Dean Robbins is a journalist and the award-winning author of The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon: The True Story of Alan Bean; Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass; You Are a Star, Ruth Bader Ginsburg; Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing; Thank You, Dr. Salk!: The Scientist Who Beat Polio and Healed the World; Mambo Mucho Mambo!: The Dance That Crossed Color Lines, and other engaging nonfiction picture books. His work has been praised in the New York Times and USA Today, received starred reviews, chosen for best-of-the-year honors, featured on radio and television, and adapted for film. As a journalist, Dean has written for USA Today, the New York Daily News, the Village Voice, the Grammys, and dozens of other newspapers and magazines. He draws on his journalism background to interview the subjects of his children’s books, including Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean and NASA’s pioneering computer scientist Margaret Hamilton. Dean lives with his wife and son in Madison, Wisconsin. His website is deanrobbins.net.
Program Descriptions
How to Be a Real-Life Hero
Grades K-5
30-60 minutes
As a child, Dean fell in love with Mighty Mouse and Superman, dressing up in superhero costumes and vowing to save the world. When he realized he would never have X-ray vision, he found real-life heroes who could be his role models, including the civil rights champions Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, the astronaut Alan Bean, and the Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In a funny, interactive, multimedia presentation, Dean introduces these and other extraordinary figures from his nonfiction picture books and reveals the secrets of how kids can become real-life heroes themselves.
The Ten Little-Known Secrets of Writing Success
Middle school to adult
30-60 minutes
Dean enjoys speaking with teachers, librarians, fellow authors, young writers, and readers about his journey as an author. He got his start as a journalist, then turned to writing nonfiction children’s books about his personal heroes, overcoming setbacks in both fields. In this humorous multimedia presentation, Dean describes the joys and challenges involved in a literary career and inspires others to pursue their own dreams.
AV Tech:
For in-person visits, Dean requires a projector; projection screen; microphone; audio capability for video clips; and laptop for USB drive.
Ordering Books
Schools and libraries may order books at a discounted rate by visiting the Scholastic Teacher Store or by calling 1-800-SCHOLASTIC.