School Visits & Events
As a former teacher, I love speaking with kids about the writing process. I am available for presentations, workshops, or writing residencies, and I will gladly put together a program that fits your needs.
For more information, or to book me for a school and/or library visit or another event, please make a request via my contact page or through booked Authors.
The following are the presentations and workshops I offer:
Presentation (45 – 60 minutes)
What Do You Need To Be A Writer?
Learn about what it takes to be a writer in this fun and interactive presentation! Includes a Q&A time. Grades 1-8.
Writing Workshops (45-60 minutes)
How To Write Authentic Characters
In this workshop, we will talk about how to write authentic, multifaceted characters. Participants will be given opportunities to develop and write about a character through short exercises and prompts. Grades 3-6.
Using Setting To Bring a Story To Life
Setting plays an important part of every story, and in this workshop participants will explore techniques to add vibrancy and richness to their stories. Grades 3-6.
First Lines!
Readers will be inspired by and discuss the incredible first lines of various children’s books, then develop their own first lines. Grades 1-6.
Journaling and Sketchbook Workshop
Get inspiration from artists and writers from around the world who journal regularly. Participants will do an exercise that will help form a regular journaling habit. Grades 2-6.
“We were delighted to have Karina work with our 4th grade students as our 2023 Dorothy Carter Writer-in-Resident at Bank Street School for Children. So many wonderful things to say about her! As a former teacher, Karina worked beautifully with our students. She was very prepared and distilled some fairly complex ideas into accessible, kid-friendly concepts. More importantly, Karina taught our students how to mine their words for creative writing ideas and really sparked their imaginations!”
- Cynthia Weill, Director, Center for Children's Literature, Bank Street College of Education
Virtual Visits
My 45-minute Skype presentations are similar to my in-person author visits and writing workshops. I begin with a 25-30 minute presentation on the writing process, providing opportunities for interaction. I discuss where to find inspiration, show readers my writing notebooks, talk about first drafts and revision, and speak about the publishing process. This follows with 10-15 minute of Q and A with students. These sessions are available to all schools, libraries, and home-school groups. Make a request via my contact page or through booked Authors.
Complimentary 15-minute Skype Q and A Sessions
A limited number of complimentary 15-minute Skype Q&A sessions are available if your class, grade, or school has read The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street. Please contact me to inquire about availability.
School Visits 2025 - 26
February 11, 2025: Wonder Homeschool Center, Pawley’s Island, SC (virtual)
February 12, 2025: Sergent Elementary School, Beacon, NY
February 26, 2025: Region One Education Services Battle of the Books, Edinburg, TX
February 27, 2025: Charles B. Pearson Middle School, Frisco, TX
March 10 - 12, 2025: Authors in Chelsea Residency, Michigan
March 13, 2025: Beacon CSD Book Bash, Beacon, NY
March 24, 2025: Oak Street Elementary School, Basking Ridge, NJ
April 2, 2025: Kelly Park School, Apopka, FL (virtual)
April 2, 2025: Streamable Learning, SC (virtual)
April 4, 2025: Florida Explorers Association, FL (virtual)
April 9, 2025: Hunter College Elementary School, New York, NY
April 29, 2025: Irving Public Library, Syracuse, NY (virtual)
April 29, 2025: Iowa Elementary School Battle of the Books (virtual)
April 29, 2025: Dale Street School, Medfield, MA (virtual)
May 22, 2025: Belvedere Elementary School, Arnold, MD
September 15, 2025: Wright Middle School, Nashville, TN
September 15, 2025: AZ Kelley Elementary, Antioch, TN
September 16, 2025: Warren T. Jackson Elementary, Atlanta, GA
September 16, 2025: Cliff Valley School, Atlanta, GA
September 17, 2025: Washington Yu Ying, Washington, D.C.
