or close
to free) life of crazy adventures.
Go Ask Mom By Daniel
It's a great book for kids and adults. It's about a kid named Gabriel Peters who
has a bad leg and an eye patch because of his lazy eye. Gabe has a big older
brother who beats him up. He overcomes his bullies by telling scary stories and
being funny. I give this book 5 stars.
Go Ask Mom By Cory
This book is so amazing. I think this book is so funny as well. In one part this
is so wacky as well. The part that is so funny is about when (Gabriel) starts
pushing a bully (Ronnie) back toward the school. This is why I recommend this
book to you. Also I like this book because in this one part Gabriel and friend
went camping and found a cave.
Go Ask Mom By Chase
The book was really enjoyable and funny! I liked how Justin Mattot pulled things
out from his life and wrote a book about it. He also had really good and
interesting details. I love his books!
Go Ask Mom By Chloe
I think Go Ask Mom is a great book because you can feel how Gabe feels about
being bullied. It is so funny when he steals Carl's underwear and chops it up
and buries it. Even though I was disgusted when they were pushing the dead
raccoon's stomach and it farted. I was laughing so hard because the details were
so good. GO ASK MOM ROCKS!
Go Ask Mom By Hailey
This book is a really good book I would read it more then four times. The author
came to our school and he made me laugh so hard that my lungs were going to
break. There are scary things that happen I hope it becomes a lesson to me. It
seemed that there is a lot of story telling I can't wait to read the next book!
Go Ask Mom Reviewed by Jake
Go Ask Mom is an amazing reminder of all your childhood memories. It explores
the memories of Justin Matott and seen through the eyes of Gabriel Peters and
all his fun adventures. This book revolutionizes the way of story telling,
taking an ordinary life and making it fun to read and make you want to read
more!
Contrasting one summer of adventure into a 230 page story, this book has
excruciating detail. This man has an interesting life of bullies and friendship
with friends, and reminds you of the brighter side of life, like when the book
told of an abused boy named Tyler.
These powerful pages of story telling will I never forget. The book has
adventures, funny stories, disgusting parts, and including mean old ladies. It
is a guide to bullies. This book is very inspiring.
Go Ask Mom By Kai
The book Go Ask Mom is an awesome book about dealing with your personal (or not
so personal) bullies. It really inspires you to be a better person. I love how
he based things in the book on his real life as a kid. He'll leave you
wondering, did he really do that? A little gross, but it's worth the price! It
has a lot of humor, you'll be laughing out loud so hardly, and you'll feel sad
when Gabriel Peters (the main character) gets bullied, and you will cheer at the
crazy pranks he does. YOU WANT TO READ THIS BOOK!
GO ASK MOM! By Kaitlyn
Go Ask Mom is an AMAZING book! It is about a boy who is very different and very
smart. His name is Gabe Peters. This story will make you laugh your heads off!
It is so funny. Once you start reading it you won't be able to put it down. I
recommend this book for all ages. If you want a book that is very descriptive
and funny, I would read Go Ask Mom!
Go Ask Mom By Adrian
Go Ask Mom is such a good book. The book is about Justin in his childhood.
Justin used to get picked on by his older brother, just because he looked weird.
Gabe has two friends. Justin had one short leg and an eye patch for his lazy
eye, that's why Justin always gets picked on. Justin always used to tell scary
stories so his big mean brother could get really scared and not tease him. This
book rocks!
Go Ask Mom By Noah
Go Ask Mom is one of my favorite books I have ever read. It is very funny and
sad and personal. Justin Mattot came to our school and he is a very funny guy.
When our teacher was reading it to us we always wanted her to keep on reading. I
would definitely recommend this book for all ages.
Go Ask Mom! By Sarah
I love Justin Matott's book Go Ask Mom! Stories from the Upper Bunk. This book
is a great combination of humor and truth. Most of the main character's life
experiences are based on Justin's childhood adventures. This book is great for
all ages, if you do not believe me "Go Ask Mom!"
Go Ask Mom By Sarah
Go Ask Mom is a great book for all ages. The book is so funny and descriptive
you will laugh so hard you cry. It is a book I would recommend and my class
would to. It is funny, sad, and scary too. The pranks are ones you would never
imagine. The book is by far the best book I have ever read because of all the
excitement
GO ASK MOM! BY ZACH
I would say GO ASK MOM is the best book I have ever read, so I give it five
stars. It was the first Justin Mattot book I have ever read. It was funny and
cool. I think it is going to change the world because it tells bullies to stop
bullying.
Quotes from Schools
Quotes from Schools:
"Justin Matott shatters the mold! As an Author in
Residence, Justin breaks through the barriers of formula paragraphs and
prescriptive prompts for state tests to bring creativity and joy back to
student writing. He delivers a program that adapts to the focus of any school
curriculum and can also address specific writing skills requested by teachers.
