Author James Solheim
Think Big!
Author James Solheim's Presentations for Kids
on How to Succeed
My presentations are more than talk. They’re designed to awaken students who need to set goals and to encourage kids who have goals already. In my in-person presentations, I offer a project in which the kids and I make "instant books" out of single pieces of paper to learn about math, discussing the possibilities ahead for them if they get interested in reading and learning for fun. As we see pages in the book grow exponentially with each fold, we learn how generations of grandmas go back into the millions, doubling with each generation just as page numbers double with each fold.
My books are about subjects with the highest child appeal while secretly broadening kids’ minds and experience. My books Eat Your Woolly Mammoths (from HarperCollins) and It’s Disgusting—and We Ate It (from Simon & Schuster) explore Earth’s wackiest foods as seen through a kid’s imagination, while highlighting the fun in math, geography, poetry, science, and more.
Grandmas Are Greater Than Great (from Greenwillow/HarperCollins) explores history without ever mentioning the subject—through twelve generations of grandmotherly love. Kids learn about how tiny caring gestures grow and spread exponentially throughout time.
If you’re an educator, a librarian, or a parent reading to your child, your work is urgent. Kids need goals, and they need to read for fun to develop their minds and find out about goals. My presentations complement your work and bring out the fun in learning, increasing the likelihood of kids’ success through enthusiasm.
Past Appearances 2021 through 2024
Left Bank Books, Saint Louis: https://www.facebook.com/LeftBankBooks.STL
Book Launch and Celebrity Storytime with James and artist Derek Desierto
Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021 at 11 a.m. CST
SCBWI Book Birthday Shop Talk, online authoring discussion
(Contact Alison Pearce Stevens at nebraska-ra@scbwi.org for info)
Monday, Feb. 15, 2021, at 7:30 p.m. CST
The Bookworm, Omaha: www.bookwormomaha.com/grandpeoples_party
Grandpeople's Party! with James and artist Derek Desierto
Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, 11 a.m. CST
Harvey Oaks Elementary, Omaha: One Book, One School. Contact Anne Ogg, Teacher Librarian, amogg@mpsomaha.org
Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, 1 pm. CST
Hillside Elementary, Omaha, Read Across America Week. Contact Kelly Kenny, Teacher Librarian, kenny.kelly@westside66.net
Wednesday, March 17, 2021, at 2:15
Kidder County Schools, Steele, ND. Contact Paula Diegel. <paula.diegel@kcschools.org>
Wednesday, April 14, 2021, at 1:00
Maryville Middle School and 2nd & 3rd grade classrooms, Eugene Field Elementary, Maryville MO. Contact Alisha Degase. <Degase@maryviller2.com>
Friday, April 16, 2021, at 12:30
Maryland Literacy Association virtual conference. Register at somla.online
Contact Michelle Shreeves, michellereads2me@gmail.com for info.
Saturday, April 17, 2021, at 12 noon Central Time
Mother's Day Celebration (online). Books of Wonder Bookstore in New York with James and artist Derek Desierto at https://booksofwonder.com/blogs/upcoming.
Saturday, May 1, 2021, at 3 p.m. Eastern Time
Math Is Everywhere Blog Interview with Kaitlyn Sanchez at kaitlynleannsanchez.com/blog/
Friday, June 11, 2021, at 9 a.m. Central Time
South Park Elementary school presentation, Rapid City, SD. Contact Sarah Gross, Sarah.Gross@k12.sd.us.
Thursday, Sept. 30, 2021, at 11:45 Central Time
South Dakota Festival of Books: sdhumanities.org/festival-of-books. Contact Jennifer Widman, jennifer@sdhumanities.org or call 605-688-6113.
Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021 at 5 p.m. Central Time
Nebraska Poetry Society Reading (online at https://www.nepoetrysociety.org/).
Contact Charlene Pierce at thepoets@nepoetrysociety.org.
