Author of the Month: Reni Roxas (3 of 3)

We’ve reached the last installment of our special conversation with Reni Roxas, the award-winning author behind Pretty Peach! If you’ve been following our series, you’ve already gained insight into her inspirations, creative process, and the heartwarming journey of bringing Pretty Peach to life.

Now, in this final part, Ms. Roxas shares her top tips for aspiring writers, a sneak peek into her upcoming projects, and her personal reading habits—because even the best storytellers are lifelong readers. Whether you’re an aspiring author, a book lover, or simply curious about the mind behind Pretty Peach, this interview is packed with wisdom and inspiration.

Let’s dive in one last time with Reni Roxas as she talks about the power of storytelling, the books she cherishes, and what’s next on her literary horizon!

7.  Advice: What advice would you give aspiring authors who want to write meaningful children’s literature?

If there is a story you are burning to tell, COMMIT it to paper (or a keyboard). And practice, PRACTICE the art of telling a story. The best way to do this is to READ, read lots of children’s books. Immerse yourself in the genre that you wish to write—whether that is science fiction or graphic comics…

            …And EAVESDROP! Listen to how children talk to each other. How do they talk to grown-ups? This will help keep your dialogue sounding genuine.

            READ YOUR STORY OUT LOUD. Children’s books are meant to be heard as well as read. Your ear will pick up superfluous language or errant words that are best weeded out of the story.

            Understand that CONFLICT is at the heart of a good story. Even in children’s books. The main character must want something. Why can’t she have it? What is standing in her way? If she falls into a hole, how will she climb out of it?

            And here’s an insider tip from someone working in the business: Know that as the writer, you are engaged in a collaboration with the artist. If there’s something in the text that can easily be illustrated (i.e. he was wearing a green T-shirt), you don’t need to put that in the text. The illustrator will work it in.

8.  Future Projects: Are there any upcoming books or stories you’re working on? What can your readers look forward to?

I am a slow writer. I’ve been working a number of years on a collection of animal tales inspired by Zen-like fables. It wants so much to be a book someday.

            And there’s a children’s book I’m co-writing with a friend about a feisty young girl who goes out into the world to rescue her lolo from the forces of evil. It’s quintessentially the Hero’s Quest in a picture book.

            Abangan!

9.  Reading Habits: What books or authors have inspired your writing journey, particularly in children’s literature?           

When I was young my father gave me a copy of A.A. Milne’s When We Were Six, a collection of poems about Christopher Robin and his bear Winnie-the-Pooh. I adored that book. My mother also gifted me with a collection of Greek myths. I do not recall having many books in our house growing up, which is why these two books stand out in my memory. In my tweens and teens I inhaled Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie books and later on, after falling under the spell of the ground-breaking novel A Hundred Years of Solitude, I tried to read everything Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote.

            During the 1980s I worked for a number of children’s book publishing houses in New York City. At Dial Books for Young Readers, I loved the Frog & Toad series, and the work of Rosemary Wells, Mildred Taylor, Tony Ross, and James Marshall. I just loved John D. Fitzgerald’s The Great Brain series, something my son would later love and enjoy as well. I also edited a lot of nonfiction children’s books—books ranging from the animal kingdom to the American Civil War to teen suicide.

Reni with the Women Writing Team

            However, when my former husband and I started Tahanan Books, our focus naturally pivoted from Western to Asian lit. We set our sights on producing Filipiniana folk tales that Filipinos would be proud to call their own, as well as science books on Philippine flowers, fruits, trees, birds, butterflies, and fishes. We published biographies of Filipino heroes with our Great Lives series; and we reissued José Rizal’s The Monkey and the Turtle, which is actually a retelling of a Southeast Asian folk tale. Everything we did and still do at Tahanan is linked to Philippine culture. In that regard, Pretty Peach is a departure from the norm. It is the story of a butterfly of no particular ethnicity or gender, and yet whose desire to find true love is a universal quest.

Now go get your copy of Pretty Peach Today! 🍑✨

Retailing for only P295, Pretty Peach is available at Fully Booked and selected National Bookstore branches.

📍 Special Feature! This February, visit Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street and check out our dedicated Pretty Peach table—the perfect Valentine’s month treat! 💕

Prefer to shop online? Order now through Tahanan’s official website:
🔗 https://tahananbooks.ph/products/pretty-peach

Grab your copy and fall in love with Pretty Peach! 🍑💖 

#PrettyPeach #TahananBooks #ValentineReads

Terrific Terrariums!

