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What do teachers, principals, and librarians say about

The Great & Powerful Dave?

"The best assembly program I have seen in 25 years!  Dave...gives many crystal clear, concrete examples of how to handle/stop bullying (with) lots of great role playing (and he) keeps the students' interest, often with humor, the entire time! I wish there was something like this when my children were this age!!! "

Lise Grossman

Instructional Associate

E. T. Hamilton Elem. Sch., Voorhees, NJ

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"AWESOME!!! Thank you again for kicking off our PARP week. The students and teachers absolutely loved your show! I will definitely recommend it!"

Danielle Faccioli

Reading Specialist & Instructional Coach

Tremont Elementary School, Medford, Long Island, NY

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“Book this show! Students will love Dave! His 'CLEAR' (anti-bullying acronym) is a usable strategy for any school. I really appreciated how both K-2 & 3-5 engagement was so high! Dave commanded his audience with fun & expectations.”

Deborah Mariniello

Principal

Lakewood Elementary School, Congers, NY

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"Dave's show was FANTASTIC!! He was so professional and captivating. All kids from K-5th were engaged. Even the staff was in awe of the magic tricks. A wonderful blend of entertainment and learning."

Jacqueline Hamilton

James Morris School

Morris, CT

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“What would I say to other schools considering booking this show? Do it! He’s great, personable, and oh so relevant!”

Sarah Warren

Fifth Grade Teacher

Apshawa Elementary School, W Milford, NJ

 

“In my ten years as counselor here, this is the best anti-bullying show I've seen. The message is strong, and I love how you explained and showed that conflict is different from bullying."

Lucia Gorgia

Counselor

William Mason Elem., Montville, NJ

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“Great connection to anti-bullying strategies using visuals. Students were involved and...super engaged and excited to learn more.”

Jaclyn Guastaferri

Third Grade Teacher

Harry S. Fisher Elementary School, Plymouth, CT

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“The perfect combination of information and fun. The kids loved it, and the assembly provided useful (anti-bullying) strategies for students to use.”

Amber Greenberg

Fifth Grade Teacher

Riverside Elementary Sch., Oneonta, NY

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“A wonderful presentation that all schools should experience! It's an excellent mix of humor (and a) strong (anti-bullying) message. (The show was) age-appropriate, and kept the students engaged the entire show.”

Sara Holleran

Fourth-Sixth Grade ELA Teacher

Beach Haven Elementary School, Beach Haven, NJ

 

“Complete engagement! Great balance between fun, magic, and PARP.”

Brionna Silva

First Grade Teacher

Great Neck Road Elementary School, Copiague, Long Island, NY

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“Perfect for the New Jersey Week of Respect!  The kids loved the show, and I loved your message. A win win for all!! 

Donna O'Donnell

School Counselor & Anti-Bullying Specialist

Intervale Elem. Sch., Boonton, NJ

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“Definitely book it! Both age level shows (Gr. K-3 & 4-8) were great."

Eileen O'Neill

Principal

Aquinas Academy, Livingston, NJ

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“Mind blown! Way better (than other programs our school has presented). Great show (and) great crowd control!”

Joana Lopes

Second Grade Teacher

Garwood Lincoln Elementary School, Garwood, NJ

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“The best assembly in a long time!  He captivates audiences and reads children so well. The show had excellent audience involvement and super tie-ins for reading. Book 'The Great & Powerful Dave'!”

Jen Pillion

Fourth Grade Teacher

Blairsville Elementary School, Blairsville, NJ

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“During some bullying presentations the kids zone out. Not this time! The kids were engaged the entire time.”

Allison Robinson

Fourth Grade Teacher

Ellenville Elementary School, Ellenville, NY

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“Book Dave!! You were incredible. We loved it!”

Jean Lund

Fifth Grade Teacher

Grundy Avenue Elementary School, Holbrook, NY

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“Fun & purposeful. His assembly is magical, and leaves a lasting impression to help instill good character. Loved the way Dave commanded attention & guided students to meet expectations.”

Theresa Peloquin

Special Ed Teacher

Coles Elementary School, Scotch Plains, NJ

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“Fantastic! The children had so much fun learning about ... dealing with unkind situations! All the staff enjoyed it too!”

