top of page

Invite Josh Funk to Your School!

Since the fall of 2015, Josh Funk has presented at over 250 schools in-person and at an additional 650+ schools virtually—and he'd love to connect with you and your students about his many picture books, the writing process, fairy tales, coding, and more.

To schedule a visit with Josh, please reach out via his Contact Page

or fill out this short form with information about your school.

"As an elementary school librarian, it can be difficult to find a visiting author that will captivate students from kindergarten through sixth-grade, but Josh Funk absolutely fit the bill. Josh’s presentation had my students fully engaged for the entire hour. Students were excited to hear about the writing process, tickled by behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and thrilled to receive some sneak peeks of unreleased books. The true mark of a successful author event is when I receive calls and emails from parents telling me how excited their student was to share all the details with them. I would and will recommend a visit from Josh to any educator!" ~ Stefanie Riddile, Librarian, Poplar Tree Elementary, Chantilly, VA, USA

​

(read more testimonials below)

In-Person Visits

Traditionally Josh gives three presentations in a full day (exceptions can be made, see FAQ below for details). Each presentation is 45-60 minutes in length depending on grade level. They can be any size (single classroom or full auditorium), any grades K-8, all tailored appropriately. Program offerings are broken into two halves and can be mixed and matched.

​

Requested Honorarium:

  • Local: $2,250 (less than 50 mile drive from Boston, MA)

  • Long Distance: $2,400 + hotel & mileage (50+ mile drive from Boston, MA)

​

First Half—Get the Creativity Flowing: How do you get from an idea in your head to the library shelf? Josh will share his life as a reader and writer and discuss the entire publication process of one of the books below from idea generation, revision & critiques, working with illustrators, publishers, and more. Making a book is a collaborative team effort. And while it's no easy path, if this software engineer can learn how to write a book ... anyone can do it!

​Second Half—Time to Get Interactive: It's time to get creative! Josh will invite volunteers to create characters or 'code' robots & aliens, and of course, save time for Q&A.

  • Cooking Up Characters (great for all grades): Along with volunteers, Josh and the students will create characters with the entire group and act out a silly scenario. Students are then given the opportunity to create characters on their own—names, descriptions, drawings (younger students) or even beginning to turn into their own stories (older students).

  • Code a Robot / Alien (best for grades 3 & up): Using unplugged coding activities, we'll code up robots using variables, and name them using a puzzle-based system. Then, we'll create aliens in reverse: selecting names first, then creating our robot based on what variables those names assign.

Bonus—Work in Progress: If time permits and Josh has access to art from an upcoming unreleased book that he's able to share, he's always happy to give a sneak peek, even in sketch form.

​​

Virtual Visits

Josh offers multiple options for virtual presentations, whether during school hours, evenings (to coincide with STEM or literacy nights), or weekends (to coincide with book fairs).

​

  • 30-MInute Virtual Visits include a Read Aloud and Q&A. Requested honorarium: $250.

  • 60-Minute Virtual Visits include a Presentation* about both the writing process and publication process, a Read Aloud, and Q&A. Requested honorarium: $450.

  • A Full Day of Virtual Visits with multiple classrooms or grades includes 3 hours of Presentations*, Read Alouds, and Q&A's. Requested honorarium: $1200.

​​

*Details about the Presentations: How do you get from an idea in your head to the library shelf? Josh will share his life as a reader and writer and discuss the entire publication process of one of the books below from idea generation, revision & critiques, working with illustrators, publishers, and more. Making a book is a collaborative team effort. And while it's no easy path, if this software engineer can learn how to write a book ... anyone can do it!

Testimonials

"Josh Funk's visit was as informative as it was enjoyable!  His engaging personality kept our students riveted, and there have been such rave reviews from teachers, students, and parents alike. Josh's visit was dubbed "the best author visit" Birch School has ever had - you will love the experience as much as we did!" ~ Vanessa Schroeder, Librarian, Birch School, Merrick, NY, USA

"We loved 'meeting' Josh Funk in a virtual author visit.  He is energetic, entertaining, and clearly passionate about writing fun books for kids!  He did a fantastic job tailoring his presentations to different age groups [kindergarten through 4th grade].  He even had a few surprises for us!!  Thank you, Josh, for inspiring us to just keep reading and keep writing!" ~ Heidi DeFlippo, East Farms Elementary, Farmington, CT

"Having Josh Funk visit is an unforgettable experience for the students! The students have the opportunity to ask questions and hear a live reading of his books. Everyone should have Josh visit their class!" ~ Sofia Lopes, 4th Grade Teacher, Campbell Elementary, Metuchen, NJ, USA

"Josh Funk was amazing with my students.  They were engaged the whole time, listening and taking in his expert advice.  Meeting with him was an excellent real world connection for my students’ writing experiences - from ideas and drafting to revising, editing and publishing.  It was a blast!!!" ~ Beth Pederson, Grade 4 Teacher, Prairie View Elementary, Eden Prairie, MN, USA