Tuesday, April 5, 2022 at 6:30 p.m. Central Time
Norris Elementary, Omaha: Career Day School Presentation. Contact Kendal Runde at kjrunde@mpsomaha.org
Friday, April 22, 2022 at 1 p.m. Central Time
All About Books Interview on NPR/Nebraska Public Media Podcast at https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/series-media/all-about-books-audio/standalone-audio-15890/eat-your-woolly-mammoths-by-james-solheim-50018558/
Left Bank Books, Saint Louis: Book Launch! Introducing Eat Your Woolly Mammoths!
https://www.facebook.com/LeftBankBooks.STL
Saturday, April 23, 2022 at 1 p.m. Central Time
Bookworm Bookstore, Omaha. Online and in-person book signing for Children's Book Week and Mother's Day, with activity party! https://www.bookwormomaha.com/event/james-solheim-will-sign-eat-your-woolly-mammoths
Saturday, May 7, 2022 at 4 p.m. Central Time
Syttende mai fest, Elveby Sons of Norway, Chalco Park Building, Omaha
Sunday, May 15, 2022: Setup at 2 p.m. Central Time, fest at 3 p.m.
Horace Mann Elementary school presentation, Maryville, MO. Contact Mary Shields, MSHIELD@nwmissouri.edu
Friday, May 20, 2022
Scandinavian Midsommer, Omaha, Steppe Center, 118 south of Harrison in Omaha. https://omahamidsummer.wordpress.com/
Sunday, June 12, 2022: Setup at 1 p.m. Central Time
Plum Creek Children's Literacy Festival, helping kids get excited about reading! https://www.cune.edu/plum-creek-literacy-festival
September 22-24, 2022
Eclectic Book Club, Field Club of Omaha. Kathy Schwarting (402) 517-5059.
November 15, 2022, noon
Conestoga Elementary, Omaha. Anne Keegan <Anne.Keenan@ops.org>
November 30, 2022
UWF, Rockbrook United Methodist, Omaha. Linda Stroud <stroud.lindasue@gmail.com>
December 3, 2022
St. Gregory's Elementary, Maryville, MO: Karma Coleman, Principal. Karma Coleman <kcoleman@stgregorysschool.org>
December 16, 2022
Glen Lake Elementary, Minnetonka, MN. Jennifer Wallace <Jennifer.Wallace@hopkinsschools.org>
March 7, 2023
Nativity of Mary Elementary. Bloomington, MN. Theresa Prusha <tprusha@nativitybloomington.org>
March 8, 2023
St. John the Baptist Catholic Montessori School, Excelsior, MN. Angela Wroblewsi, Principal. <awroblewski@stjohns-excelsior.org>
March 9, 2023
Norris Elementary Career Fair, Omaha, NE. Melissa Croom, 1:15-2:55. <macroom@mpsomaha.org>
April 28, 2023
Doane University, Omaha, NE, 1:00. Libby Dreier. <libby.dreier@doane.edu>
Wednesday, July19, 2023
Pilgrim Lutheran Education Center, Bellevue, NE, 10:30 a.m. Jessica Riley, <directorpilgrimlutheran@gmail.com>
Monday, July 24, 2023
Approx. 1 pm, Hill City Elementary, Hillside, SD. Contact Samantha Weaver, Principal, 605-574-3013, or Hanna Glissendorf, Director, Black Hills Reads, 605-343-5872. <hanna@unitedwayblackhills.org>
Monday, September 18, 2023
9 a.m. Custer Elementary, Custer, SD. Contact Barb Paulson, Principal, 605-673-4483, or Hanna Glissendorf, Director, Black Hills Reads, 605-343-5872. <hanna@unitedwayblackhills.org>
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
1 pm, Elk Mountain Elementary, Dewey, SD. Contact Lisa Richardson, Principal, (605)749-2258, or Hanna Glissendorf, Director, Black Hills Reads, 605-343-5872. <hanna@unitedwayblackhills.org>
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
8:40 a.m., Hot Springs Elementary, South Dakota. Principal Acacia Trevillyan, acacia.trevillyan@k12.sd.us, 605-745-4149.