Rita Wu

Mandarin Teacher

HudsonWay Immersion School Manhattan, New York, NY

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“Totally awesome! Great interactive activities & real-world examples (of possible responses to bullying). Kids learned while having fun!”

Aimee Springer

Second Grade Teacher

Waverly Avenue Elementary, Holtsville, NY

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“Very engaging & fun! You brought in the PARP theme well.”

Bridget Smith

First Grade Teacher

Hiawatha Elementary School, Lake Ronkonkoma, Long Island, NY

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“Wow! Wow! Outstanding (bullying-prevention) show! Please book ASAP! This was truly fabulous!”

Lorraine Vitulano

Teacher

Lakewood Elementary School, Congers, NY

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“Not preachy or babyish...kept kids engaged –– which is hard for middle school! Good (anti-bullying) strategies...entertaining, interactive, with a good use of humor."

Rebecca Graber and Colleagues

Eighth Grade Teachers

St. Mary's School, Williamstown, NJ

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“The kids loved it..and I liked how you (emphasized) persistence, friendship, etc.”

Patty Drake

Fourth Grade Teacher

Bretton Woods Elementary School, Hauppauge, Long Island, NY

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“Held the students' attention 100%. Entertaining and very educational for early childhood. A must for younger kids to learn the importance of not bullying.”

Rita Selvarat

Paraprofessional

Merritt Memorial Elementary School, Cresskill, NJ

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“Engaging, silly and educational! Kids loved it and so did I. Book it!”

Casey Sloss

Fourth Grade Teacher

Harry S. Fisher Elementary School, Plymouth, CT

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“One of the best I've seen. (Dave) had excellent rapport with the students (and they) were fully engaged.”

Tanya Daley

Fifth Grade Teacher

Aquinas Academy, Livingston, NJ

 

“Wonderful to see the kids laughing and engaged. I loved that you made it personal to our full values!

Jaclyn Becker

Fourth Grade Teacher

Apshawa Elementary School, W Milford, NJ

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"Above & beyond (other programs)!  The info was very entertaining, engaging, ....age appropriate... and applicable. Highly recommended!"

Ali Ferrell

Fourth Grade Teacher

E. T. Hamilton Elem. Sch., Voorhees, NJ

 

“Five-Star Show! Dave was energetic and entertaining while delivering solid messages on how to handle conflict. The humor and magic were great at engaging the students."

Jian Zhang & Sue Rainkin, HudsonWay Immersion School, Stirling, NJ

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“Bravo! You are such an energetic performer and share such an important message. This show has fantastic flow. You have great ability to adapt to change on the fly; you never ignored or dismissed unexpected interruptions.”

Joe Elmo

Music Teacher

Beach Haven Elementary School, Beach Haven, NJ

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“Great way to kick off PARP! Kids loved it. Do it!”

Corinne Kelty

Second Grade Teacher

Steele Elementary School, Baldwin, NY

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“Outstanding in comparison to other programs. A great balance of fun and very important information shared in a kid-friendly way. Our (students) were lucky to have this experience.”

Tammy Gniker

First Grade Teacher

Ellenville Elementary School, Ellenville, NY

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“The best (program) I have seen! Thought the (anti-bullying) topics were great, and you captured students attention and did a great job redirecting (them). Very interactive and fun for both students & teachers. Highly recommended!"

Katie Moll

First Grade Teacher

William Mason Elem., Montville, NJ

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“Fantastic! Highly engaging and educational. Way more fun & purposeful (than other programs) with great curriculum connections. Kids and teachers loved it!!”

Shannon Brown

Third Grade Teacher

PS 107, Brooklyn, NY

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“Dave is creative, an amazing storyteller, and knows how to keep kids engaged.”

Ms. Sinclair

First Grade Teacher

Achievement First East New York Charter School, Brooklyn, NY

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“Perfect! This is one of the absolute best programs we’ve had. Every student LOVED it!.”

Joseph Haubrich

Kindergarten Teacher

Parkview Elementary School, Stratford, NJ

 

“Amazing job! He did a great job including our character ed goals into the show. Very engaging and funny…and I love that it included students.”

