Kolibrí Festivaali has been inviting Ibero-American artists since 2015 to share their art with families in Finland. Actors, illustrators, and writers who, for a few days, let us enter their creative world. And in such a special year as the tenth anniversary, we are delighted to announce that we will have the great fortune of spending a few days with the writer and cultural manager Mar Benegas (Valencia, Spain, 1975). 

Talking about Mar Benegas means talking about poetry, verses and words, stories, songs, and sounds. It means reciting, singing, telling, and teaching how to narrate. And of course, even more this year, it means talking about wishing. 

As she herself says, “desire and hope are linked with the same threads. We are beings of desire. To dream, to hope, to be, and to wish. These verbs constitute the raw material of dreams, fiction, books, and poetry. They are our favourite verbs.” 

She wrote this in ‘El sitio de las palabras‘. An online platform she co-founded in 2013 with the poet and teacher Jesús Ge, which has become a shelter for literature lovers. From there, they suggest books and offer courses and activities, both for children and adults, aimed at promoting reading. 

Because we all, at some point, have the need to tell stories. Mar Benegas has been telling stories for a long time. Especially stories for children. Up to 61 children’s and young adult books, as well as essays, poetry for adults, and anthologies. Stories that have reached China, Brazil, Korea, Italy, or France and have been recognised with important awards. 

Some of the awards received: 

• “Dice el sol Dice la luna”: National Award for the best children’s book published in Chile in 2023, awarded by the Cámara del Libro de Chile. Award “The 20 best of 2023” from the Cuatrogatos Foundation (Miami, United States). 
• “Ruidos y Ruiditos”: Best Poetry Book 2023, awarded by the Banco del Libro de Venezuela. 
• XXVI Cervantes Chico Award 2022, awarded by the Ayuntamiento de Alcalá de Henares (Spain). 
• “Corazón de pájaro”: Special mention in the Poetry category at the Ragazzi Award of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, 2021. 
• “I aquí dins qui hi ha?”: Premi Serra D’Or de la Crítica 2018, as Best Children’s Book. 
• “Abecedario del cuerpo imaginado”: Best Young Adult Book 2014 from the Banco del Libro de Venezuela. 
• “Con el ojo de la I”: The 20 best children’s books of 2016, Cuatrogatos Foundation. 
• “Versos como una casa”: The 20 best children’s books of 2017, Cuatrogatos Foundation. 

We cannot forget her role as a trainer and lecturer specialising in poetry, reading promotion, and creativity. She is the director of the Jornadas de Animación a la Lectura, Escritura y Observación (JALEO), which take place in Valencia, Madrid, and online. 

She has just published “Creatividad sin pantallas” (Grijalbo, 2025) together with Jesús Ge. A work in which they propose returning to tradition, to the songs and street games of past times, when there were no screens and children entertained themselves with whatever they found. 

Other titles you shouldn’t miss: 

• “Colección La Cereza” (musical books for babies, Combel publishing house, published in Spanish and Catalan). 
• “44 poemas para leer con niños” (Litera Libros publishing house, 2013). 
• “Colección Cocolor, El libro rojo y El libro azul” (Litera publishing house, 2017). 
• “¿Nicolasa, y tu casa?” (Combel, 2018-2019, published in Spanish and Catalan). 
• “Corazón de pájaro” (Akiara Books, 2020, published in Spanish, Catalan, and Portuguese, special mention at the Bologna 2020 award). 
• “Mi primer abecedario, el carnaval de las letras” (Penguin, 2022). 
• “Cuentos como nunca los hemos contado” (Grijalbo, 2023). 

Remember that you can find many of her works at Helmet, where you will surely have fun moments with your children. 

You can follow her work on Instagram (@benegasmar), Facebook (@benegasmar and @MarBenegaspoeta), and X (@benegasmar).

Don’t miss Mar Benegas’ activities included in the Kolibrí 2025 program! 

Full program available from 13.8.2025. 

Mar Benegas’ participation in Kolibrí Festivaali is thanks to the collaboration of the Dirección General del Libro, del Cómic y de la Lectura of the Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes de España.