Filipino Librarians Make a Choice

𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗣𝗕𝗕𝗬-𝗔𝗹𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲

 

Quick Asks on the State of Philippine Children's Literature

 This one is a request from my dear friend, Carla Pacis who will give a talk in the UP College of Education on Children's Literature.

1.   Please describe briefly, in your opinion, the state of Philippine Children’s Literature today?

Taking a good look at the production of books during the pandemic years and in the post pandemic times (which is “the now”), three movements are worth noting of:

a.   the publication of stories and books about LGBTQ+, genre fiction especially historical fiction, mental health, diversity and inclusion, regional language and delicate topics/sensitive issues continue to be written about

b.   the rise in self-publication or self-publishing like zines and comics; teacher made story books c/o DepEd initiatives and Filipino writers breaking into international publications

c.    concerted effort of book industry stakeholders to develop and grow PH Children’s Literature

2.   What still needs to be done?

a.   Continual growth and development through book fairs, identifying channels of distribution beyond circles and bubbles of those who have access to books and learning materials; panels and talks; workshops and residency

b.   RESEARCH in Philippine Children’s Literature

c.    College course in the study, documentation and archiving of PH Children’s Literature

d.   A library concentrated for PH Children’s Library Services

3.   What kind of books are still needed? What kind of books are you looking for?

a.   Poetry

b.   More, more novels

c.    Non-fiction books for K-12 or information and concept books for K-12

 

Wild Song Book Blog Tour: A Reading Guide for Readers, Teachers and Parents

ReadingPlan_WildSong by zarah gagatiga

Filipino Children's Books on Mental Health

Children’s Literature provides the reader and those who create it a space where they can explore and present varied experiences and realities of mental health and its complexities. Books and stories remain avenues for catharsis, healing and the assurance that one is never alone. Here are ten titles of children’s books that I believe, tackles mental health issues and ways of journeying with the child reader in his/her/their quest for well-being.

What is mental health?

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.1 Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. ~ CDC, About Mental Health

Components of Mental Health, World Health Organization

Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders. It exists on a complex continuum, which is experienced differently from one person to the next, with varying degrees of difficulty and distress and potentially very different social and clinical outcomes.

Mental health conditions include mental disorders and psychosocial disabilities as well as other mental states associated with significant distress, impairment in functioning, or risk of self-harm. People with mental health conditions are more likely to experience lower levels of mental well-being, but this is not always or necessarily the case.

1.      

         Canon, Christine. Bakit Matagal Ang Sundo Ko/ Why Is Mommy Late? Quezon

City: Adarna House, 2001.

A little girl patiently waits for mom to fetch her after school. When all the kids have gone home, she resolved to imagine the possible reasons why her mother is late in fetching her. And what imagination can do on a bored little child.

Gourlay, Candy. Sirena Ba ‘Yan? Quezon City: Adarna House, 2019.

Sirena Ba 'Yan? (Is That a Mermaid?) is Candy Gourlay's new picture book. It is about a dugong (sea cow) claiming itself as a mermaid to the chagrin of two kids who met this gentle sea creature by the shore. Together they go on an adventure with the dugong consistently keeping its claim, I am a mermaid!

Anonuevo, Rebecca. Ang Mahiyaing Manok. Quezon City: Adarna House, 2000.

Onyok is a shy rooster who could not crow. To overcome his shyness, his parents gave him all the encouragement he needs. He soon found his voice and his self-confidence. The writer’s use of onomatopoeia has been most effective to characterize Onyok and the change in his character.

 Bellen, Christine. Filemon Mamon. Quezon City: Adarna House, 2004.

Filemon is bent on losing weight so he can play Andres Bonifacio in the school play. With hard work and discipline, he realized the sacrifices he must take to be physically fit. Bellen’s narrative is simple and funny, but sticks to the real issues on obesity.

 Gatmaitan, Luis. Si Miyaw Kasi. Makati City: UNICEF, 2002.

 Nancy takes care of cat foundlings while her parents are away. What her parents could not provide her, she gave the foundlings.

 Rivera, Augie. XILEF. Quezon City: Adarna House, 2000.

 Felix is a young boy with dyslexia. Through the support of his parents & his teachers’ commitment to teach him, he eventually learned how to read & earned gained self-esteem.

Sunico, Ramon. Two Friends One World. Pasig City: Anvil/Cacho Publishing

A blind boy and his friend spends an afternoon at the park discovering the wonders of a tree, a mango fruit and the glow and color of

Patindol, Jean. Papa’s House, Mama’s House. Quezon City: Adarna House, 2004.

