Children's author Ronda Friend has travelled extensively throughout the United States in twenty-two states presenting her character-based Author Visit program in over 800 schools and before 700,000 students and educators.  Her author visit program combines storytelling, hilarity, puppets, music and audience participation that entertains while challenging and inspiring students to be positive contributors to their schools, communities and families.  She encourages aspiring young writers and motivates all students to be avid readers.

“Hilarity with a message”

R. Friend’s “Down On Friendly Acres” high-energy, character-based assembly program will challenge your students to be avid readers, creative writers and citizens with character. The program combines storytelling, music, puppets, sign language and faculty/student participation.


Writing Workshops

"Thinking outside the box"

The writing workshop,  "Turning on the 'Spicket' of a Child's Imagination,"  is designed to motivate children and inspire them to let the creative juices flow. Living in the South, I take literary license and use "Spicket" as an acrostic, then add alliteration in order for students and staff to delve into seven important steps of creating and writing a great story: The objective is not only to learn great writing skills but to put those skills into action.  The last 15 minutes of the workshop the group using my innovative card game creates on the spot a story.  Click on the Granny Sweet Tooth link under the  YouTube logo to see an example of one of those stories created by 4^th graders in Texas. At the end of the workshop, teachers will be equipped to provide a fun, exciting, creative atmosphere for children of all writing levels.

"Making Reading a Family Priority"

Family nights are a total blast as families dress up as pigs, skunks and stinkbugs to act out my picture book - "P.U. You Stink!"  The stinky families team up to defeat the evil foxes - "Eeany-Meany - Miney and Moe" (played by the principals and teachers).  The moral of the story is "the family who stinks together - sticks together!"  The program ends with a song "Love Me, Love Me to Bed" - emphasizing the importance of parents reading to their children every night.

An R. Friend Family Night  is great in conjunction with PTA/PTO hosted Family Read Nights , Dr. Seuss Read Across America  Night, AR Celebration and BLAST nights,  and Family Literacy Nights.  Along with the Family Nights students and parents have pajama night, superhero night, favorite athletic team jerseys or students and families dress up as farmers for the "Down On Friendly Acres" theme.