September 17, 2025: Clermont Elementary, Alexandria, VA
September 18, 2025: Emerson Elementary School, Elmhurst, IL
September 18, 2025: Arlene Welch Elementary, Naperville, IL
September 19, 2025: Westside Middle School, Omaha, NE
September 22, 2025: Lee A. McShane Elementary, Dallas, TX
September 22, 2025: Dealy Elementary, Dallas, TX
September 22, 2025: Jesus Morales Expressive Arts, Dallas, TX
September 23, 2025: Linda Jobe Middle School, Mansfield, TX
September 23, 2025: James Coble Middle School, Mansfield, TX
September 23, 2025: T.A. Howard Middle School, Mansfield, TX
September 24, 2025: Alma Martinez Intermediate School, Mansfield, TX
September 24, 2025: Charlene McKinzey Middle School, Mansfield, TX
September 25, 2025: Smithfield Middle School, North Richland Hills, TX
September 25, 2025: North Oaks Middle School, Haltom City, TX
September 25, 2025: West Birdville Middle School, Haltom City, TX
September 26, 2025: Watauga Elementary School, Watauga, TX
September 26, 2025: Smithfield Elementary, North Richland Hills, TX
September 26, 2025: Jack C. Binion Elementary, Richland Hills, TX
October 13-14, 2025: Annunciation Orthodox School, Houston, TX
October 28, 2025: St. Mary Magdalen Catholic School, Orlando, FL
November 12, 2025: Hawtree Creek Middle School, South Ozone Park, NY
December 3, 2025: Griswold Middle School, Griswold, CT (virtual)
May 12, 2025: Berkeley Carroll School, Brooklyn, NY
School Visits 2024
January 30, 2024: Chancellor Livingston Elementary School, Rhinebeck, NY
February 15, 2024: Battle of the Books at Delta Township District Library, Lansing, MI (virtual)
February 27, 2024: St. David’s School, New York, NY
March 1, 2024: Edison Park Elementary, Fort Myers, FL
March 4-5, 2024: Children’s Literature Festival at the University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO
March 6, 2024: Madison Elementary School, Madison, NH (virtual)
March 6, 2024: Bronx Global Learning Institute for Girls Charter School, Bronx, NY
March 12, 2024: PS 321 with Meet the Writers, Brooklyn, NY
March 18, 2024: Pine Crest School, Boca Raton, FL (virtual)
March 22, 2024: Charter School for Educational Excellence, Yonkers, NY
March 28, 2024: Children’s Book Festival with Square Books, The Center for the Study of Southern Culture, The Oxford Junior Auxiliary, and The Lafayette County and Oxford Library, Oxford, MI
April 2, 2024: The Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn, NY
April 3, 2024: Michael Wickman Elementary School, Chino Hills, CA (virtual)
April 4, 2024: Burnt Mills Elementary, Silver Springs, MD (virtual, organized by We Need Diverse Books)
April 9, 2024: PS 10, Brooklyn, NY
April 16, 2024: Brooklyn Friends School, Brooklyn, NY
April 25, 2024: Beverly Cheatham Elementary School, Allen, TX
April 25, 2024: Bolin Elementary School, Allen, TX
October 20, 2024: PS 183, New York, NY
October 21, 2024: The Town School, New York, NY
October 25, 2024: Banks Trail Middle School, Fort Mill, SC (virtual)
October 28, 2024: Yeshiva Ketana of Manhattan, NY (virtual)
November 4, 2024: Léman Manhattan Preparatory School, New York, NY
November 15, 2024: Read-Aloud Revival (virtual)
November 22, 2024: Kyrene de los Lagos Dual Language Academy, Phoenix, AZ (virtual)
December 4, 2024: Reading Middle Grade (virtual)
December 9, 2024: PS 321, Brooklyn, NY
SCHOOL VISITS 2023
January 12, 2023: Old Greenwich School, Old Greenwich, CT
January 20, 2023: International School of Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY
January 23, 2023: Trevor Day School, New York, NY
March 3, 2023: Austin Elementary, Coppell, TX
