Vera Ahiyya

Vera Ahiyya writres picture books for children and has taught kindergarten and first grade for 16 years in Texas, Massachusetts, and Brooklyn. Inside and outside the classroom, Vera shares her love of children’s literature and highlights books and authors that discuss the power of diversity and voice in children’s books. She advocates for teachers to be purposeful and always inclusive with their choice of text in their classrooms. In addition to writing children’s picture books, Vera is the author of Rebellious Read Alouds, a professional development book for educators.

Vera was born in Germany and raised in El Paso, Texas. She majored in history and psychology and earned her MA in Education. Vera currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their dog Mozi.

Learn more about Vera on her official website, The Tutu Teacher (opens in a new window).

Books by this author

It’s time to get ready for Valentine’s Day! Kai’s whole class is busily preparing by making friendship cards, decorating homemade mailboxes, and sharing delicious sweets and treats! But Kai and their friends can’t help but worry … what if they don’t receive any cards at alll? Luckily, their teacher will help the whole class learn the true meaning of friendship. Includes a pull-out holiday sign for photo opportunities.

Getting Ready for Valentine’s Day

Vera Ahiyya

Illustrator:

Debbie Rahmalia

Age Level:

3-6

Genre:

Fiction

Published:

2024

It’s the first day of Kindergarten and Leo isn’t at all ready. Leo is a quiet kid and would prefer to stay home. Over the summer, his new teacher, Ms. Perry sent a letter asking her students to think about how to show kindness in school. She explained that they would be making a kindness pledge, and each student should bring one way to show kindness on the first day. As it turns out, Leo’s classmates have lots of ideas about kindness: like raising your hand, never leaving anyone out, and apologizing if you hurt someone’s feelings.