I am many things

A bilingual English + Tagalog children's book about belonging.

By Judith Marie Ortiz and Alba Sara Fisher

Available NOW

Available NOW

The book that began with a pile of Alba's daycare drawings.

She began asking me, "Mummy, can you please add words to my drawings?"

She wanted her pictures to have a story. So we made a pile, and waited for me to find the words.

And then I found them. Because I had spent thirty-two years being asked, quietly, persistently, without anyone ever quite saying it out loud, to see myself differently. To be less Filipino. To be more "Australian". To make myself smaller for a world that hadn't made much room for all of me.

These pages are everything I wish someone had whispered to me before the world got loud. A reminder, for Alba and for every child, that they are already whole. Already enough. Already many beautiful things.

I hope they find your child before the world gets loud for them too. And if you've already been deafened by it, I hope this reminds you of your voice.

This book is a place where the whole multilingual, multigenerational, beautiful mess of a multicultural family can sit together and belong.

Perfect for families who want the story in their hands straight away, and for anyone who needs the most accessible option.

  • The full bilingual English and Tagalog book as a digital file.

  • The digital version doesn't include the AR layer on screen. But if you'd like it, I tested printing the pages at home and the AR still works on the printed images. The point of this version is access. No family should miss out on the message because of cost, and this format makes sure of that.

Popular

Perfect for everyday reading. The everyday edition, made to be read again and again.

  • The full bilingual English and Tagalog printed book.

    AR-ready, scan the artwork pages to watch Alba's drawings come to life.

  • Preorder deadline is [date].

    Orders will be shipped [date].

    This is made to order. I only print what's wanted, so there's no waste and nothing sent to landfill.

Perfect as a special gift, and as a keepsake to pass down. The kind of book a child grows up with, then reads to their own children one day.

  • The full bilingual English and Tagalog printed book.

    AR-ready, scan the artwork pages to watch Alba's drawings come to life.

  • The hardcover is made to order. I only print what's wanted, so there's no waste and nothing sent to landfill. I need 50 pre-orders to bring this edition to life. Place your order to help unlock it. If we don't reach 50 by [date], you'll be refunded in full. No risk, just a little patience while we get there together.

See the story come to life

I am many things lives in more than one dimension.

Scan the artwork pages with your phone and watch Alba's drawings move. As the artwork moves, you'll hear the English and Tagalog words read aloud, so the story can be seen, heard, and felt all at once.

The augmented reality layer never replaces the book. Every word, every drawing, every part of the story is complete on the page exactly as it is. The AR is simply an invitation to linger a little longer, and to experience the story in many ways.

Made with meaning

  • Illustrated by a four year old.

    Every drawing in this book was made by my child, Alba. Imperfect, joyful, and entirely hers. Drawing the world exactly as she sees it, before anyone has suggested she see it differently.

  • Bilingual by design

    English - The language the world was told to speak. Not the only one that matters.

    Tagalog - A dialect born from many. The Philippines holds over 180 languages.

    Baybayin (title only) - An ancient Philippine script written before colonisation. Still here. Still ours.

    I know the quiet ache of reaching for a language that was never quite passed down, or was lost somewhere along the way. This book won't fix that. But I hope it makes the reaching a little easier.

  • Listen as you read

    A Lola who speaks Tagalog but not English or a child who speaks English but not Tagalog can follow along. A parent somewhere in between can hold both at once. Different generations, different fluencies, different relationships to the same language, all of them welcome in these pages, all of them able to find their way in.

  • Built on partnership

    This book is made in genuine, ongoing partnership with [TAYO] and SevGen. A portion of every sale supports Filipino cultural preservation and visibility alongside First Nations community work, not as a one-time donation, but for as long as this book exists.

Give this book a shelf to belong on.

Do you run a bookshop, gift store, or space that celebrates culture, family, and belonging? I'd love for this book to find a home on your shelves. If you'd like to stock the book, fill out the form below and I'll be in touch.

Want to see this book in your language?

This is the first. My vision is a series of bilingual editions, each made in partnership with a cultural organisation from that community, because together we fund cultural visibility across Australia. In a society that made so many of us invisible, I am determined to make us seen and heard.

If you'd love an edition in your family's language, tell me. The more interest there is, the sooner it can happen. And if you're part of a cultural organisation who'd want to partner on an edition, I'd love to hear from you too.