Learning is the engine of our lives!

My name is Raquel and I am the author of Aquaelar. I have lived in three continents (Asia, America and Europe) and I currently reside in London, from where I give legal advice to companies and institutions on Diversity & Inclusion and I lecture at a technical University.

Throughout my professional career in law, I have combined this passion for Diversity & Inclusion with the world of art & audiovisuals, as well as with the education sector. At the culmination of my experience, Aquaelar was born, my most personal work to date, into which I have invested all my enthusiasm and energy.

In 2018, I decided to put aside several projects to embark on what has been my most rewarding creative experience; a collection of children’s books to raise awareness of Diversity & Inclusion. I believe that educating our youth will help build better communities in the future. As my good friend and Colombian consultant, Cristina de Armas says: «Raquel, you have decided to work on fertile ground”.

For this collection, I have had the collaboration of an amazing Venezuelan illustrator, Virvalle Carvallo, who has managed to perfectly capture what was in my mind. Her beautiful illustrations have made this fantastic underwater world come to life, ​enhancing these valuable teachings on making a difference in our world.

Inspired by my beloved niece and nephew, Isabella and Martim, Aquaelar is the story of Isa and Marty, two siblings that end up in an underwater world brimming with values. There, they meet their new friends, all quite diverse characters, with whom they dive into inspirational and fun adventures.

Aquaelar is a reflection of my experiences; my love for water (Aquae – water in Latin) and the first word I said as a baby, as well as my home (lar – home in Galician).

I was born in a large city, Santiago de Compostela, and at the age of nine I moved to a contrasting rural area in northern Spain. Accentuated by my summers in a school in Hastings (U.K.), I learned to navigate between various worlds from a young age and therefore, appreciate the colourful nuances of diverse lifestyles and behaviours. Equipped with this knowledge and insight, I felt fully prepared to create Aquaelar for the children of our world.

Parents and children are always on a voyage of discovery and with continuous learning have a better understanding of each other and ourselves. And in this process of learning, Aquaelar wants to take you by the hand and accompany you on this journey!