Portland Book Festival General Admission Passes are required for entry into all events. Passes are $15 in advance and $25 day of Festival. Youth 17 & under, or with a valid high school ID get in FREE. All full-priced General Admission Passes include a $5 book fair voucher and entry into Portland Art Museum. Passes admit attendees to the Festival; individual events are first-come, first-served. More info here.
Vera Ahiyya
Vera Ahiyya (née Corbett) was born in Germany and raised in El Paso, TX with her wonderful mother and amazing grandparents. Originally a pre-med student, Vera realized her calling as an educator at Austin College in Sherman, TX, where she majored in History and Psychology and earned her MA in Education. Vera has taught Kindergarten and first grade for the last 16 years in Austin, Boston, and Brooklyn. Vera’s online presence is dedicated to influencing other educators by spreading her vast knowledge and love of diverse children’s books. Vera’s unwavering commitment to social justice and diversity is also the focal point of her professional development presentations for other educators. Vera lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband Lonnell and her dog, Mozi. Her latest book is KINDergarten.
Emily Arrow
Emily Arrow creates songs about books! Formerly a K-6 music educator, Emily’s passion for books led her to create music that promotes literacy. Formerly in Tennessee, now based in Texas, Emily brings picture books to life by collaborating with bestselling authors and publishers. Emily’s YouTube Channel is a classroom sensation with over 19,000 followers and an average of 800,000 views per year, and she makes over 60 classroom and library visits a year. Emily also shares her passion for literacy and music by offering workshops, classes and weekly story times. Studio: A Place for Art to Start is Emily’s first book for children.