Amber Harden

Special Ed Teacher

Apshawa Elementary School, W Milford, NJ

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“Great, funny, and helpful (anti-bullying) presentation. Loved finishing on a quiet note!"* (*So the students return to the classroom more focused.)

Jessica Longo

Third Grade Teacher

Harry S. Fisher Elementary School, Plymouth, CT

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“One of the most entertaining shows yet! Interactive & fun...gets the (bullying-prevention) message across in a funny and silly way.”

Zoe Zevlikaris

Kindergarten Teacher

Intervale Elem. Sch., Boonton, NJ

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“Extremely engaging! Great interaction with the audience & great connection with PARP.”

Kristine Stamoolis

Fourth Grade Teacher

Hiawatha Elementary School, Lake Ronkonkoma, Long Island, NY

 

“Quite incredible! Well beyond any (assembly program) we have had. Perfectly unique, customized…super engaging, interactive (and) funny for all ages – even teachers. We cannot wait to work with you again.”

Taylor Cohen

First Grade Teacher

Parkview Elementary School, Stratford, NJ

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“Excellent show! It really gives concrete strategies to deal with bullying!”

Dara Mayola

First Grade Teacher

Waverly Avenue Elementary, Holtsville, NY

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“Definitely book it! So engaging, entertaining, and a great show to promote character ed. Loved seeing the students reactions”

Margaret Govits

First Grade Teacher

Forest Brook Elementary School, Smithtown, NY

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“Fantastic student involvement! Students were engaged and excited throughout.”

Lori Markowski

Second Grade Teacher

Great Neck Road Elementary School, Copiague, Long Island, NY

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“Light, fun, meaningful! Engaging, with a great (anti-bullying) message. Book it!”

Allison Wilson

Fourth Grade Teacher

Coles Elementary School, Scotch Plains, NJ

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“Student were extremely engaged (and on the Friday afternoon before Winter Break!) Dave (has) great rapport with students, (and) is very clear, explicit (with) great repetition!”

Kerri Pramberger

First Grade Teacher

PS 107, Brooklyn, NY

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“Perfect! Exciting and fun...the students were highly engaged and loved it!”

K-2 Teacher

Medford Elementary School, Patchogue, Long Island, NY

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“Wonderful! Loved the 'CLEAR' (anti-bullying) concept and the use of upstanders. We would love to have you return.

Athena Leverock

Counselor

Riverside Elementary Sch., Oneonta, NY

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“Dave was great at bringing in the PTA PARP theme and keeping the kids excited (and) very good at calming them down.”

Christi Skillman

Kindergarten Teacher

Grundy Avenue Elementary School, Holbrook, NY

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“Loved it all!! Very funny (with) relevant lessons. More engaging for my 5th graders (than other programs).”

Michelle Braglia

Fifth Grade Teacher

Forest Brook Elementary School, Smithtown, NY

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“WONDERFUL JOB! I heard nothing but amazing things!!! Thank you so much and we will definitely be calling you next year!”

Alicia Power

PTA

Harry S. Fisher Elementary School, Plymouth, CT

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“In the top 5 (of programs our school has presented). I loved the strong push for the public library. Dave was engaging, funny, and had strong assembly-management skills.”

Gary DiFranco

Music Teacher

PS 107, Brooklyn, NY

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"My favorite program!  Strong, important (anti-bullying) content delivered in the most engaging way. You are incredible!"

Ali Ferrell

Fourth Grade Teacher

E. T. Hamilton Elem. Sch., Voorhees, NJ

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"Great!  Gets the students to understand the importance of bullying, but (it's) funny and... kept the kids entertained (with) lots of student involvement."

Mrs. Trevaskiss

Second Grade Teacher

Valley View Elem. Sch., Montville, NJ

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Funny, energetic, (and) you had command of the audience the whole show.