 

@titazeeh7 A new hobby unlocked! #terrarium #ecosystems ♬ Little Things - Adrián Berenguer

Book Blog Tour: Sleeping With Dogs by Barbara Barth

Here is a dog rescue story I have not shared before. 

A Rescue at Dusk

The sky was painted in shades of gold and lavender when Ouie first heard the whimper. It was faint, nearly drowned out by the hum of traffic and the rustling of leaves in the evening breeze. We had just finished our art activity, our hands still smudged with paint, when he stopped suddenly, his gaze fixed on the gutter near the curb.

A dog, its ribs visible beneath a patchy coat, its eyes a mix of fear and longing.

Ouie crouched down slowly, his heart already deciding before his mind could catch up. “Hey, little one,” he whispered, stretching out his hand, fingers grazing the air between them. The dog flinched but did not run. It only watched him, weighing its options, as if knowing this was a moment that could change everything.

I rummaged through my bag, finding a leftover sandwich from earlier. Breaking off a piece, I placed it on the pavement. The dog sniffed, inched forward, then took the smallest bite. A step closer. A breath held. A bond forming.

We found an old watercolor bowl from our art kit and filled it with water, placing it gently beside the dog. As we watched it lap up the water and finish the food we had given, we both let out quiet sighs of relief. Then, Ouie touched and caressed the dog gently on its head. I saw something shift in his eyes—a quiet kind of joy, the kind that comes from knowing you’ve done something good, something right.

We named him Lucky that night.

And in a way, perhaps, he rescued us too.

For more wonderful stories in poetry about dogs being rescued, pick up Barbara Barth's new book, Sleeping With Dogs. 

Book Summary

Barbara Barth started adopting dogs after the loss of her husband in 2008. From larger dogs to downsizing to Chihuahuas there are always five to six dogs at home. Barth has captured the essence of each dog's personality in short free verse poems. Known as Writer With Dogs, Barth has written two memoirs and a variety of novels. Dogs are always present in her stories. This is her first collection of poems.A chapbook of second chances.

ISBN-13: 979-8988575061

ASIN: B0DNMFXP46

Print Length: 37 pages

Purchase a copy of the book on Amazon. You can also add it to your Goodreads reading list.

About the Author

Barbara Barth turned to writing and adopting dogs to heal after the loss of her husband in 2008. Known as Writer With Dogs over the years, she now calls herself Chihuahua Mama and lives with six demanding Chihuahuas in a charming small town forty miles from Atlanta. She is Literary Arts Chair on the Board of her local art center. Inspired by the many talented artists she meets Barth started painting. Her whimsical style embraces ladies, gardens, critters, and of course cats and dogs.

Find her online at:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbarabarthstudio/

Blog: https://barbarabarthartandwords.blogspot.com/

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BarbaraBarthStudio

We Remeber EDSA Uno

@titazeeh7 In books, stories live on! #39thPeoplePower ♬ P.O.P (Piece Of Peace) Pt.1 - j-hope

New Book: Filipino Folktales for Children: Stories of Wisdom and Wonder in Tagalog and English

Kuwentong Bangtan: When Shadows Grow

 

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Author of the Month: Reni Roxas (2 of 3)

So it turns out that Ms. Reni Roxas' interview deserves a three-part feature instead of just two. In this second installment, she shares cherished memories that surfaced while writing Pretty Peach. Additionally, the story behind her collaboration with illustrator Adrian Panadero is rich in creativity and meaning that we’ll need more time to fully digest and savor each morsel of insight.

4.  Award and Recognition: How did winning first prize in the Palanca Awards influence your journey as a writer and the book’s development?

As publisher of Tahanan, and before that as a children’s book editor in the US, I have served as a midwife to over 200 books in my lifetime. Winning that Palanca first prize in the “Best Short Story for Children” category in 2019 affirmed my desire to write stories of my own. It took about five years to turn that short story into a picture book.

5.  Character Creation: How did you develop the character of Pretty Peach? Does she reflect someone or something in your life?

At first, I named her simply “Peach.” It was my son who suggested we call her “Pretty Peach,” and the name stuck. I knew my character’s parents would be Ma White and Pa Orange. Peach’s initial forays in the book reminded me of the time when I was nearing my twenties. An aunt we had told us, that if someone was meant for you, you could be hiding under a bed and he would still find you. I believed her. When I got a bit older I  realized my aunt was wrong. To find the love of your life, you have to leave the house! Ganoon pala…

            Thus I made Pretty Peach a seeker and a dreamer. Her discernment of suitors grows hand in hand with her understanding of the world around her. The book also shines a spotlight on progeny…in the back of the book is a family tree showing Peach and Aqua’s children and descendants. At a glance you see genetics at work! Pretty cool.

