I’m flexible to fit your
location/school’s needs.
I can move between classrooms or stay in a library/common area with classes rotating in and out (most effective).
A Smartboard/Screen is ideal— I'll bring a USB with digital books and behind-the-scenes illustration content.
Sessions can be 20–60 minutes, with content adjusted for time and grade level, often including:
In-Person School Visits
(full day, bell-to-bell),
rates are discussed with each school. They factor in preparation of all materials, the delivery of the author visit, travel to and from,
the number of custom bookmarks needed for students, & incidental costs. I’m open to discuss a discounted rate if you’re considering a shorter or less involved day. Discounts also made available
to Title I schools.
Virtual Visits - For single classrooms - Typically $150 for 30-minute sessions and $250/45+ minute sessions. For a full day (bell-to-bell) with multiple classrooms, fee is customized and typically coordinated with the librarian - where the screen and viewing area is organized.
Use Grants!
Important to note for fees - many schools have leveraged a grant and not had to use their own funding. BOCES is a terrific way to cover the payments, and many schools book through Arts in Education/BOCES funding—here’s my listing for reference: https://nysartsenrichment.org/details?sku=303
My Location & Travel
I’m based in Albany County, NY, and happy to travel. For visits requiring more than a 2-hour drive or a flight, travel expenses will be added to overall costs.
I often provide a printable pre-order form that includes a promotional flyer on one side and an order form on the other. The liaison I communicate with at the school/library would print and distribute ~4-6 weeks in advance.
For pre-orders, each book will be signed and personalized for students.
Books will be delivered
on the day of the in-person visit.
Pricing (school discount):
"Having Ben visit our school to share about Parmesan Pig and her friends was an absolutely fantastic experience for everyone! Ben dedicated an entire day to engaging with students from UPK to 5th grade, and each presentation was not only captivating but also perfectly tailored to the different grade levels. Both students and staff were spellbound by the characters, stories, and Ben's dynamic presentation. After the sessions, students were buzzing with excitement, eager to embark on their own journeys of creating characters and stories! I wholeheartedly recommend hosting Ben at your school for an inspiring and delightful experience!"
Kelly Doggette
Literacy Specialist
Curriculum Content Specialist ELA/SS
"We had an AMAZING author visit with @ParmesanPig, you know it's good when the kids go home and tell allllll about something that happened at school - totally unprompted."
-Kayla Dornfeld, 3rd Grade Teacher, @TopDogTeaching IG community
“We loved having Ben Barrowman bring the Parmesan Pig series to Lake Pleasant Central School. His books are fun and engaging, while simultaneously presenting important topics that we don’t always have the words to talk to our kids about. Each book helped to reinforce themes in the social emotional learning we focus on throughout the school year. Ben has a talent for not only holding the interest of our pre-k through 8th grade students, but also making them want to participate in, share, and be a part of Parmesan Pig’s world. It’s been months since Ben’s visit and I still receive character name suggestions that they want me to share with him!”
-Jessie Dorr, LPCS School Counselor
"Ben Barrowman's Parmesan Pig series contains charming stories that cover important social emotional topics, along with beautiful, whimsical illustrations. These stories are a hit with young children, both at home and in the classroom. With the arrival of each new book in the series, children eagerly look forward to reading about Parmesan Pig and her menagerie of foodie friends' adventures. -Kiely Knickerbocker, Kindergarten Teacher
Johnsburg Central School
"Our students and their families LOVED having author Ben Barrowman present his story PARMESAN PIG during our recent Literacy Night. The full house was locked in as Ben read about the work of Parmesan Pig, a character committed to helping others. The messages of having a positive mindset, looking out for your friends, and seeing the good in difficult moments are ones that we can all strive for. The conversation led by Ben was active and engaging. You could tell that the audience was able to connect with the theme and enjoyed playing along with the conversation and questions around the characters introduced throughout the story. We look forward to another opportunity to have Mr. Barrowman connect with our students at Montessori Magnet School."
- John Powell, Principal
"It was a pleasure to have Mr. Barrowman (an alumni!) visit St. Thomas School, and read to our pre-k through 6th graders. Our students loved listening to the adventures of Parmesan Pig and her friends. In addition to his author visit, Mr. Barrowman went out of his way to spend focused time with our 6th grade class, sharing his method of character development, how he chose the illustrator for his books and his experience with being self-published. This gift of time made an impact on our students in a meaningful way. Please consider booking Mr. Barrowman for a reading at your school. His stories speak to all ages, entertaining little kids while reminding us adults what truly matters in this world." - Mrs. Adams, STS Librarian
"Ben Barrowman was a HUGE hit with the students of St. Pius X. He got them excited about reading and writing and inspired them to be creative. He was interactive and lots of fun!"
- Kelley Mullaney, St. Pius X Librarian
" My kindergarten class had a wonderful opportunity to host local author Ben Barrowman and share his first book of a new series Parmesan Pig. With enthusiasm, Ben introduced the characters of his tale and students were enthralled. The illustrations captivated them and really represented each character. With patience and kindness, Ben answered all students questions. My kindergarteners were in awe of this book and how it developed from his family trips together in Maine. We can’t wait to have him back for book #2!"
- Jean Barry, Kindergarten Teacher at Guilderland
A big thank you to Read for Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Capital Region for the opportunity to be on their author list. I received my first request from Glendaal Elementary (Scotia) to read Parmesan Pig books to the second-grade students in their awesome library to kick off the November reading month. This program is intended to have students track the time they spend reading for a specific month and ask friends & family to sponsor/donate, in accordance with the time spent reading. Authors are selected to come to schools to inspire those efforts and read their stories. Safe to say we have some excited readers at Glendaal today with another hundred character names they might add to a story of their own some day. These 2nd graders were truly engaged with the Parmesan Pig themes of support, friendship, inclusion, acceptance, and well-being/mental health. Tons of questions. Tons of energy. And hopefully a future of kids who will help out charities.
A special Veteran's Day event with children at the Saratoga Museum. A younger crowd for these stories (ages 3-4), with tons of excitement for the characters, rhyming stories, and illustrations.