Drawing of five banana chips on a cloud-shaped background.

Schools Go Bananas Over Sammy!

A group of children and adults posing with a person in a monkey costume inside a brightly lit room, possibly a school or community center.

  • “Our after-school students were thrilled to welcome Sammy from Sammy’s Adventures in Ocean City, NJ by Cindy Fortunato and Amy McIntyre! The kids absolutely adored the lovable monkey and were fully engaged as they listened to his exciting stories set in Ocean City. Sammy’s visit brought the book to life in such a fun and memorable way—thank you for a wonderful experience!”

    Assistant Principal, Tyson-Schoener Elementary School/Reading School District

  • “This spring Cindy brought her beloved story to Reading Youth Initiative (RYI) an afterschool program in the Reading School District.  She took the time to talk to the students about why and how she wrote Sammy’s Adventures in Ocean City, NJ, sharing the inspiration behind the story.  After her discussion, she read the story to the students, bringing the characters to life with her passion and energy.  The highlight of the visit was a surprise visit from Sammy the Monkey, one of the characters from the book.  Cindy and Sammy made the experience unforgettable for the students.  It was a fun and interactive experience, and showed how much Cindy cares about engaging with her readers and inspiring students to read!”

    Angie Drebushenko, Community Educational Outreach Programs Manager, Alvernia University

  • “Hope you enjoyed your time at Wyndcroft – we sure did! While the students were preparing their thank you notes they all spoke of your Sammy’s adventures. So many students related that they have been to Ocean City, NJ and ALWAYS go to Johnson’s Popcorn on the boardwalk…”

    Teacher, The Wyndcroft School

  • “Our students loved having Cindy come present to them about her books and career as an author! Many of our older students reported that they loved her presentation and now want to become authors themselves. Our younger students absolutely enjoyed when Sammy came out and surprised them!”

    Guidance Counselor, Robeson Elementary School

  • “An unforgettable day! Sammy’s surprise visit and Cindy’s heartfelt message about following your dreams lit up our school.”

    Mrs. O’Brien, PTA Coordinator, Downingtown School District

  • “Cindy broke down the writing process in a way our students truly understood—and inspired many to start their own stories.”

    Ms. J., Literacy Coach

  • “The best author visit we’ve ever had. Creative, encouraging, and full of heart.”

    Mr. T., Elementary Principal

🏫 School & Community Visits with Sammy

Cindy has been fortunate to visit several elementary schools to share the story behind Sammy’s Adventures in Ocean City, NJ.

Her school visit program is designed to be educational, interactive, and inspiring for young readers of all ages. She is very willing to work with your budget (even if you don’t have one).

✏️ Past Visits Include:

• Downingtown

• Alvernia University’s After School programs in Reading School District

• The Wyndcroft School

• Muhlenberg Elementary

• West Wyomissing Elementary

• Schuylkill Valley Elementary

• Green Valley Elementary, Wilson School District

• Shilow Hills Elementary, Wilson

• Spring City, Spring-Ford, PA

• Family literacy night Exeter Township

• Kutztown University

Illustration of five banana slices scattered on a white background.

Whether meeting with small classes or large school assemblies, Cindy shares:

• The story of how Sammy was created

• How a childhood dream became a published book

• Insights into writing, illustrating, and collaboration

• A personal message about resilience and hope

Her presentations are both fun and meaningful—perfect for classrooms, libraries, or family literacy nights.

Six yellow banana slices arranged on a white background.