6.  Collaboration: What was it like working with Adrian Panadero on the illustrations? How did his art complement your story?

I consider myself super blessed to have had Adrian as a creative partner for this project. Working with him was a wonderful experience. It was Adrian who chose to make Peach’s character gender-fluid. And it was he who encouraged me to think about subverting long-held beliefs. And so he made Peach’s mother tall and angular, and the father short and plump. Stereotypes still played a role in the plot, however—Gray is a dreary, sad suitor…and Red is loud and bombastic.

            Adrian is very intentional and deliberate when it comes to the Work. He is a clean and clear thinker and is thorough with his deliverables. For an artist so young (he is in his late twenties), he is very sophisticated and mature. When deciding on what to put in the backmatter, it was Adrian who created the whole double-page spread about the Color Wheel and how complementary colors work. Adrian can write as well as illustrate. That’s how talented he is.

            I believe all the world would probably want to work with Adrian Panadero, and I feel so lucky to have had the chance to work with him.

 Part 3, the last installment of Ms. Roxas' interview will be posted next week -- a fitting close to the month of hearts!

Now, go get your copy of Pretty Peach Today! 🍑✨

Retailing for only P295, Pretty Peach is available at Fully Booked and selected National Bookstore branches.

📍 Special Feature! This February, visit Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street and check out our dedicated Pretty Peach table—the perfect Valentine’s month treat! 💕

Prefer to shop online? Order now through Tahanan’s official website:
🔗 https://tahananbooks.ph/products/pretty-peach

Grab your copy and fall in love with Pretty Peach! 🍑💖 

#PrettyPeach #TahananBooks #ValentineReads

Making Sense of the Human in AI (2 of 2)

 

Lest we forget, AI is man made and is as fallable as anyone else.

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Making Sense of the Human in AI (1 of 2)

At the Beacon Academy, we put premium on pedagogy. Our Deputy Head of School. Teacher Vic Villanueva, leading us onto collaborative teaching with AI.

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Kuwentong Bangtan: Just One Day: A Song of Light, Longing, and Connection

In the quiet mornings before the school day began, my daughter and I would often find ourselves in the nearly empty cafeteria, basking in the soft glow of the sunrise. Our favorite time of the day. Our preferred place to be still before the rush. In the early morning, and on good weather, the sun’s rays fall on glass windows that framed the golden light, casting long shadows on the walls and floors—a sight that, unknown to me at the time, reminded her of BTS’ Just One Day music video. It wasn’t until years later, when she returned to visit the school as an alumnus, that she shared this nostalgia with me. Back in high school, she was already deeply immersed in BTS—their music, their lore, their history—while I had no idea nor inkling I would join the fandom. Yet, even then, BTS was subtly weaving itself into our shared spaces, waiting for the right moment to connect us in a new way.

For me, Just One Day took on a different but equally profound meaning. In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, BTS performed the song in Bang Bang Con Live, and its lyrics resonated deeply. The longing for connection, the quiet hope in its melody—it felt like an embrace in a time of isolation. Watching them perform, I felt both the ache of missing companionship and the reassurance that music could transcend physical distance. The choreography, smooth and intricate, made it feel as if BTS understood the yearning we all carried during those uncertain times.

Despite our different experiences with Just One Day, the song became a bridge between us—between past and present, solitude and togetherness. This is the power of BTS: their music holds space for personal stories while uniting listeners in a shared emotional landscape. As Skool Luv Affair celebrates its 11th anniversary, it’s a reminder of how music can root itself in our everyday lives, shaping our memories and deepening our connections. Through one song, we found light, comfort, and each other.

Borahae Zoe Therese

#rageandgrace #ARMYLife

Takeaways from the Why YA Seminar-Workshop of Women Writing

 

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Book Review: Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto (Grove Press, 1988) is the first book in my BTS-inspired reading list for 2025. I'm done reading the book, and so, here is my review. 

But, before that, I just want to say that Kim Namjoon, BTS leader, was seen to be in possession of this book in the live Comeback Show for the release of the album Love Yourself: Tear in 2018. Kilig!

