Discovering Our Family Stories

Ideal for 7-12-year-olds

The Event
Janeen Hayat grew up in a multicultural household and learnt as an adult about her dad's childhood and journey to the U.S. Prompted by the experiences that inspired her own writing, Janeen will encourage you to talk to your adult about your own family trees. Those who wish to share where their families are from will be invited to, and we will look for geographic connections within the group.

There are special objects that shape Janeen’s book Evie and Maryam's Family Tree – what objects have a special meaning for your family? Is there a story linked to the object? Or can you create one fuelled by the ideas and inspiration within this session?

About Janeen Hayat
Janeen Hayat’s debut middle grade novel, Evie and Maryam's Family Tree, launched in May 2025, with the sequel out in August 2026. The book deals with issues of identity and multiculturalism inspired by her own family history – her father was born in India the year before Partition, and he and his family were refugees to Pakistan post-Partition. Janeen is mixed-race, American, and raising her children in an ethnically diverse part of London. Evie and Maryam is about the journeys each of our families take, and how we're all more connected than we think.

Alongside being a writer, Janeen’s career has focused on tackling inequality in education – first as a lawyer, then a teacher, and now as a policy expert in the third sector.

Book Info
About Evie and Maryam’s Family Tree: 

Evie and Maryam are in the same class at school, uneasily thrown together at the start of a new term as they start a project together looking into their family trees. The two girls don't think they have much in common – Maryam feels like an outsider, and Evie thinks Maryam is a bit odd. But when the two girls each find the same mysterious folder containing documents in a secret language that belong to their grandmothers, they discover their ties go back two generations, all the way to India, to partition, and to two best friends who inspired each other more than they ever know.

A beautifully told historical family-based exploration of identity, inheritance, difference and friendship.

Tickets
Children under 12 must have an adult with them at all times. Babes in arms do not require a ticket.

• Adult or Child Financial Aid Ticket: £4
  For anyone who would otherwise be unable to attend on a standard ticket

• Adult or Child Standard Ticket: £5
  The regular ticket price, covering the cost of your place at the event

• Adult or Child Pay It Forward Ticket: £6
  If you're able to pay a little more, your extra £1 helps subsidise Financial Aid tickets

About Storytale Festival

Since 2019, Storytale has run its annual children’s storytelling festival right in the centre of Bristol. We believe that all children should have the chance to be inspired by the power of stories, whether told, heard, read or watched. Our festival aims to be affordable, diverse, and supportive of our amazingly talented local writers and artists.

To find out more about Storytale Festival, and any other events and activities we’re cooking up, visit our website at https://www.storytalefestival.com/

Directions
We The Curious, BS1 5HL, is in Millennium Square in the centre of Bristol. There is plenty of cycle parking, it is a short walk from many city centre bus stops and 20 minutes from Bristol Temple Meads. You could also get a ferry!

If you are travelling by car, the venue is within the Bristol Clean Air Zone so you may incur a fee if you use a vehicle. There is a car park directly underneath the venue, with 22 blue badge spaces and lifts for access. Use BS1 5LL to get to Millennium Square Car Park.

More details of how to reach the venue are here Getting here | We The Curious

About the venue
We The Curious is an interactive science museum, with a cafe, shop and main entrance. Storytale Festival is on the top floor, accessible from the side door that opens out onto Millennium Square, very near the shiny metal Planetarium. Look out for our signs and volunteers who will show you where to go.

Once you are in the door, there is a lift to the top floor, with accessible toilets and a large main room (The Rosalind Franklin Room). There will be buggy parking, a cloakroom and activities in that space. The events will mainly be taking place in rooms that immediately join onto the main room. There is also a balcony space outside. You can see photos of the spaces and take a virtual tour on the We The Curious website: Rosalind Franklin Room | We The Curious and The Annexe | We The Curious

We will have headphones and a sensory space.

Storytale Festival tickets DO NOT allow you entrance into the museum itself. You can buy museum tickets here Ticket information | We The Curious

You can see more details about the venue, entrance, facilities etc here AccessAble - Your Accessibility Guide