A Morning That Reminded Us Why Stories Matter

July 22, 2026

Last week, something very special happened in Sydney.

More than twenty children and their families gathered at the Argentine Consulate to share a morning of stories, illustration and Spanish.

But the event was about much more than reading a book.

It was about seeing children experience a story in their language.

Watching an illustrator bring characters to life in front of their eyes.

Meeting other families on the same bilingual journey.

Those are the moments children remember.

Reading together at home is incredibly valuable.

But occasionally, stories jump off the page.

During the event, children...

• listened to Bruna se viste de valentía.

• watched illustrator Valeria Gottau create artwork live.

• asked questions about how books are made.

• created their own illustrations.

• laughed, imagined and shared ideas together.

Books became an experience.

One of the things we love most about bilingual families is that language is never only about vocabulary.

When children spend time surrounded by other families who also speak Spanish, something powerful happens.

Spanish stops feeling like "the language we only speak at home."

It becomes a language shared with a wider community.

This morning wouldn't have been possible without the collaboration of many people.

A heartfelt thank you to:

💛 Valeria Gottau

💛 Let's Go Español

💛 The Argentine Consulate in Sydney

💛 Viviana's Delight

Thank you for believing in the importance of creating spaces where children can experience stories in Spanish.

This is only the beginning

At Booklings, we believe books can do more than fill a bookshelf.

They create memories.

Spark conversations.

Build confidence.

And connect families.

We hope this was the first of many opportunities to bring bilingual families together.