Or contact Hanna Glissendorf, Director, Black Hills Reads, 605-343-5872. <hanna@unitedwayblackhills.org>
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
8:30 a.m., Meadowbrook Elementary, Rapid City, South Dakota. Contact Hanna Glissendorf, Director, Black Hills Reads, 605-343-5872 <hanna@unitedwayblackhills.org>
Thursday, September 21, 2023
9 a.m.,Whitewood Elementary, South Dakota. Contact Hanna Glissendorf, Director, Black Hills Reads, 605-343-5872. <hanna@unitedwayblackhills.org>
Friday, September 22, 2023
South Dakota Festival of the Book, Deadwood/Rapid City
Contact Jennifer Widman, Director, South Dakota Center for the Book, <jennifer@sdhumanities.org>
September 21-24, 2023
Leeds Elementary, Leeds, Alabama. Contact Lorie Michelle Johnson, <ljohnson15@una.edu>
Monday, Oct. 2, 2023
2:30 pm, Nebraska Book Awards Winner for best children's nonfiction and best children's book design, ceremony at the UNL City Campus Union’s Regency Suite, 1400 R Street, in Lincoln, NE. Nebraska Center for the Book/Nebraska Library Commision. Contact Tessa Terry <tessa.terry@nebraska.gov>
Saturday, October 14, 2023
Alabama Literacy Association Conference, Birmingham. Contact Lorie Michelle Johnson, <ljohnson15@una.edu>
Tuesday-Wednesday, Oct. 3-4, 2023
North Carolina Reading Association Conference, Winston Salem. Contact Jean House, <ncra.execassist@gmail.com>
March 17-19, 2024
North Carolina Reading Association Conference, Winston Salem. Contact Jean House, <ncra.execassist@gmail.com>
March 17-19, 2024
Midwest SCBWI Conference, Davenport, Iowa
Contact Carrie Pearson (Michigan-ra2@scbwi.org) or Jodi McKay (Michigan-ra@scbwi.org)
Friday-Sunday, April 12-14, 2024
Westgate Elementary, Omaha, NE at 2:15 Monday-Thursday. Contact Kendal Runde, Principal <runde.kendal@westside66.net>
Monday-Friday, May 13-16, 2024
Doane University Literacy Class, Libby Dreier, Professor. Contact <libby.dreier@doane.edu>
Monday, June 17, 2024, 1 pm.
Iowa Reading Association/Iowa Association of School Librarians, Tuesday at 9:35 and 10:45, and Wednesday at 9:30. Contact Tony Pieper <tpieper@bcluw.org>
Tuesday-Wednesday, June 25-26, 2024
Doane University Literacy Class, Libby Dreier, Professor.
Contact <libby.dreier@doane.edu>
Friday, June 28, 2024, 10 am or 1 pm
Childs Elementary, Bloomington, IN
Contact <smarshal@mccsc.edu>
Monday, March 24, 2025
Fairview Elementary, Bloomington, IN
Contact Brittany McGrath <bmcgrath@mccsc.edu>
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Templeton Elementary autographing, Bloomington, IN
Contact Rick Bray <rbray@mccsc.edu>
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Elmwood Tower (52nd and Leavenworth) Women's Club
Contact Ellen Scott <ewsbooks@gmail.com>
Monday, April 7, 2025, 1 pm
Templeton Elementary, Bloomington, IN (TENTATIVE)
Contact Rick Bray <rbray@mccsc.edu>
Monday, April 21, 2025
Seven Oaks Classical Elementary (TENTATIVE)
Contact Kelsey Marchant
<kelsey.marchant@sevenoaksclassical.org>
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Westgate Elementary, Omaha, NE Monday-Friday. Contact Kendal Runde, Principal <runde.kendal@westside66.net>
Monday-Friday, May 12-16, 2025