The novel follows the story of a young woman dealing with grief, who immerses herself in the world of food.#RM #namjoon #방탄소년단알엠 #김남준 @BTS_twt pic.twitter.com/N84pZWoFXE

— Namjoon's Library⁷ (@JooniesLibrary) July 3, 2021

Yoshimoto's writing is smooth, precise, and beautiful—like reading a haiku in prose. Props to the translator for making it so. Death and grief are central themes of the story. Mourning and the sense of loss are woven into sensitive and detailed descriptions of the world the characters inhabit, as well as their feelings in moments of togetherness and isolation. This makes for a cathartic and therapeutic read for me. 

The two main characters, Mikage and Yuichi navigate their friendship as it deepens amidst their sorrow. Yoshimoto is not explicit in her exposition nor the outcome of their romance, which is perfect in capturing the ambiguity of a relationship blossoming from an experience of decay and disintegration.  However, I cling to these dialogues between Yuichi and Mikage: 

Yuichi to Mikage: “Why is it that everything I eat when I’m with you is so delicious?” 

She replies, laughing: “Could it be that you’re satisfying hunger and lust at the same time?”

 What could be more romantic than this? 

 4 Bookmarks.

Author of the Month: Reni Roxas (1 of 3)

This Valentine's Day, the blog's Author of the Month is none other than Reni Roxas! Her new children's book, Pretty Peach and the Color-Matching Kaleidoscope, is a heartwarming love story for all ages to enjoy.

RENI ROXAS is a writer, editor, and the publisher of Tahanan Books. She is the author of MÉME: The Baby Book (2020) and co-author of First Around the Globe: The Story of Enrique (1997). Her picture book Ay Naku! won a 2012 National Children’s Book Award. The tale on which the book, Pretty Peach and the Color-Matching Kaleidoscope is based won the 2019 First Prize Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for a children’s story in English.

In this blog interview, Ms. Roxas generously shares her inspiration, insight and back stories-- which are all wonderful to read, in writing Pretty Peach: and the Color-Matching Kaleidoscope.

1.  Inspiration: What inspired you to write Pretty Peach and the Color-Matching Kaleidoscope? Was there a specific moment or idea that sparked the story?

I suppose you could say that the story of Pretty Peach was inspired by three unrelated events:

    A few years ago I attended a writing residency in Port Townsend in Washington state, where I listened to a storyteller perform a children’s story about a beautiful cockroach being counseled by her grandmother about how to find a good husband (what an unusual premise for a children’s story, no?...that’s the magic of children’s books for you!)

    Driving home in my car to the ferry that day, I passed by a residential street with rows of houses on either side of the road—all of them different, each home painted with a color uniquely different from the next. It was the way the sun cast its light on the facades of these houses—the play of light on color—that planted the story seed in my mind.

    Also, it so happened I was choosing a new color to paint my kitchen cabinets at the time; I’d been sorting through dozens and dozens of color swatches, mindful of the way colors behaved in natural sunlight and under fluorescent and incandescent light. This whole process of selection—choosing the right color, one that I wouldn’t get sawa of easily, and one that complemented the kitchen—fascinated me.

    And so these three random events—an inspiration, a drive down the road, and picking a color swatch—formed the triptych that served as the basis for what would become PRETTY PEACH and the Color-Matching Kaleidoscope.

    Sometimes you get the best ideas not sitting at a desk, but while your brain is in motion—such as when you’re driving through someplace new! 

 2.  Themes: The book explores themes of love and relationships. Why did you decide to frame these ideas within a children’s story about colors?

My book is about a butterfly who ventures out into the world to find the love of her life. Out of the millions and millions of butterflies out there, how will she know when she’s met her perfect match?

     Isn’t life all about choosing? Even children are taught to make choices while they are very young. Will you have the popcorn or the candy bar? Which blouse or T-shirt will you wear today? Should you go out to play even when it’s drizzling out? And kids hear their parents make lots of decisions based on a particular criteria. Mommy has decided not to go to the movies because Lola is sick and she opts to stay home. The family will have chicken for lunch because yesterday they had seafood. The decision-making process dawns on kids early in life, whether they are aware of it or not. As they grow older, the life choices they make will cast ever wider ripples and consequences.

     So I thought, why not write about something big, with high stakes for the main character, something impactful. Why not make the story about love and the whole bewildering, discombobulating process of finding a life mate?