"Our visit with Josh was fun and meaningful for our students! The presentations, each with 200 students, were absolutely engaging. Josh invited teachers up to participate in a readers theatre, students were selected to act out new character ideas, and all students were guided to conceptualize and draw a new character to spark their future writing. Even during book signings, he chatted with each student and wrote a themed note in each book. He happily jumped in group photos (he even jumped into a class line and pretended to be a student in their class!). Josh is professional and personable and I highly recommend for any school to host him!"~ Erica Lakind, Library Media Specialist, Mary A Hubbard School, Ramsey, NJ, USA

"Josh Funk was so funny and engaging that the kids were so entertained the entire time! I even had a teacher approach me in the hallway and say, 'He was so awesome. I wish he could have been in person with us!' He tailored his presentations to the grade levels perfectly and I just loved seeing their little giggling faces at all the humor he added throughout. That was HANDS DOWN the best author visit we have ever had!" ~ Danica Taylor, Library Media Specialist / Computer Teacher, Wicoff Elementary, Plainsboro Township, NJ, USA

"Josh Funk is a true asset to any children’s literacy event. Having worked with Josh both as a visiting author for students and as a Keynote speaker for school librarians, I can attest he is an approachable and flexible collaborator. It is fascinating to see how Josh’s unique way of thinking adds a "croissant-like" layer of complexity and wit to his picture books making them perfect for children to read with loved ones. Josh has a unique knack for blending a software engineer’s logic with stories that allow readers to giggle while dabbling in debugging strategies such as “what is missing” and “if/then” thinking in a way that makes children (and adults) want to read again and again." ~ Jackie Fulton, MLIS, Elementary School Librarian, Pennsylvania School Librarian Association Conference Executive Director 

"We were so excited to have Josh Funk come for a virtual author visit at our elementary school because our students love all his books! What we didn’t know, until the day of, is that Josh is super friendly, down to earth, FUN, engaging, loves talking with the students, inspiring, and EVEN involves the teachers by having us read for one of his characters in his read alouds. The students AND the teachers had a BLAST! What a great way to promote literacy in schools! Josh was very flexible with scheduling and, although we had 30- and 60-minute increments of time with him, he stayed with us until all students’ questions were answered. We will be asking Josh to join us again in the future!" ~ Sara Mehrnama, M. Ed., Reading Specialist, Innovation Elementary, Arlington, VA, USA

"Our visit from Josh Funk was amazing! His presentation was informative, entertaining, and he managed to keep ALL the students engaged, even our PreK kids! 
I received wonderful feedback from both students and teachers after his visit. Additionally, he was very responsive, flexible, and easy to work with throughout the planning process. I highly recommend a visit from Josh Funk!" ~ Phala Rasumussen, Librarian Pre-K through 7th, Chattanooga Christian School, Chattanooga, TN, USA

"From beginning to end Josh was great to work with. His ability to spark creativity coupled with his genuine interaction with the students made this visit a truly memorable experience." ~ Jennifer Gould, Librarian, Avonworth Primary Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

"Josh's author visit was among the best we've ever had. The best part, however, happened after he left. Students are reading. Students are writing and telling me about their book ideas and how they want to be an author just like Josh. Parents are sending me messages about how their children came home and talked non-stop about Josh's visit and how they are writing stories and books. And, that is why you have an author visit! " ~ Lisa Goehler, Teacher-Librarian, Green Valley Elementary School, Reading, PA, USA

​

(read even more testimonials below)

Frequently Asked Question about School Visits

1. Does Josh offer discounts to long distance schools if they book multiple visits?

Yes, for each additional school booked on a long distance trip the price drops by $50 per day until the price for each day is the same price as a local visits.

​​​

2. How about only a half-day visit? Is this an option?

Yes, with a caveat. The rate for a half-day visit is:

  • Local: $1,500

  • Long Distance: $1,600

plus applicable travel and includes 2 presentations (45-60 minutes each).

​

However, in the case of Long Distance half-day visits, two half-day visits with two schools must be booked on the same day in the same area. Josh is unable to accomodate a single half-day visit farther than 50 miles from Boston.

​

3. Is Josh willing to present at three schools in a single day?

Yes. The rate for each school would be $950 plus applicable travel for a single presentation (45-60 minutes).

​

4. What if I want Josh to present FOUR times in one day?

The rate for 4 presentations (45-60 minutes each) is:

  • Local: $3,000

  • Long Distance: $3,200

​

5. How many students is Josh comfortable presenting to at a time?

Josh is happy to speak to as many or as few as you'd like. He can speak to a packed auditorium or a small writing group. Whatever you'd prefer.

​​

6. Will Josh sign books ordered in advance of the in-person school visit?

Yes. He won't leave the school until all books are signed and personalized.

​​

7. Will Josh eat lunch with a small group of students between presentations?

Sure! As long as he's not served pancakes.

