Event
2 p.m.–4 p.m.
Mentor Series Reading with Aida Salazar and Molly Beth Griffin

Presenters
Aida Salazar
Aida Salazar is an award-winning author, arts activist, and translator whose writings for adults and children explore issues of identity and social justice. She is the author of the critically acclaimed middle grade verse novels, THE MOON WITHIN (International Latino Book Award Gold Medal, Americas
Molly Beth Griffin
Molly Beth Griffin is the author of several acclaimed picture books including Ten Beautiful Things, Just Us, Rhoda's Rock Hunt, and The Big Leaf Leap. She has also published an award-winning YA novel, Silhouette of a Sparrow, two poetry chapbooks, and a series of beginning readers . Five more
Mari Richards
Mari Richards is a writer, artist, and award-winning toy designer. She is a current fellow in the 2025-26 Loft Mentorship Series Fellowship. As an author-illustrator, she was long-listed for the 2023 British Searchlight Awards and was a finalist in the 2023 -2024 PBParty competitions. Mari is the
Skye Reddy
Skye Reddy is a South Asian writer, filmmaker, and performance artist. They are a Film Score Fest BIPOC Scholarship recipient (2025), and were a Pillsbury House + Theatre Naked Stages fellow (2024), a member of the Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN) Spotlight Shorts documentary cohort (2024)
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Location
The Loft at Open Book
Price
Regular $10.00
Friend $5.00
Mentor Series event graphic with headshots of participating authors Aida Salazar and Molly Beth Griffin

Join us for a celebration of new children's literature as Mentor Series writers Aida Salazar and Molly Beth Griffin, alongside fellows Mari Richards and Skye Reddy.

The Loft Mentor Series in Poetry, Children's Literature, and Creative Prose is one of Minnesota’s most celebrated opportunities for emerging writers—bringing twelve early-career voices into intensive mentorship with eight nationally acclaimed poets and prose writers. This event offers a first look at their work-in-progress and a chance to celebrate the future of children's literature in Minnesota.

A limited number of pay-what-you-can seats will be available at the door on a first come, first served basis.

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Artists
Aida Salazar
Molly Beth Griffin
Mari Richards
Skye Reddy