    The illustrator and my collaborator for this book, Adrian Panadero, chose butterflies as his subject. It was a brilliant idea, because butterflies are so color-ful. And did you know that a group of butterflies is called a kaleidoscope? The kaleidoscope is a pivotal element in the story, so it was, in a word—serendipity.

    The only thing is that butterflies live very short lives. The average butterfly typically lives only 3 to 4 weeks. But even that helps to serve the story. Life is short, use the time to find love and romance quickly!

3. Message: What do you hope young readers (and perhaps their parents) will take away from the story?

Back to the topic of choices, I hope the book serves as a springboard for parents to have a conversation with their children about the pursuit of love—its challenges, its hazards, its rewards. Who you love, who you marry or co-habitate with, is a major decision that can deeply affect a human being’s happiness. Choose wisely!

     And there is also a feminist component in the story. Pretty Peach is a character who refuses to be subordinate or subservient to her partner. An aunt once advised me that you want to be with someone who will accept you for what you are and who will not try to change the essence of who you are; both of you can grow together side by side and still respect and honor each other’s differences. Marriage can homogenize a couple, but it is the couple’s differences—that give-and-take synergy—that can keep the spice in the relationship.

    So I love that Pretty Peach chooses not to accept the first proposal offered her. I love that she doesn’t “settle.” And I love that she had to go through a series of challenges before she reached the conclusion of her journey.

Part 2 of this interview will be posted next week. More interesting stories up ahead!

Go get your copy of Pretty Peach Today! 🍑✨

Retailing for only P295, Pretty Peach is available at Fully Booked and selected National Bookstore branches.

📍 Special Feature! This February, visit Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street and check out our dedicated Pretty Peach table—the perfect Valentine’s month treat! 💕

Prefer to shop online? Order now through Tahanan’s official website:
🔗 https://tahananbooks.ph/products/pretty-peach

Grab your copy and fall in love with Pretty Peach! 🍑💖 

#PrettyPeach #TahananBooks #ValentineReads

February 14 is International Book Giving Day

February 14 is International Book Giving Day! 

"The aim of International Book Giving Day is, quite simply, to get books into the hands of as many children as possible across the world. And it all takes place on Valentine’s Day – the idea being to share the love of books on a day already synonymous with love." — Emma Perry, Founder of International Book Giving Day 

To celebrate, the BA Library will set up a table where books and other reading materials will be available for free. Take a book, share the love, and enjoy reading! 

❤️ 📖 Happy Valentine’s Day! 

Note: This offer is valid while supplies last!

Q & A on Disaster Ready Kids Series on Radyo Magasin (2 of 2)

Here is part 2 of the prompts sent by Radyo Magasin for my interview with them last February 5, 2025. This is part 1, if you wish to review and read.

6.     Paano ang naging proseso mo sa pagbuo ng isang librong ito?

Nag research muna ako ng mga Disaster Preparedness Processes; Nagsulat muna ako ng mga danas naming sa mga sakuna. Dahil may danas ako at ang aking pamilya ng 4 na sakuna na yan, ang bawat karakter na bata sa apat na aklat ay hango sa aking mga anak nung bata pa sila. Nagsasanay din kami ng mga emergency drills sa school at na-observe ko ang ugali at response ng aking mga mag-aaral. Gayon din ang mga matatanda or adult na involved dito. Inilagay ko ito sa kuwento.

7.     Ano-ano ang challenges na kinakaharap mo sa pagbuo ng Disaster-Ready Kids?

Yung revision stage, challenge yan forever ahahaha!

8.     Alin ang pinakamahirap na bahagi sa paglikha ng kuwentong ito?

Same with number 7.

9.     Gaano kahalaga ang pagtuturo sa mga bata ng kahandaan sa mga sakuna sa pamamagitan ng children’s book?

Nakakabawas ito ng anxiety or pag-aalala. Informed sila at alam nila ang gagawin. Hindi ba, empowering ito?

 10.     Paano mo inaasahang makatutulong ang iyong aklat sa mga magulang at guro?

Mainam na basahin ng magulang, guro at librarian ang mga aklat sa bata. Gawin nila ang suggested activities sa aklat. Gamitin ang aklat para ma-konek sa tunay na buhay at context ng mga mambabasa.

 11.     Paano mo hihikayatin ang mga bata na maging aktibo sa mga preparasyon para sa mga sakuna?

Regular emergency drills will help. Bumili kayo ng aklat naming at basahin ito! Ahahaha! Pagusapan natin ang mga hakbang pano maging ligtas.