Alexandra Mallon

Teacher,

River Elementary School, Patchogue, NY

 

The teachers all loved the program. I received so many emails yesterday and today about how happy they were with you.”
Loryn Petrik
PTA Vice President
Stonehedge Elementary School, Camillus, NY

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“You rock! The show was excellent, as always.  We love how David includes the audience, both young and old. The show absolutely gets the kids excited about reading, about our theme for the summer reading program, about getting their own library cards, about pretty much everything Moreland talks to them about. Mumford loves Moreland!!”

Kathy Smith, Branch Head

Mumford Library


“One of the best we have ever had. His shows are great, the kids love them, and...we had excellent parent reviews.”
Donna Thrush, Title One Reading Specialist
SRU Elementary, Athens, PA

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"The kids were so engaged! It's fun and inspires reading."

Kaitlin Rockwood

Fifth Grade Teacher

Tremont Elementary School, Medford, Long Island, NY

 

You showed the audience how magical a library card is and how important books are and many were taken out at the end of your shows. Loved how you were really able to incorporate all the info about library cards, books, library programs and staff. Don’t think I’ve ever seen it done so well before.”

Bette Tucker, Children’s Specialist
Elbridge Free Library


“Fantastic! The kids and parents were completely entertained!” 
Mimi Bogdan, PTO President
St. Louis School, Pittsford, NY

 

“One of the best shows we’ve had.  I’d highly recommend it. The show drew a great crowd — the most for any program this summer. We had a couple kids get cards that night and a couple signed up for summer reading club (and) kids were still coming in 2 days later looking for books about magic.”
Holly Hart
Onondaga Free Library


“Wonderful! The teachers all felt that the program was spot on. If you really want something to grab your children’s attention, THIS would the perfect way!”
Renee Daniels, PTA Secretary
Gen. Wm. Floyd Elem. Sch.
Holland Patent, NY

“We were so happy with your show here at Greater Plains! Loved the way you did your homework and incorporated our school /staff into the show, the children were excited and they were LAUGHING which is so nice to see. We hope to have you back in the fall for another program.”

Kimberly Baskin, Teacher
Greater Plains Elementary School


“A huge hit!”
Daniel Breiman, Principal
Belle Sherman Elementary

 

“We display books and fliers at every program, but I’ve never before seen the majority of our display books and all of our fliers gone after a program.”

Tanya Taylor,

Geneva Free Library

“A masterful job of infusing our PARP program in to the shows.  Kids and staff had a great time.” 
Chris Riley, Asst. Prin.
Lowville Acad., Lowville, NY

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“An excellent show — skilled, funny, and so wonderfully intertwined with libraries and reading. One of the largest crowds we’ve had for a children’s program.  We hope to see you again soon.”

Karl Wasmuth

Hazard Branch Library

 

Teachers raved … and students were excited about challenging themselves to read more.  When students were asked if they liked reading, one replied, ‘I do now!’”
Jonna Johnson, Principal
Mott Road Elementary, Fayetteville, NY


“A great kick off to our RIOT (Reading Instead Of Television) program. (It was) engaging and motivating for the students. Teachers… loved it -- they were excited how you motivated (the students).”
Eileen Lux, Principal
Fayetteville Elementary School, Fayetteville, NY

 

“Just wonderful!  A total joy to work with and … you entertain everyone!  Teachers loved the … book promotion and the connection you made with the local library.  We need to have you return to Towanda!”
Karen Beirne-Getz, Literacy Coach
Towanda Area School District


“Perfect! You make a great difference in children and their love of reading.  You are an awesome person to do business with. Kids and teachers loved you as always (and) you are welcome at Franklin anytime!”
Anne Burgin
Franklin Central School

 

"(An) entertaining and engaging way to celebrate reading. We love how you featured our school library books (and) got our kids excited about reading!"
Becky Thornton & Stacy Wagner, Title One Reading Teachers
Lynch Bustin Elementary, Athens, PA


“A spectacular kick-off (to) our PARP program! The teachers on the committee were thrilled with the performances.  The students were engaged the entire performance.  (Moreland is) punctual, professional, thoughtful, and best of all...fun!
Rebecca McClain, PTA President
Van Buren Elementary School

 

“Probably the BEST performance I have seen at our school. Teachers and students were raving about the show!  I would HIGHLY recommend you to other schools. An incredible experience for our students –the perfect combination of magic and reading!”

