Bilingual book launch magic!
Saturday, August 9, 2025 at 3:06PM The book launch of Les Aventures de Paris et Freddie in Adelaide, South Australia was a fantastic success!
Held at the Cove Civic Centre, the event drew an enthusiastic crowd, including language teachers, school students, and comic lovers.
The energy in the room reflected the excitement around Australia’s first bilingual French-English graphic novel, which also features Auslan(Australian Sign Language).
Guests enjoyed a dynamic presentation on visual storytelling and language learning, followed by a fantastic interactive workshop by Paris and Freddie Illustrator Joanna Hassam creating wonderful renditions of Freddie!
It was a proud and inspiring moment for language education and sequential art in Australia.
Special thanks to the City of Marion Libraries for generously sponsoring the launch and supporting this celebration of multilingual creativity.
More fantastic news with a Spanish-English edition of book one coming soon!
Perfect for Year 6 to adult French and English learners, Paris and Freddie’s first escapade is packed with excitement, intrigue, visual storytelling, and a celebration of languages.
In my new bilingual French–English graphic novel Les Aventures de Paris et Freddie, our fearless frilled-necked lizard, Freddie, communicates with his friends through Auslan.
By including Auslan, the story celebrates the beauty of visual languages and shows the importance of inclusive storytelling for readers of all ages.
Books like this remind us that language isn’t only spoken or written; it’s also beautifully signed.
Try it yourself: practice saying hello to Freddie in Auslan!