​​

8. Can Josh guarantee my students will enjoy his visit?

Absolutely! 100%!

​​

9. What if I want Josh to visit for an evening literacy or STEM night? Or a weekend book fair? Is this possible?

Contact Josh directly to discuss via his contact page here.

​​

10. What if I have a question that isn't answered here?

Contact Josh directly to discuss via his contact page here.

​

11. Where can I find more testimonials about Josh's author visits?

Right below this box.

More Testimonials

"Josh presented at our school and was phenomenal in every respect. Josh is SO personable and engaging. His presentations were interactive and his ability to hold even the early elementary students' attention for so long was downright magical. Equally as impressive was Josh's ability to communicate with and present to a wide range of grade levels at our K-8 school! Even my son, who is a hard sell on literally all things, LOVED his presentation." ~ Nicola Melehov, PTA President, Thomas Prince School, Princeton, MA, USA

"My students were absolutely thrilled to meet author Josh Funk virtually! They were each able to ask questions, answer Josh's questions, and get a sneak peek of his upcoming works. It made their visit when Josh read them a story aloud! As a teacher, I appreciated how easy it was to book with him, the care and time he takes for the virtual visits, and that the students are able to purchase copies of his books. Josh then personalizes a bookplate for each student so they can get their own signed copies of his books! I highly recommend a virtual author visit with Josh Funk... this wasn't my first and it certainly won't be my last!" ~ Kristie Badik, grades 2-3-4, Mackinac Island Public School, Mackinac Island, MI, USA

"This year our entire grade level (2nd grade) had a virtual author visit from the amazing Josh Funk for the third year in a row! He taught us about his inspirations, the writing and publishing process, read to us and answered our questions!! He is so kind and inspiring and he speaks to the students in an engaging and humorous way. The kids could not wait to start creating stories!! We are excited to continue this tradition." ~ Dennille Ferguson, 2nd Grade Teacher, Corey Academy, Arlington, TX, USA

"Josh's virtual visits are fun, engaging, and inspiring for students (and teachers!) of all ages! My third graders loved having the chance to ask Josh about his inspiration, craft, and for some writing tips. They were excited to see a book he wrote in first grade, and they realized that they too can be authors someday. We loved his advice of read, write, and always have fun!" ~ Megan Lewitin, 3rd Grade Teacher, School #8, Oceasnside, NY, USA

"I want schools everywhere to have the experience with Josh Funk as we did today!" ~ Christy Wilson, Librarian, St. Peter's Episcopal School, Chattanooga, TN, USA

"After a year-long author study of Josh and his books, our preschool program had the opportunity to meet with him via Zoom. Josh was engaging, funny and willing to answer all the questions! He held the attention of even of the most squirrely 3–5-year-olds with his sense of humor and excitement for books, reading, writing and characters. I highly recommend inviting Josh into your classroom or school either virtually or in person! This presentation was a memory that will be long lasting for these littles!" ~ Amber Webb, PreK Teacher, Bloomfield Hills, MI, USA

"We were so excited to have Josh Funk at our school.  The presentation that he did for our students was phenomenal!  He has definitely inspired this Principal and our students to imagine, create, and WRITE!  Make sure you let him inspire your school as well!" ~ Nicha Jean, Principal, The King School, Chattanooga, TN, USA

"If you are wondering if you should book Josh Funk as your next author visit, the answer is - yes! Josh is an engaging presenter who captivated the attention of  K, 1 and 2 students (and teachers). He encourages student creativity and gets them excited about writing. And of course, kids LOVE his books!" ~ Shelby Land, Library Media Specialist, Berry School, Bethel, CT, USA

"We had Josh Funk visit us recently and his assemblies were AMAZING!  This was the first time we had done author day virtually and it all worked out very smoothly. Josh was energetic, well prepared and tailored his presentation to our grade level interests.  Students were engaged throughout - six months later, they are still talking about his visit and asking for his books!" ~ Sue Ferguson, Media Specialist, Maurice Hawk Elementary, Princeton Junction, NJ, USA

"We LOVE Josh Funk! Cape May County Library Kids had a blast at our Virtual Author Visit with Josh Funk! Not only did Josh give us a sneak peek of his upcoming book, but he also provided a very entertaining reading of his latest Lady Pancake book. Our participants were very engaged. Josh's visit was fun and funny just like his books." ~ Kristen Stech, Children's Librarian, Cape May County Library, NJ, USA

"As a teacher-librarian who has hosted Josh Funk virtually in the past for a student writing club, I already knew how much he rocks! After we hosted him for three more visits for our 1st-5th grade students this year, our teachers and students also had nothing but compliments! One teacher even said, 'Josh Funk was the best author visit we’ve had yet!'" ~ Christie Belfiore, Teacher-Librarian, Walker Elementary School, Clarendon Hills, IL, USA

bottom of page