Jeff Nathan

Jeff Nathan is the creator of PunOETRY^TM and the award-winning author of There's a Bear in My Shoe, Calling All Animals, and There's a Hippo in My Locker from Chucklebooks Publishing. All are books of humorous poems for children, with a special twist. His work is also in Oh My Darling, Porcupine and I Hope I Don't Strike Out from Meadowbrook Press.

Education Through HUMOR

Jeff also created CurricuLaughs, a set of very popular curriculum-tied programs that get students laughing and having fun, getting some right-brain help for traditionally left-brained learning. He GUARANTEES these programs to be the BEST, MOST FUN, AND MOST EDUCATIONAL language arts assemblies your school has EVER HAD or you don't have to pay.

"I want to thank you for a wonderful performance last week. It was the best that we have ever had. The students and staff are still raving about it. They all had a great time and the students didn't even realize they were learning ..."
Susan Warnke, Library Media Specialist, Ste Jeanne d'Arc School, Lowell, MA

"In my fifteen years of teaching, I have never seen a performer like Jeff Nathan. In addition to being captivatingly funny, musical, and whimsical, he provides curriculum-tied educational content in a multi-sensory format that makes poetry accessible to all children. If you only have one author visit your school, this is the one to get."
Kathleen Holland, Literacy Specialist, Lynch Elementary School, Winchester, MA

"He's talking about similes, metaphors and alliteration, and it's good for the students since testing is coming up," Langille said. "It's unusual to find someone that can hit all the different grade levels. I definitely would recommend him to another group."
     Kyle Langille, Bicentennial Elementary School Principal, Nashua, NH
           via the Nashua Telegraph newspaper, Nashua, NH,
           article by Jeff Abkowitz, Telegraph Staff

"Though I am booked for many sessions long in advance, I enjoy my school visits as much as the kids do. I want to visit your school and will do whatever I can to accommodate late requests. I will find a way, if at all possible." Jeff Nathan

There's a Bear in My Shoe
by Jeff Nathan, Liz Ball (Illustrator)
Paperback: 96 pages
Publisher: Chucklebooks Pub Inc; 1st edition (December 31, 2005)
ISBN: 0970273029

There’s a Bear in My Shoe is a book of humorous poetry and PunOETRY™ . PunOETRY™ is a great introduction to word play, unobtrusively giving alternate spellings to help newcomers “get it”, while not spoiling anything for everyone else. There’s also a delightful section of “Poems to Sing”—silly new lyrics to familiar songs. From a St. Bernard dragging its owner through the snow, to a school where all the teachers have the right names, both kids and adults will be laughing, smiling, groaning and anxious to turn to the next page’s story. Liz Ball’s hidden-picture illustrations provide a playful adventure with each poem. CallingAllAnimals.jpg (259933 bytes)

Calling All Animals: The First Book of Punoetry by Jeff Nathan,
Reading level: Ages 9-12,
Edition: Paperback, 96 pages;
Publisher: Chucklebooks Pub Inc; (December 2003)

This introduction of PunOETRY™, a unique and educational way of combining puns and rhyming poetry, was selected as co-winner of the 2003 Pinnacle Award for Children's Interest. Kids of all ages enjoy and learn from this book, especially those aged 7 – 13. Every humorous animal “punoem” highlights the puns and homophones used, and provides the alternate spellings. Each of the accompanying illustrations from Liz Ball features a Chucklebug and a hidden Chuckleslug, for added fun. 0970273002.01.LZZZZZZZ (22785 bytes)

There's a Hippo in My Locker
by Jeff Nathan
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Edition: Paperback 79 pages
Publisher: Chucklebooks Publishing, Inc.; (October 16, 2000)

There's a Hippo in My Locker is a book of short humorous poems, most of which have been written from a kid's perspective. From a dog's stealing a birthday cake to a pet elephant to a doctor's toughest patient, the poems are enjoyed by humor-lovers of all ages, especially 6-14.

I Hope I Don't Strike Out! Is the first major anthology of funny poems about sports. Kids will love poems about how to trick batters into taking their eyes off the ball, what to expect on your first day at karate school, what not to pack for a ski trip, and how to score the winning goal in a peewee soccer game.

Oh My Darling, Porcupine
Anthology
Reading level: Ages 8-12,
Edition: Hardcover;
Publisher: Meadowbrook Press; (2007)
ISBN:054502949X

Best-selling poet Bruce Lansky is at it again - this time with a hilarious collection of silly sing-along songs. Kids can read and sing along with these funny new songs - all written to familiar tunes like "Clementine" and "Oh, Susanna." With lyrics written by Bruce Lansky (also known as the King of Giggle Poetry), Eric Ode, Robert Pottle, Bill Dodds, and other gifted giggle poets, this collection contains nineteen sidesplitting songs about cows in the kitchen, messy bedrooms, naughty cats, and other topics sure to crack kids up.

