This past Sunday, Wellington hosted its biggest ever Storylines festival event in the at Te Whaea Dance & Drama Centre in Newtown. Under a warm winter sun thousands flooded through the gates. Inside the noise and energy was almost seismic, and the kids like swallows as they darted from one activity to another. You could make a book and a crown, grab a balloon, pat Hairy Maclary. You could listen to Gavin Bishop read, get you fav Barbette Cole book autographed and watch amazing artists in action. Best of all for exhausted parents you could grab a latte and a chair.

And you could do it all over again! - if you live in Auckland and Christchurch. Next weekend Storylines Family day will be held both in Christchuch (Saturday 14 June 10am-3pm at Heaton Normal Intermediate School) and on Sunday 15 June in Auckland at the Aotea Centre - 10am-3pm.

Come along if you can. It’s simply one of the year’s best free events for kids and parents.