Stephanie Kowalski, Third Grade Teacher

Camden Elem Sch

 

“It was so nice to finally see a good turn out for our Literacy Night! Thank you for being so easy to work with as well.  We will definitely keep you in mind for our future events!  

wonderful We got great feedback … Everyone loved it!”

Nicole Kulikowski, AIS Teacher

Smith Road Elementary

  

“The reviews were wonderful!!!! The students had a blast!”

Jill Greene, PTA

Belle Sherman Elem. Sch., Ithaca

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“Get (this show) on your schedule!  The kids were so engaged they didn't move! …not only FUN but very motivational… a great job in integrating our PARP guidelines and incentives into the performance, and engaging students in the wonderful world of children's literature.”

Kellie Amlin, PTA

McGuinness Intermediate Sch., Endicott, NY

 

“Exceeded all my expectations (and you came very highly recommended!)

Kadie Leonard

Fayetteville Elementary Sch.

 

“Our reading night …was a big success with approximately 530 in attendance. The children loved the performance!!”

Tera Sessler, Intervention Specialist 

Camden Elementary

 

“Your handling of the assembly was magnificent! It's hard to keep excited kids quiet, but you were so terrific at calming them down.”

Shelley Malenowski, Librarian

McConnellsville Elementary School 

 

“Wonderful show!  I would enthusiastically recommend "The Magic of Reading". We only heard good things from the teachers and the students.  The show was motivating and the humor … was age-appropriate, the kids were literally howling with laughter!  We usually have authors as our presenters, so that is not the vibe for sure! (My personal favorite part was the puppet with you doing ventriloquism - impressive!!!!) All our business interactions were professional and very thorough!”

Lois L. Dugo, 2nd Grade Reading Specialist

Frank Knight Elementary School, Seneca Falls, N.Y.  

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“A laughing good time.  Parents say this was the best performance ever. (They) love how David interacts with the children. He promotes library events, handles the children very well and has the funniest jokes. We hope to have David Moreland back to visit Geneva Public Library, again, again and again! ”
Tanya Taylor
Geneva Free Library

 

“Absolutely fabulous!  I loved the way you wove in the theme, specific books, reading, visiting the library, etc. into the fun.  The interaction with the audience kept the children and adults riveted.  I would highly recommend this show to any public or school librarian.  Their children would love it.”
Joanne Teska

White Branch Library, Syracuse

 

“An absolutely wonderful job of creating a program that coordinated with our overall theme. Adults and children were intrigued and enthralled.”
Cheryl Ferris
Marcellus Free Library

 

“What a great performance! I thoroughly enjoyed it and the children had a rollicking good time! ”

Lorie Brown, Consultant
Youth Services/Interlibrary Loan
Southern Tier Library System


“…Outstanding. In my 18 years with the library your act has got to be one of the best I have seen.”
Kathy Morris, Director
Fairmount Community Library


“Our kids — and adults — are still talking about him! We always get our best turnouts for (The Great & Powerful Dave).  David is totally on top of things — emails and phone confirmations are well in advance of the shows (which are greatly appreciated!!)… press releases are great.”
Kathy Smith, Branch Head
Mumford Library


“An absolute professional.  Well advanced, well executed, and well followed up. If all performers were as well organized, and as professional, programming would be easy indeed.”
Karl Wasmuth
Hazard Branch Library

 

“It was a large crowd for us and everyone really enjoyed the show.  Very interactive and energetic (we love that!)”
Kathy Smith, Branch Head
Mumford Branch Library


“It is imperative to book (The Great & Powerful Dave)! It was definitely the best program (our library) had all summer. The kids loved the interaction.  The(camp)leader who brought the kids in asked if we could have (him) back next year.”
Amanda Travis
Northeast Community Center Library, Syracuse


“Wonderful!  Well worth the money.  I personally laughed almost the entire show.”
Sue McConnell, Outreach Coordinator
Southeast Steuben County Library


“I was wondering if everything would be the same as last year.  You surprised me!  You came in with a completely different show and even the magic tricks you showed the kids at the end were different.  Your show changes as the summer reading theme changes so it’s fresh every time! ”
Michelle Forward,, Library Manager
Morrisville Public Library


“Loved it!  Much better quality than other shows we’ve presented in the past year.  A+ recommendation.”
Mary King
Moore Memorial Library


“As usual … superb. Hire him, you won’t be disappointed.”
Pam Heller, Children’s Coordinator
Livonia Public Library

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"Engaging, feel-good, family-friendly entertainment. A crowd of 130 (mostly 4-8 year olds)… loved him! A big hit for our small library."

