What Children's Authors Are Reading for Fil-Am History Month
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Collage by ChatGPT
Picture Books
New by Niña Mata
“New” by Niña Mata
In this heartfelt picture book, everything feels new for a girl from the Philippines beginning school in the United States. This book explores how newness can be intimidating and exciting and was a perfect read for my kids starting the year at different schools or with different classmates. They particularly love the gorgeous endpaper illustrations mapping out the girl’s communities, with all the cousins’ neighboring houses marked in the Philippines. - Tracy Badua, award-winning author of Freddie vs. the Family Curse and Ghoul Summer
The Shape of Love by Carren Jao, illustrated by Corrine Caro
“The Shape of Love” by Carren Jao, illustrated by Corrine Caro
The simple yet beautiful prose and illustrations in Carren Jao’s debut picture book combine into a heartwarming story about the love, care and resilience of Filipino overseas workers and their families. The Shape of Love is the perfect title, as both this picture book and the balikbayan boxes within it act as tangible forms of love and connection. A wonderful read and excellent gift for any picture book lover. - Mia P. Manansala, author of the award-winning Tita Rosie’s Kitchen Mystery series and the Dizon Detective Agency series
Middle Grade
At Last She Stood: How Joey Guerrero Spied, Survived, and Fought for Freedom by Erin Entrada Kelly
At Last She Stood is a riveting nonfiction biography by acclaimed Newbery Award-winning author Erin Entrada Kelly. Josefina "Joey" Guerrero was a secret spy during World War II and a leprosy survivor. Her story of bravery and courage during the war and facing discrimination after is a story that all readers, young and old, can learn from. Filipino American readers may be especially inspired learning this story of a Filipina war hero not found in the history books! – Celeste Dador, author of Stars, Stripes & Summer Nights
The Boy, the Mountain, and the Serpent Who Ate the Moon by Caris Avendaño Cruz
“The Boy, the Mountain, and the Serpent Who Ate the Moon” by Erin Entrada Kelly
If you love Filipino folklore (or are curious to learn more about it), The Boy, the Mountain, and the Serpent Who Ate the Moon is the book for you! Go on an adventure with three Filipino kids–Bayani, Isay, and Aaron–as they navigate a magical land filled with monsters and legends from the Philippines. Make sure you have a light handy as you walk through a realm of endless night!
-Alex Brown, author of Damned If You Do and Rest In Peaches
Daybreaker (Ilustra #1) by Tori Tadiar
“Daybreaker (Ilustra #1)” by Tori Tadiar
In this spirited graphic novel, Tori Tadiar brings us into a world that is equal parts slice-of-life and magical academia, and a showcase of Filipino Folklore in ways that are familiar and imaginative. Readers will instantly be taken with the vibrant, inviting art that pours out of every page, a perfect fit for a story where a mystical world lies just out of sight. And after getting hooked by encounters with mythical beings, curses and misadventures, it is a journey with Daybreaker’s heroes through grief, the fear of not belonging anywhere, and finding friendship in unlikely places that will make you want to stay in the world Tadiar has crafted. - Zachary Sterling, author of Mabuhay! and Punch Up!
Squalo & Mage vs. the Rage of the Bakunawa by Kara Bodegón-Hikino
“Squalo & Mage vs. the Rage of the Bakunawa” by Kara Bodegón-Hikino
Reading Squalo and Mage is like sinking your teeth into a rainbow sherbet ice cream cone — the palette is playful and lighthearted, and every bite is an adventure. There are projectile cream puffs, not one but seven moons, a huge talking sweet potato named Tita Kamote, and all sorts of wild wizardry and hilarious tomfoolery. With my guild passport at the ready, I’d love to go on another quest with this duo of brave adventurers. - Michelle Sterling, author of When Lola Visits and Riding Through Rice Fields: A Trip to the Philippines
From everyday adventures like starting at a new school to epic quests to save fantastical worlds, these books are perfect for young readers celebrating now and year-round.
Timeless: Diego and the Rangers of the Vastlantic by Armand Baltazar
“Timeless: Diego and the Rangers of the Vastlantic” by Armand Baltazar
Timeless: Diego and the Rangers of the Vastlantic is about a 13-year-old boy who sets off to rescue his kidnapped dad. My kids were both obsessed with this book! It has dinosaurs, robots, old steamships and different time periods all mixed together, with incredible full-color art by author-illustrator Armand Baltazar that gives you so much to explore on every page. And I absolutely love that the main character who gets to have this big, wild adventure is half Filipino. - Mae Respicio, award-winning author of The House That Lou Built
Photo by Amy Huang
Tracy Badua is an award-winning Filipino American author of books for young people. By day, she is an attorney, and by night, she squeezes in writing, family time, and bites of her secret candy stash. She lives in San Diego, California. Tracy’s work has garnered such accolades as the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Sid Fleischman Humor Award, the Children's Literature Council of Southern California Award, multiple selections as Junior Library Guild Gold Standards, and inclusion on state book lists across the United States.
