The full schedule for 2023 Portland Book Festival will be released by October 4! General Admission passes, Special Event ticket, and Umbrella passes are available now.
Award-winning author and illustrator Charise Mericle Harper creates a laugh-out-loud picture book about making something out of nothing and the power of imagination.
Hosted by Write Around Portland. This class is intended for teens and pre-teens ages eleven and older. Attendees need a festival pass but no additional registration fee is required.
Breena Bard's graphic novel follows climate change through the eyes of one middle-school girl who’s eager to turn her anger into action. In Rosanne Parry's novel, exiled from his band, a young, wild horse must find his way across treacherous terrain to reunite with his family after being captured for the Pony Express. Moderated by Jonathan Hill.
Salina Yoon's beloved Penguin is always ready for new adventures with new friends!
A bilingual Spanish/English storytime led by Jessica Swartz Amezcua of Portland Early Learning Project!
Come play with Ploof! Meet a friendly cloud full of feelings in this interactive picture book.
An exciting mixture of action and non action, this choose-your-own-adventure-style story allows readers to take on the mantle of a teuthologist looking for a giant squid in its natural habitat.
Stories of magic and adventure from imagined worlds, featuring Arnée Flores and Donna Barba Higuera. Moderated by Michelle Ruiz Keil.
Picture book and middle grade illustrators face off in a live drawing competition. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry with laughter, you’ll cheer as Cátia Chien, Charise Mericle Harper, Pedro Martín, Nikkolas Smith, and Zachary Sterling face off at the drawing easel. Host Jonathan Hill
Singalong with Emily Arrow!
A moving story starring the Questioneers' teacher that's all about kindness, learning to face your fears, and the profound difference that one brilliant educator can make in a child’s life.
Hosted by Write Around Portland. This class is intended for teens and pre-teens ages eleven and older. Attendees need a festival pass but no additional registration fee is required.
New York Times bestselling author Joanna Ho creates a meaningful and diverse picture book about how names define us and with critically acclaimed illustrator, Cátia Chien comes a moving, powerful picture book about the life and work of activist and artist, Ai Weiwei.
An inspiring picture book by Nikkolas Smith about how children can combine art and activism in their daily lives.
Jewell Parker Rhodes's version of Treasure Island is like none you’ve never seen—one that takes the reader through little-known Black history, and under the city of Manhattan itself. Nisi Shawl has written wonderful middle-grade fantasy debut about Black families, family history, family curses ... and a really marvelous pair of spectacles. Moderated by Vera Ahiyya.
Andy and Terry live in a 156-story treehouse. (It used to be a 143-story treehouse, but they added 13 more levels.) It has a wishing well, a super-stinky stuff level, a bouldering alley (it’s just like bowling, except you use boulders instead of balls), an enigma engine, a TV quiz show level hosted by Quizzy the quizzical robot, and the amazing mind-reading sandwich-making machine that knows exactly what sort of sandwich you want and makes it for you.
Picture book and middle grade illustrators face off in a live drawing competition. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry with laughter, you’ll cheer as Breena Bard, Ben Clanton, Jim Di Bartolo, Shawn Harris, Andy Chou Musser, and Salina Yoon face off at the drawing easel. Host and emcee Aron Nels Steinke.
The beloved, multi-award-winning duo of Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen tackle a perennial question.
Hosted by Write Around Portland. This class is intended for teens and pre-teens ages eleven and older. Attendees need a festival pass but no additional registration fee is required.
A conversation about the process of creating children’s books with authors Andrea Beaty, Amy Seto Forrester, Andy Griffiths, and Joanna Ho, with moderator Carrie Tillotson.
An out-of-this-world new middle-grade graphic novel about a genius scientist and her evil nemesis, created by author Laini Taylor and cartoonist Jim Di Bartolo. And in Jennifer Torres second novel in the Bad Princesses graphic novel series, princesses don’t break the rules, but they may rewrite them... Moderated by Emily Chenoweth.
Award-winning creators Mac Barnett and Shawn Harris are back with the second volume in the bestselling The First Cat in Space graphic novel series! Secret tales of woe, hilarious new characters, and dangerous plans of sabotage will keep readers delighted and laughing until the thrilling climax.
Pedro Martín's unforgettable graphic memoir is about a Mexican-American boy’s family and their adventure-filled road trip to bring their abuelito back from Mexico to live with them. Zachary Sterling's graphic novel is about first-generation Filipino siblings who have to fine out if they can save the world and still work their family food truck. Moderated by Aron Nels Steinke.
Eoin Colfer, author of the acclaimed, mega-bestselling Artemis Fowl series, discusses his new novel with Heidi Schulz.