With humor and passion, students and staff are taken on a journey from first
draft to published book in an interactive, energizing workshop setting."
Nancy Gilmore, Principal
Justin Matott..., I repeat, Justin Matott! This was a “repeat” performance for
us. Put some spark into your next writing workshop by inviting Justin Matott
to speak to your whole school or small groups. You won’t be disappointed, we
weren’t and we asked him back for a second time. The students were excited,
engaged, and mesmerized....again!! Renee’ Sianko, Media
Specialist, Ponderosa Elementary
" I was very impressed, no, I was amazed at the way he held the children’s
attention! Justin held their attention because he tapped into each child’s
creative nature. He showed us all how to use the stories of our lives as a
basis for writing… Since his visit, I have used many of Justin’s ideas in our
workshops… His emphasis on vocabulary development has significantly improved
how we teach vocabulary during our writing workshops. Justin has a heart to
communicate. He is passionate, funny, entertaining and very capable of
teaching six trait writing. I wholeheartedly recommend Justin Matott!"
Sincerely, Chris Branson, Literacy Support Teacher
"The students and teachers thought you related well to the students and
offered good information about the process an author goes through in thinking
up and writing stories. I appreciate how you changed your presentation and
matched it to the grade level of the students." Sally
Stevenson, Library Information Specialist
"Wow!" "Awesome!" "He was funny!" These are just a few of the many positive
comments I heard from students as they walked back to their classrooms after
your assembly at our school. Responses to your Creative Writing Workshop with
our Fourth graders were equally zealous… Teachers felt their students walked
away with a better understanding of the writing process and saw the power of
the revision and editing processes. Your presence at our book fair made it a
HUGE success!" Melinda Miller, Building Resource
Teacher
"He is a charismatic speaker who electrifies the students with his quick wit
and spontaneity. He excites and motivates reluctant writers as he shares his
growth as a writer, including disappointments. In his creative writing
seminars he mesmerized the students with his acceptance of their ideas, and
together they created the basis for a class story. Put some pizzazz into your
next writing workshop. Invite Justin Matott to speak to your whole school or
small groups. You won’t be disappointed!" Susan Roup,
Teacher
"Mr. Matott started us off with a wonderful school assembly that was very fun
and educational. The highlight of Mr. Matott’s visit was the creative writing
workshop… with every child participating and wanting to write more. Even our
most reluctant writers were very disappointed when the session ended. He
incorporated the six-trait writing process and encouraged our children. I
would highly recommend Justin Matott." Mary Anne
Kindred, Media Specialist, Stratton Elementary, Stratton CO
"He brings humor, enthusiasm for learning, an excellent rapport with kids,
creativity and a passion for the writing process. His ability to engage
students and keep them interested is unequaled." Judy
Bastien, Campus Middle School, Englewood, CO
"I thought it was going to be boring to listen to some old guy talk about
writing, but it really was fun to write a story with you. I want to be an
author someday too now." Eighth grade student
"I loved your presentation! You definitely changed my mind about writing! The
creative writing was cool too. You make writing sound much more fun!"
Sixth grade student
Justin connected with our students right away with his humor and storytelling.
In our class workshops, he talked with our students, not just to them. In my
25 plus years of teaching I have never seen anyone with the kind of expertise,
charisma, and love of his craft that Justin possesses. What a wonderful day it
was! The students couldn't get enough of him! Every student (and teacher!)
deserves a day with Justin! Roy Spratt, Aurora Quest
Academy
Teachers and students alike are all ears when "Nathan" raises his hand to read
his poetry to his sixth grade classmates during Justin Matott's Author in
Residency Program. Looks of surprised gladness are exchanged between teachers
as "Nathan" (who previously sought attention inappropriately or just didn't
participate) proudly reads his work. Justin somehow manages to create a safe
environment for all writers. Matott translates his own gift for writing and
storytelling into a simple process that kids can understand. He teaches
students how to plant their own seed of a story, and with the love of a
gardener, he teaches them to prune, trim and transplant the ideas into a
finished product. Candace Story, Library Information
Specialist, Governor's Ranch Elementary, Littleton, CO
Justin Matott shatters the mold! As an Author in
Residence, Justin breaks through the barriers of formula paragraphs and
prescriptive prompts for state tests to bring creativity and joy back to student
writing. He delivers a program that adapts to the focus of any school curriculum
and can also address specific writing skills requested by teachers. With humor
and passion, students and staff are taken on a journey from first draft to
published book in an interactive, energizing workshop setting."
Nancy Gilmore, Principal
"Justin Matott shatters the mold! As an Author in
Residence, Justin breaks through the barriers of formula paragraphs and
prescriptive prompts for state tests to bring creativity and joy back to
student writing. He delivers a program that adapts to the focus of any school
curriculum and can also address specific writing skills requested by teachers.
