Bestselling author Sigmund Brouwer brings his unique sense of play to the serious business of learning to read and write. Armed with music, humor and heart, he connects the dots for people who work with kids to cultivate reading and writing skills. The love of writing begins and ends with the love of story. Story can connect child to teacher. Story can teach reading and writing. Anyone can enjoy a story. Anyone can create a story. Anyone can revise a story.

With close to three million books in print, Sigmund Brouwer writes for both children and adults. In the last ten years, he has given writing workshops to students in schools from the Arctic Circle to inner city Los Angeles. One of his latest novels, The Last Disciple, earned Sigmund an appearance on ABC's Good Morning America. Sigmund and his family live half the year in Nashville, Tennessee, and half the year in Red Deer, Alberta.

The Talk:
Reach For Your Dreams
It doesn't matter where you come from, it's where you decide to go in life that is important. Sigmund Brouwer encourages students to reach for their dreams, giving them fun and practical advice for the reading and writing skills that are the foundation of future success.

The Presentation:
Sigmund's presentations are an hour of high-level energy. He especially reaches out to reluctant readers and gears the talk to engage their attention. Audience size varies; often his presentations take place in the gym for the entire school, including kindergarten. (After the first half hour, the K-2 grades are dismissed, and the remainder of the presentation is focused on the older students.) There are no restrictions on audience size except for the space limitations of the gym. Smaller schools are welcome to invite another school to share in the cost of the presentation.

Booking:
For presentations that involve travel, Sigmund appreciates it if two or three schools in the area make bookings on the same day. For more information on booking, fees and expenses, please email Sigmund: rockandrollliteracy@me.com

Sigmund Brouwer's profile page

• Commended, Resource Links, The Year's Best Books

"[Brouwer] uses short stories and humor to bring some of his experiences to the writing of this book...Useful and easy-to-read."

Sal's Fiction Addiction blog

"Brouwer brings his enthusiasm for reaching out to reluctant readers and writers, as well as his experience as an author and seminar leader, to this book. A prolific author of books written to captivate early and reluctant teen readers, Brouwer invites teachers to take another look at how they teach these same students to become writers. Using anecdotes from his 'Rock and Roll Literacy' seminars, Brouwer's humor and heart clearly illustrate his sincere interest and skill in engaging students and turning them into writers...Rock & Roll Literacy will definitely enable teachers to plan many ways to 'Keep writing fun' by having students 'Write from the heart, and edit from the brain.' Highly Recommended."

CM Magazine

"Brouwer loads the text with real life incidents from his writing career and from his experiences giving school presentations to make the reading lively, entertaining, as well as grounded in what a working writer goes through. His recognition of the diverse nature of the modern classroom is appreciated...This is a real treat from a successful writer. Filled with humour and honesty."

Resource Links

"The author's argument is sound...Brouwer obviously cares deeply about encouraging kids to write and, by his own account, has had great success reaching even the most reluctant students. Educators will find numerous examples of stories that can be used to inspire kids, as well as instruction on how to keep the focus on story...He may well be onto something worth trying."

Quill & Quire

"Brouwer outlines with humour and passion his approach to promoting literacy among young people, ephasizing the importance of story at every step."

Prairie Books Now