We are dependent on funding so that we can keep it free and accessible to everyone - and we need your survey responses! If you watched any of our events, please fill out a survey and your opinions will help fund and shape future festivals:
For Schools: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RiMFSchools23
For Families/Home viewers: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RiMFfamily2023
Age Guideline 4-7
About the Event
The standout and prize-winning picture book of 2019, Julián is a Mermaid, tells a wonderful story about revealing ourselves and the beauty of being seen for who we truly are by someone who loves us. It was created with ingenuity and heart by author-illustrator Jessica Love, and we are delighted that Jessica joins us to celebrate Julian’s joyful return in Julián at the Wedding – a charming story of friendship, acceptance, celebration, and expressing yourself. There’s more fun and laughter, and fabulous costumes for Julián. Perhaps you’ll be inspired to create your own...
Be Prepared
Have a pen and paper handy to draw your own mermaid’s tale.
Teacher Resources
Julian is a Mermaid is a story about a little boy and his Abuela which is Spanish for Grandma or Nana. While riding the subway home with his Nana one day, Julian notices three women spectacularly dressed up in mermaid costumes. When Julian gets home all he can think about is dressing up just like the ladies and making his own fabulous mermaid costume. It is a story about being seen for who we are by someone who loves us.
Listen to Jessica telling the story and then think about all the people who love you. Draw a picture of all these people or tell a friend about them. Have you ever dressed up as someone or something? What did you look like and how did you feel?
Use these activity sheets to create your own mermaid tail and your own reflection of what you’d like to really dress up as: https://www.walker.co.uk/UserFiles/file/Julian_is_a_Mermaid_Activity_Sheets.pdf
Julian at the Wedding is a story about Julian going to a wedding with his Nana. Better still, Julian is in the wedding along with his cousin Marisol. When wedding duties are fulfilled and with a new dog friend in tow, the pair takes off to roam the venue, exploring everywhere from underneath tables to enchanting willow trees to ... muddy puddles? After all, it wouldn't be a wedding without fun, laughter and a little magical mischief.
Have you ever been to a wedding? What was it like? Do you know why weddings are special? What food did you eat? Was there dancing? Do you have any photographs of people you know who have had a wedding?
Download the images below:
Julian at the Wedding
Julian is a Mermaid
Buy the Book here:
About the Author/Illustrator
Jessica Love is an actor and the author-illustrator of Julian Is a Mermaid, her debut picture book that won the Bologna Ragazzi Award and Klaus Flugge Prize, and was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2019. She has a BA in studio art from the University of California, Santa Cruz, as well as a graduate degree from Juilliard. She has appeared in plays both on and off Broadway. Jessica Love lives in Brooklyn, USA. https://jesslove.format.com/
Instagram: @jesslovedraws
About the Festival Partner
This event has been programmed by Bath Children’s Literature Festival
Bath Festivals is a charity that brings you the Bath Children’s Literature Festival, Europe’s largest dedicated children’s literature festival with a vibrant array of talks and activities for children. They are also responsible for The Bath Festival in the summer which bring the city alive with a celebration of music and books in the beautiful venues and spaces of the world heritage city. By creating innovative and diverse programmes, their festivals inspire and provide unique experiences for residents and visitors to Bath and surrounding areas. Their year-round creative learning programme of hands-on music and literature projects gives children and young people opportunities to gain real-world experience, building their inner confidence and improving communication skills through the arts.