With humor and passion, students and staff are taken on a journey from first
draft to published book in an interactive, energizing workshop setting."
Nancy Gilmore, Principal
Justin Matott..., I repeat, Justin Matott! This was a “repeat” performance for
us. Put some spark into your next writing workshop by inviting Justin Matott
to speak to your whole school or small groups. You won’t be disappointed, we
weren’t and we asked him back for a second time. The students were excited,
engaged, and mesmerized....again!! Renee’ Sianko, Media
Specialist, Ponderosa Elementary
" I was very impressed, no, I was amazed at the way he held the children’s
attention! Justin held their attention because he tapped into each child’s
creative nature. He showed us all how to use the stories of our lives as a
basis for writing… Since his visit, I have used many of Justin’s ideas in our
workshops… His emphasis on vocabulary development has significantly improved
how we teach vocabulary during our writing workshops. Justin has a heart to
communicate. He is passionate, funny, entertaining and very capable of
teaching six trait writing. I wholeheartedly recommend Justin Matott!"
Sincerely, Chris Branson, Literacy Support Teacher
"The students and teachers thought you related well to the students and
offered good information about the process an author goes through in thinking
up and writing stories. I appreciate how you changed your presentation and
matched it to the grade level of the students." Sally
Stevenson, Library Information Specialist
"Wow!" "Awesome!" "He was funny!" These are just a few of the many positive
comments I heard from students as they walked back to their classrooms after
your assembly at our school. Responses to your Creative Writing Workshop with
our Fourth graders were equally zealous… Teachers felt their students walked
away with a better understanding of the writing process and saw the power of
the revision and editing processes. Your presence at our book fair made it a
HUGE success!" Melinda Miller, Building Resource
Teacher
"He is a charismatic speaker who electrifies the students with his quick wit
and spontaneity. He excites and motivates reluctant writers as he shares his
growth as a writer, including disappointments. In his creative writing
seminars he mesmerized the students with his acceptance of their ideas, and
together they created the basis for a class story. Put some pizzazz into your
next writing workshop. Invite Justin Matott to speak to your whole school or
small groups. You won’t be disappointed!" Susan Roup,
Teacher
"Mr. Matott started us off with a wonderful school assembly that was very fun
and educational. The highlight of Mr. Matott’s visit was the creative writing
workshop… with every child participating and wanting to write more. Even our
most reluctant writers were very disappointed when the session ended. He
incorporated the six-trait writing process and encouraged our children. I
would highly recommend Justin Matott." Mary Anne
Kindred, Media Specialist, Stratton Elementary, Stratton CO
"He brings humor, enthusiasm for learning, an excellent rapport with kids,
creativity and a passion for the writing process. His ability to engage
students and keep them interested is unequaled." Judy
Bastien, Campus Middle School, Englewood, CO
"I thought it was going to be boring to listen to some old guy talk about
writing, but it really was fun to write a story with you. I want to be an
author someday too now." Eighth grade student
"I loved your presentation! You definitely changed my mind about writing! The
creative writing was cool too. You make writing sound much more fun!"
Sixth grade student
Justin connected with our students right away with his humor and storytelling.
In our class workshops, he talked with our students, not just to them. In my
25 plus years of teaching I have never seen anyone with the kind of expertise,
charisma, and love of his craft that Justin possesses. What a wonderful day it
was! The students couldn't get enough of him! Every student (and teacher!)
deserves a day with Justin! Roy Spratt, Aurora Quest
Academy
Teachers and students alike are all ears when "Nathan" raises his hand to read
his poetry to his sixth grade classmates during Justin Matott's Author in
Residency Program. Looks of surprised gladness are exchanged between teachers
as "Nathan" (who previously sought attention inappropriately or just didn't
participate) proudly reads his work. Justin somehow manages to create a safe
environment for all writers. Matott translates his own gift for writing and
storytelling into a simple process that kids can understand. He teaches
students how to plant their own seed of a story, and with the love of a
gardener, he teaches them to prune, trim and transplant the ideas into a
finished product. Candace Story, Library Information
Specialist, Governor's Ranch Elementary, Littleton, CO
Dear Normandy Parents,
There’s an old saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.” I
heartily agree. On Valentine’s Day, Justin Matott, author of Ol’ Lady Grizelda,
and a whole bunch of other children’s books, spoke to the students at two
different assemblies. Within minutes of Mr. Matott’s first presentation, he had
enthralled his audience. We laughed with him as he described and mimicked his
dogs’ greetings when he came home. When he encouraged us to write about the
things we know, the happenings in our own lives, adult and child alike thought,
“I can do that!” Kindergartners, first and second graders (including teachers)
left the gym feeling better than when they entered because this wise man had
given them the gift of laughter on this special day.