Linda Weal

Old Forge Library

 

"A great job interacting with the audience …even kept the interest of younger children. We will book him again!"

Ruth Rowe

West Winfield Library

 

"We love The Great & Powerful Dave at the LaFayette Public Library! We have had him coming to us for many years and every year the kids just love him. Always a good time with lots of laughter. He is easy to contact, very friendly, and gets back to you right away… booking is a breeze. I highly recommend him!"

Amber Williams

LaFayette Public Library

 

"A HUGE success. He is engaging and entertaining…(and) the kids loved the program. One grandmother told us her granddaughter has been teaching herself magic ever since she saw the show. I would highly recommend this program!"

Stephanie Moncavage

Marcellus Free Library

 

“A hit!  He does a great job of promoting reading and libraries. You can't go wrong!”

Charlene Brungard

Jersey Shore (PA) Public Library

 

“(The Great & Powerful Dave) is very easy and professional to work with. His show is always one of our most popular.”

 Amanda Stewart

Utica Public Library

 

“Moreland’s talent for connecting to his audience, both children and adults, has earned him the designation, “Most Popular Magician Ever!” by our patrons. He never disappoints - a true professional.”

Becky Hassett

Clayville Library Assoc.

 

“(The Great & Powerful Dave) is pure magic. He draws a crowd and keeps them mesmerized. Full of laughs and surprises - I know he will be a crowd pleaser each year. Young and old are entertained!”

Sara Knobel

Groton Public Library

 

“Highly recommended. His shows are always greeted with laughter and ooohs and aaahs.”

Becky Maguire

Mundy Branch Library, Syracuse

 

“Fantastic. He never fails to astonish. He appeals to the whole audience-not just the kids.”

Sue McConnell

SE Steuben Co. Library

 

“Excellent.  You easily kept the attention of 100 children and 40 adults.  You are definitely a professional at your job (and) bring smiles to the faces of little ones, as well as their parents.

Linda Poelma, Children's Librarian,

Cuba Circulating Library 

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"The entire show was very smart and funny (and) the skit (acted out by children from the audience) was wonderful. All of the kids loved it and the adults were laughing right along." 

Dora Minichello,

Lodi Whittier Librar

 

"I loved the show, and so did the children.  There’s always lots of laughs, and lots of audience participation. (Many) books (were) checked out, particularly the ones you had on display."

Quinn Gardner, Children's Librarian

Petit Branch Library

 

"I loved it…one of the best.  You appealed to both children and adults which is rare.  (Patrons said it was) very entertaining and parents were surprised but happy about the educational part. You were very easy to work with and very prepared."

Sara Knobel, Library Manager,

Groton Public Library

 

"Our patrons – kids and adults -- had such a blast!  You are always a huge hit! 

There are very few performers I will hire, due to quality of performance and budgets, but this is one of the best shows we have.  I would say it’s worth every penny.

Many of the children who attend follow (Dave's) specific instructions to check out 3 books, often checking out more nonfiction items than they normally would."

Penny Meskos, Director of Children's Services

Fayetteville Free Library

 

"The show was great and… different from last years -- very impressive that you change it often. Quite professional and witty and it keeps everyone laughing and the magic is really good too. I would highly recommend your performance to other librarians. About four…parents and children (were) applying for library cards directly after your program."

Anne Gaffney, Children's Librarian

Betts Branch Library, Syracuse

 

"I loved your show as did all the parents and children attending!" The skit (acted out by children from the audience) was great! 

Barbara Hildenbrand

Paine Branch Library, Syracuse

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"Wonderful performance.  The families loved it!"

Cathy Fuller,

Bolivar Public Library

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