In my first residency since the pandemic, I worked with four third-grade classes at Woodstock Elementary to create murals on Dibond panels. They each represent a season along with one of the core values of the school (Compassion, Perseverance, Curiosity and Integrity) and and are mounted on the garden shed near the playground.

The Portland Book Festival (formerly known as Wordstock) is coming up. Though I know it is difficult to get downtown, park, and navigate crowds with young children, the benefits of the Festival are so great! And there's a great new addition this year: Me! Leading a bunch of favorite kids crafts. Find me in the tent outside the Oregon Historical Society and ... 

• Create an Un-breakable bookmark!
• Collage a favorite animal character!
• Learn to draw in funny, picture-ish ways.
• Design and build your own books to start writing!
• Take a break, and read the books in the cozy Kid's Nook.

I will be leading all of these activities in the kid's tent, which is right next door to the Author Readings. Stop in any time between 9 and 3 to make art with me and other vendors.

Right next door, at the Oregon Historical Society, you can see your favorite authors & illustrators as they give STORYTIMES and sign their books after.

• 9:00 am - 9:20 am: Great Job, Dad! & Great Job, Mom! With: Holman Wang
• 9:20 am - 9:50 am: The Shortest Day With: Carson Ellis
• 9:50 am - 10:10 am: Pepper and Frannie With: Catherine Lazar Odelle…
• 10:10 am - 10:30 am: The Piñata that the Farm Maiden Hung With: Samantha R. Vamos
• 10:30 am - 10:50 am: The Whole Wide World and Me With: Toni Yuly
• 10:50 am - 11:10 am: Northwest Children’s Theater
• 11:10 am - 11:30 am: Baby Dragon, Baby Dragon! With: Lena Podesta
• 11:30 am - 11:50 am: My Grandma and Me With: Mina Javaherbin
• 11:50 am - 12:10 pm: A Zebra Plays Zither With: Janice Bond
• 12:10 pm - 12:40 pm The Evil Princess vs. the Brave Knight With: Jennifer L. Holm
• 12:40 pm - 1:00 pm Just Like Beverly With: Vicki Conrad , David Hohn
• 1:00 pm - 1:20 pm: Peter and Ernesto: The Lost Sloths With: Graham Annable
• 1:20 pm - 2:00 pmThe Proudest Blue With: Ibtihaj Muhammad , Heidi Schulz
• 2:10 pm - 3:10 pm: Science Comics: Wild Weather With: Jonathan Hill , MK Reed , Elleona Budd
• 3:10 pm - 4:00 pm: Lost & Found: Middle Grade Novels With: Rosanne Parry , Jasmine Warga , Kate Ristau
• 4:10 pm - 5:00 pm: Strange Places: Middle Grade Novels  With: Emily Chenoweth , Rivka Galchen , Lanel Jackson
• 5:10 pm - 6:00 pm: Facing the Past: Middle Grade Novels With: Dylan Meconis , Renée Watson , Heidi Schulz
• Musician Emily Arrow will host storytimes and lead singalongs!
• And other family fun!

There's more! Books and gifts and freebies at the Book Fair, panels on writing throughout the festival, good food trucks, and great bookish energy. The Festival is free to kids (17 and under) and adults can buy Advance passes for $15 (day-of passes increase to $20) which include a $5 voucher to spend at the extensive book fair. All passes include admission to the Portland Art Museum.

Please join us at this public art show! My adult students have been channeling modern artists like Picasso, Matisse, Kahlo, and Rothko to make their own renditions of portraits and still-lives. Enjoy art, activities, and snacks with fellow art lovers!

"HOORAY!" says Ramona. Beverly Cleary was born and raised in Oregon, and we are especially excited to celebrate her 100th birthday with lots of book-loving fun at the library. My art classes (listed at right) are inspired by Ramona, one of my favorite literary characters and a true creative. Since Ramona always made art and adventures from things she found around her house, we will make tin-can stilts, tambourines and shakers, ring-toss toys and more from completely recycled materials.There are many more free events at all the Multnomah County Libraries this spring, including a big party at Central Library on April 9th. Don't miss it!