As the third through sixth graders came into the second
assembly, I thought Mr. Matott would simply duplicate his first presentation but
gear it toward a little older audience. Much to my surprise, he began to
describe his childhood and how he had been bullied by his older brother and a
big kid at his school. His delivery continued to have everyone in stitches but
his message was powerful. He had always been the “weird” kid, the “geek”, a
target for taunts and beatings. Through his father, he realized he had a gift –
he was a great storyteller. Mr. Matott learned to use his gift to ward off his
tormentors. After several trials, he decided to tell his stories in print and
the rest is history.
Believe me, intermediate students can be a tough audience that
quickly become bored. Not so on Tuesday. Laughter and tears swept through the
gym as each of us recognized a part of ourselves in his story. Then to my
astonishment, they gave Mr. Matott a five minute boisterous ovation. I don’t
know that I have ever met anyone with such charisma. Signing books for students
and parents, Mr. Matott personalized his messages and again touched our hearts
and souls. Needless to say, we will bring Justin Matott back next year. Everyone
that experienced his interaction with students and staff on Tuesday, came away
with a lightness and positive feeling not always present in our daily lives. We
received a dose of laughter and it healed some of our wounds.
Enjoy the snow. We sure needed it.
Thankfully,
Elizabeth Costello
School Visit Information
YOU ARE GUARANTEED A DAY FULL OF IMAGINATION, DELIGHT, POSITIVE MODELING AND FUN! PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE QUOTES PROVIDED BY EDUCATORS BELOW. THE CLEAREST INDICATION OF MATOTT'S SUCCESS IN SCHOOLS IS THE FACT THAT HE HAS BEEN ASKED BACK BY MANY OF THE SCHOOLS HE HAS VISITED.
The Professional Fee is $1100 for 2 assemblies and 3 workshops (The most common day usually includes an assembly for K-2 and then 3-5/6 and workshops for the secondary age students by grade groups. Matott can handle any size workshop as long as teachers are present to handle any disruptions and/or discipline issues, though usually this is not a problem because the students are so involved.)Additional and workshops are $200 each.
The day can be adjusted to suit your school's needs. Matott has done as many as 5 workshops in one day in addition to the 2 assemblies. $500 for 2 assemblies.
For schools outside of the Denver area, the minimum is $1100 (negotiated on an individual basis at times). Travel expense at .58 per mile driven.For travel outside the Colorado area fees are negotiated (minimum $1200 per day) and will include lodging (hotel and meals, no school lunches please, after over 400 school lunches as an adult, Mr. Matott has finally begged for no more)! and travel expenses. Justin Matott has visited out of state locations for a week at a time, seeing numerous schools and being involved in community meetings and events. This is a good for a school district to pool resources to pay for travel and lodging.
Ongoing programs, fellowship and resident programs available; fees negotiable.
Books ordered by students and staff will be supplied on the day of Matott’s visit by him.
Books ordered prior and/or the day of the event at your request will also be provided directly from Matott (we will send you a book order form upon booking), so you don't have to spend time working between the publishers and distributors to bring in the books or returns either.
For more information or to request a visit contact EMAIL JUSTIN
The Professional Fee is $1100 for 2 assemblies and 3 workshops (The most common day usually includes an assembly for K-2 and then 3-5/6 and workshops for the secondary age students by grade groups. Matott can handle any size workshop as long as teachers are present to handle any disruptions and/or discipline issues, though usually this is not a problem because the students are so involved.)Additional and workshops are $200 each.
The day can be adjusted to suit your school's needs. Matott has done as many as 5 workshops in one day in addition to the 2 assemblies. $500 for 2 assemblies.
For schools outside of the Denver area, the minimum is $1100 (negotiated on an individual basis at times). Travel expense at .58 per mile driven.For travel outside the Colorado area fees are negotiated (minimum $1200 per day) and will include lodging (hotel and meals, no school lunches please, after over 400 school lunches as an adult, Mr. Matott has finally begged for no more)! and travel expenses. Justin Matott has visited out of state locations for a week at a time, seeing numerous schools and being involved in community meetings and events. This is a good for a school district to pool resources to pay for travel and lodging.
Ongoing programs, fellowship and resident programs available; fees negotiable.
Books ordered by students and staff will be supplied on the day of Matott’s visit by him.
Books ordered prior and/or the day of the event at your request will also be provided directly from Matott (we will send you a book order form upon booking), so you don't have to spend time working between the publishers and distributors to bring in the books or returns either.
For more information or to request a visit contact EMAIL JUSTIN
December 3, 2008
Time for bed...
Thank you Erik for being such a nice guy to hang around with at the school! I hope you enjoy all the books!
Time for bed...
Thank you Emma for being such a great young lady, having a wonderful attitude and for all the help to get ready for the book signing! I hope you enjoy all the books!
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