Bring the Story Behind the Story Into Your Classroom

Author John D. Anello III offers engaging school and classroom presentations built around Sergio’s Window Tales and the process of bringing a picture book from an idea to a finished book.

Drawing on more than 25 years of experience as a music educator, John’s presentations are designed to be age-appropriate, interactive, and adaptable for students from kindergarten through high school.

How Does a Picture Book Come Alive?

John’s signature presentation takes students behind the scenes of creating a picture book. Using Sergio’s Window Tales as a real-world example, students discover how a simple idea grows through writing, illustration, revision, design, printing, and publishing, ultimately reaching its readers.

Presentations can be tailored to different grade levels, with topics and activities selected to complement students' ages and interests.

Click a grade level below to view or download its free educator resource sheet.

Kindergarten–Grade 1
Young students explore imagination, storytelling, and the different jobs of an author and illustrator. They discover the basic journey of a book:

Idea → Words → Pictures → Pages → Book → Reader

The presentation can include a reading from Sergio’s Window Tales and a simple creative activity.

Grades 2–3
Students take a closer look at how words and pictures work together to tell a story. The presentation introduces sequencing, revision, illustration choices, page design, and the many steps required to turn a manuscript into a finished book.

Grades 4–5
Students explore how authors develop an idea, make creative choices, revise their work, and collaborate with others. Discussions can also focus on imagination and the difference between simply consuming entertainment and creating stories and ideas of our own.

Grades 6–8
Older students receive a more detailed look at writing, editing, illustration, design, revision, and publishing. John shares examples from the development of Sergio’s Window Tales to demonstrate how creative work changes from an early idea to a professional finished product.

Grades 9–10
Presentations extend beyond storytelling to encompass the creative and business sides of publishing. Students can explore writing, visual design, collaboration, copyright, production, marketing, entrepreneurship, and the ethical questions surrounding emerging creative technologies.

Grades 11–12
High school students can examine publishing as both a creative endeavor and a professional pathway. Topics can include working with editors and illustrators, contracts and intellectual property, printing and distribution, entrepreneurship, marketing, budgeting, and turning a creative idea into a finished product.

Music & Art Connections

As a longtime music educator, John can also tailor presentations to provide stronger connections to music and the arts.

Music-focused discussions can explore creativity, interpretation, collaboration, rehearsal and revision, and the similarities between developing a musical performance and developing a book.

Art-focused presentations can examine illustration, visual storytelling, character development, composition, color, page design, and the collaborative relationship between an author and illustrator.

These options can be incorporated into a general classroom visit or developed for music and art classes.

Additional educator resources are available for music and art classrooms. Teachers interested in these specialized materials are encouraged to contact Anello Books for Children to learn more and request resources tailored to their students.

Flexible Programs for Your School

Programs can be adapted for individual classrooms, multiple grade levels, libraries, school-wide programs, or other educational settings. Presentation length and content can be adjusted according to the age of the students and the needs of the school.

Educators interested in discussing a classroom visit, author presentation, music or art program, or other educational opportunity are invited to get in touch.

Please visit our Contact page for more information or to begin planning a visit.