"This was by far the best set of presentations I have seen in our school system - funny informative, inspiring, the kids LOVED them, AND they presented some difficult MCAS concepts, like similes and metaphors, and a uniquely humorous and dramatic manner that the kids can relate to and remember ."
Dr. Marc Kerble, Winchester Schools Assistant Superintendent, Winchester, MA

"Thank you so much for the truly remarkable show. I have no doubt that I could write a nicely worded, long. drown-out appreciative thank you letter. But it would by no means illustrate how truly captivated the students at RMM5 were with your show. So I will simply quote a student who said it best "You Rock!". From the mouth of babes. Jeff you were sensational Thank you ever so much!"
Kristine 0. Murray, Richard Macfhakian Memorial, School Media Enrichment Specialist, Brookline, NH

"Hi Jeff, Your program was fantastic! It was-vas much more educational than I expected and very creative. The kids really enjoyed it. I can absolutely recommend you first-hand. ..."
Vicki Blazejowski, Editor, PTO Ideas

"Jeff thoroughly engaged the students, using o variety of audiovisual media, ranging from acoustic guitar to colorful costumes to cleverly designed PowerPoint presentations. His talent as an author, entertainer, and a songwriter brings together a multiplicity of art forms in a very worthwhile. instructive manner. Students become active listeners and participate in the analysis and usage of excellent reading and writing techniques."
Anna Mane MacDonnell, PhD, Grade 4 Teacher, McGuire Elementary School, N. Providence, RI

"...I want to thank you again for your outstanding presentation at our school. I really enjoyed watching how you brought poetry to life The children were enthralled with your mannerisms and slapstick humor. I have heard nothing but positive comments from students, staff, and parents. Please fee! free to use me as a reference."
Marian Houngan, Thomas Hooker School Principal, Menden, CT

"...Thank you for such an informative, yet entertaining program you put on for our classes yesterday... What a great variety of props, costumes, and resources! They also enjoyed your small group instruction on similes and metaphors as you made it fun. You ore truly a children's poet."
Tina Stroud, Grade 4 Teacher, Orenda Elementary School, Clifton Park, NY

"At our last PTO meeting, parents said their children came home and wrote pages of poetry, even books after your presentation We are always happy when children talk about the programs at home and even more impressed when the subject matter carries over to free time. Thanks again for a wonderful visit."
Sarah Robinson, PTO Enrichment Coordinator, Page Elementary, West Newbury, MA

Honorarium: $1199 list price for full day visit. Discounting and grant help available. Very simple, inexpensive accommodations for overnight travel. Day sessions are eligible for Title 1 funding.

Discounting
Though his prices are VERY inexpensive for the quality of programming you receive, it is possible to bring in these great visits for LESS. Contact Jeff for details on grants, publisher subsidies, and other fee-reducing programs.

Why do you want him to visit?
1. CurricuLaughs is the epitome of arts in education music, poetry, language arts,
dramatic enactments all overflowing with humor as they are applied to curricula concerns.

2. Principals LOVE him.
"[Nathan] does what I look for in an enrichment program," Mountain View principal Carolyn Wallace said. "He brings things the students can use right now and the fourth grade teachers are very pleased with the work he does with poetry."

"His humor is definitely at the kids' level, as are his words and his concepts." Wallace explained. "I wouldn't be surprised if we invited him back every year because the students learn different things every year. This is a program where children aren'+ learning the exact same thing at each level."
     Carolyn Wallace Principal, Mountain View Elementary School, East Longmeadow. MA
          via The Reminder newspaper, East Longmeadow. MA
        article by Courtney Llewellyn, Reminder Assistant Editor

3. Teachers LOVE him.
"All of us at Paul Road School are very appreciative of your time and talents that you ... shared with us ... The assemblies were geared so appropriately to the ages of the students in attendance. Your enthusiasm for poetry and your informative presentation woven with humor certainly was an inspiration to our budding poets! ... The students have been talking about the poems all week...
Again. thank you for sharing your time to motivate our students..."
     Sue Bickel, Building Reading Teacher, Paul Road School, Rochester. NY

"Mr. Nathon's assembly was educational and entertaining. It is a great way to get across poetry curricula in a way the children love. This was our second year in a row having "Sherlock Poems" at our school. The students, staff and administration were thrilled to have him return!"
Kim Turnberg, Gifted and Talented teacher, Grades 3-5, Mountain View Elementary School, East Longmeadow, MA

4. Students LOVE him.
"Hi Jeff.
At the end of the school year, I asked the children to fill out a questionnaire and in particular to comment on their favorite program. You won by a landslide..."
     Patricia Ells, Madeline English School, Media Specialist, Everett, MA

"He was great and I am not usually interested in poetry."
     Fourth grader, Tiana Mackin
          via The Reminder newspaper, East Longmeadow, MA
        article by Courtney Llewellyn, Reminder Assistant Editor

Jeff Nathan
27 Brown St.
Andover, MA 01810

Phone toll-free: 1-888-WORDFUN
(1-888-967-3386)
alternate (978) 886-0866

Jeff Nathan Author
	Sharing a silly song As Sherlock Poems, Poetry Detective