Get to know Mr. Eric Ruiz Roxas! He is the grand prize winner of the 2024 PBBY Salanga Prize for the story, Monina's Many Moles.
Eric Ruiz Roxas is a forty-year-old kidlit and LGBTQIA+ writer born and based in Pulilan, Bulacan. He won #RevPit in 2021, #WeNeedDiverseBooks in 2023, and The Philippine Board on Books for Young People Salanga Grand Prize in 2024, and he was also a finalist at the 38th Romeo Forbes Children's Story Writing Competition. His debut picture book WHAT MAKES A FAMILY will be published by Lantana Publishing in fall 2026.
I'm a proud 90's kid! I grew up watching films and shows with lots of fantasy and magic: Disney films like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin, cartoon series such as The Uncanny X-men and Magic Knight Rayearth, and Filipino morning shows like Hiraya Manawari.
But I'm also a proud Bulakenyo! I was born and raised surrounded by Filipino superstitions like believing that the placement of a mole on a person's body indicates their talents, quirks, luck, or sometimes misfortune.
Monina's Many Moles, the Mole Fairy in particular, is the result of me melding fantasy and magic with Filipino superstition.
2. Monina's journey highlights the role of self-confidence and support from loved ones. How important was it for you to showcase the relationship between Monina and her nanay in helping her overcome her insecurities?
It was very important, because at its core, Monina's Many Moles isn't just a story about finding one's true self but also family.
A beauty contestant was once asked, “What role did your family play for you as a candidate of Binibining Pilipinas?"
And though her answer was thought of by many as too simple and funny, “Well, my family’s role for me is... My family… Oh my god... My family is the most important persons in my life. Thank you," to me, it was charming, unpretentious, and spoke of a value we Filipinos all share—a lesson I hope I was able to highlight in Monina's Many Moles and one I pray will resonate with young readers: that our family is important, and with their love and support, we can do anything.
3. The story touches on the theme of inner strength and self-belief. What message do you hope young readers take away from Monina's transformation?
Katy Perry said it best.
"'Cause there's a spark in you. You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July
'Cause baby, you're a firework!"
To my young readers, know that you are special, you are worthy, you are blessed and loved, and you are gifted with boundless talents meant to be shared with the world.
4. How did you develop Monina's character, particularly her shyness and insecurities, to make her relatable to readers?
It was easy! I had my now five-year-old niece Lucila Isle as my cheat code.
Lucila Isle embodies the character of Monina in so many ways. Like Monina, Isle is brilliant and talented but sometimes is also needing a bit of encouragement to overcome her shyness.
She can be her introvert-Roblox-playing-book-
5. What inspired the creative twist of Monina’s nanay using a marker instead of magic, and how does this reflect the story's core message?
I'm a sucker for plot twists, hijinks, cliffhangers, and unexpected endings. I like them in the movies I watch, the books I read, and most especially the stories I write.
But in Monina's Many Moles, I used the marker not only for its element of surprise but also for its symbolism for things children, even us adults, rely on to be confident—things that eventually tarnish or fade and lose value in time, like an expensive cellphone, a fancy dress, a pair of brand new sneakers, medals, awards, or even a gazillion likes on Facebook.
To know more about the Salanga Prize, go to the official website of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People.
Publishers, seize the opportunity to acquire "Monina's Many Moles," the award-winning 2024 PBBY Salanga Prize story by Eric Ruiz Roxas (pen name Benjamin Orion). This enchanting story blends Filipino cultural superstitions with fantasy, celebrating self-confidence, family, and inner strength. Bid now to bring this unique, culturally rich tale to local and global audience and inspire young readers everywhere.
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