March 8, 2023: My Very Own Library Program, nationwide (virtual)
March 13, 2023: Suzuki Charter School, Edmonton, Canada (virtual)
March 14, 2023: LREI, New York, NY
March 16, 2023: Oradell Public School, Oradell, NJ
March 29, 2023: St. Mary's Episcopal School, Memphis, TN (virtual)
April 5, 12, 18, 19, and May 2, 2023: Bank Street School’s 2023 Dorothy Carter Writer-in-Residence
April 27, 2023: Greenwich Country Day School, Greenwich, CT
April 27, 2023: Hong Kong International School (virtual)
April 28, 2023: The Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn, NY
May 11, 2023: North Mianus School, Greenwich, CT
May 25, 2023: The Marymount School of New York, NY
June 5, 2023: Schodack Central School District, Castleton-on-Hudson, NY
September 19, 2023: Dry Creek Elementary, Centennial, CO
September 19, 2023: Children’s Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
September 20, 2023: Peterson Elementary School, Naperville, IL
September 20, 2023: Longwood Elementary School, Naperville, IL
September 21, 2023: Powhatan Elementary School, Baltimore, MD
September 21, 2023: Garrison Forest School, Baltimore, MD
September 22, 2023: Brenner Children’s Hospital, Winston-Salem, NC
September 23, 2023: The Downtown School, Winston-Salem, NC
September 27, 2023: PS 158 The Bayard Taylor School, New York, NY
September 29, 2023: PS 183 Robert L. Stevenson School, New York, NY
October 10, 2023: The Chapin School, New York, NY
October 27, 2023: The Chapin School, New York, NY
November 10, 2023: The Town School, New York, NY
November 14, 2023: St. Mary Magdalen Catholic School, Orlando, FL
November 17, 2023: The Town School, New York, NY
December 5, 2023: Stephen Gaynor School, New York, NY
December 13, 2023: The Speyer School, New York, NY
School Visits 2022
March 11, 2022: Meridian Elementary School, Grosse Ile, MI
April 6, 2022: General Wayne Elementary, Malvern, PA
April 6, 2022: Springton Lake Middle School, Media, PA
April 8, 2022: Cloverdale Elementary School, Carol Stream, IL
April 8, 2022: Lakeview Junior High School, Downers Grove, IL
May 6, 2022: The Columbus School for Girls, Columbus, OH
May 9, 2022: The Geneva School, New York, NY
May 10, 2022: P.S. 154, Brooklyn, NY
May 24, 2022: P.S. 95, Brooklyn, NY
May 20, 2022: Tulsa Book Club (virtual)
May 25, 2022: P.S. 169, Brooklyn, NY
September 20, 2022: OCS, Edmond, OK
September 20, 2022: Russell Dougherty Elementary, Edmond, OK
September 21, 2022: Copeland Elementary School, Houston, TX
September 21, 2022: Annunciation Orthodox School, Houston, TX
September 21, 2022: Shadow Forest Elementary, Kingwood, TX
September 22, 2022: Christ Community Lutheran School, Kirkwood, MO
September 22, 2022: Wilson School, Clayton, MO
September 27, 2022: Belmont Day School, Belmont, MA
September 28, 2022: Maria L. Baldwin School, Cambridge, MA
September 28, 2022: Tobin Montessori School, Cambridge, MA
September 28, 2022: The Morse School, Cambridge, MA
October 25, 2022: Pueblo School for the Arts and Sciences, Pueblo, CO (virtual)
October 25, 2022: Saint Patrick School, Terre Haute, IN (virtual)
October 26, 2022: PS 128, Brooklyn, NY
October 31, 2022: The Cathedral School, NY
November 2, 2022: The Dawn Society Virtual Book Club
November 9, 2022: The Chapin School, New York, NY
November 10, 2022: The Cathedral School, NY
November 14, 2022: Raymond C Buckley Elementary School, Lansing, NY (virtual)
November 15, 2022: St. Ann’s School, Brooklyn, NY
November 21, 2022: P.S. 169, Brooklyn, NY
December 8-9, 2022: Karla Harry Visiting Author at The Gordon School, East Providence, RI