Mama explains, with patience, compassion & tolerance, the reasons for her separation from Papa. Using not too complicated words for a child to understand.

Remigio, Corazon. Bruhaha-Bruhihi. Quezon  City: Adarna House,

 A little girl suspects of having a witch for a neighbor. She conjured all the superstitious beliefs on witches that her experience afforded. From this schema, she believed that Mrs. Magalit is indeed a true-blue witch until a humiliating incident shattered all perceived ideas of the old woman. She is after all, just an old woman - shriveled, lonely and alone. Thus, the little girl extended her compassion and friendship to Mrs. Magalit.

 

 

Bibliotherapy: The Healing Magic of Stories on YT

Finally! 

I have uploaded my talk on Developmental Bibliotherapy on my YouTube channel. This lecture was improved, revised and  recorded during the pandemic. 

I hope you find this helpful, teachers, parents and librarians!

Call for Entries: 2023 Salanga Prize

Book Review: Ang Dangkal ni Matmat

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National Childen's Book Award 2022

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National Children's Book Day is Children's Day

A friend from work, Mayen Lopez sent me a photo of a newspaper clipping from the Inquirer circa 2006. It is an article written by Neni Sta. Romana Cruz on the 2006 National Children's Book Day (NCBD). 

The article narrates the program of the NCBD that year as spearheded by the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY). As far back as I can remember, children are always given the time to shine during NCBD. Back then, we had children perform songs, dances and storytelling presenttaions or excerpts from school musicals. Mayen's daughter, Amy Nayve beloned to a group of grade school students from St, Scholastica's College who perfomed an excerpt of the musical May Alaga Akong Puno at the NCBD that year. 

At the time, I was the librarian in Xavier School and nurturing a writing career with the help of friends and fellows in KUTING. Who would have thought that years later, Mayen and I would cross paths in the Beacon Academy without the knowledge of being at one place in one event years ago? The discovery of the article clipping is proof. This is history and it is not chismis. What a pleasant surprise!

Now here's the more amazing news. Amy Nayve is now all grown up and is a professional artist and paper engineer. I interviewed her in the blog. Read about her paper craft and paper engineering projects in School Librarian In Action.

Over the years, the PBBY has pursued the cause for literacy, development of children's books and the right of each and every child to read and have access to books and reading materials. One program to make this a reality is the Kids' Choice Award. Children read books that were published in a period of two years and they pick the best among the rest. 

This year, the PBBY in partenrship with the National Book Development Board (NBDB) will be awarding the Kids Choice Award and the National Children's Book Award on National Children's Book Day, Tuesday, July 19, 2022. 

I am excited to be this year's emcee and witness to the awarding of winners!

PBBY Announces Winner of the 2022 Alcala Prize

 

Pursuing Persephone: School Library Advocacies That Keep Me Alive (2 of 2)

 This pushed me to seek what is out there to further my advocacies. What I discovered are an abundance of blessings and miracles big and small. I have learned to take the good with bad and which ever came my way, there is always grace. Allow me to tell you three short stories of recent advocacy activities and campaigns I pursued before the pandemic and during the pandemic.

For this part of my presentation, I will use the ROADS as framework. I invite you to listen and to think with me. Let’s do this together.

Advocacy Campaign 1 – Storytelling Festival @ the Children’s Book Summit 2017

Proponent: Zarah Gagatiga, PBBY Board Member Representing Librarians

Goal: To promote children’s literature, reading and literacy skills development

Objective: To gather volunteer storytellers who will tell stories to children

Partners: PBBY and NBDB, Publishers of Children’s Books, the UP Diliman Community

Readers	School aged children in K-6; public school students; volunteer storytellers
Opportunities	Build a community of readers and storytellers
Advocacy	Promote children’s literature, reading and literacy skills development
Development	Contributes to the growth of the book industry; the readership of PH children’s literature and the support needed by teachers and parents through the participation of storytellers
Sustainability (human capacity)	Long term investments on children’s literacy through partnerships with PBBY, NBDB, publishers and learning communities

 

Advocacy Campaign 2 – Storytelling for Growth and Healing Workshop for Volunteers of the Taal Evacuees

Proponent: Zarah Gagatiga, member PLAI-STRLC

Goal: To aid and assist first responders helping evacuees of the Taal volcanic disaster

Objective: To instruct and facilitate basic skills and know-how in the conduct of a developmental bibliotherapy session

Partners: PLAI-STRLC (Dr. Lindie M and Ma’am Rose V), DLS Zobel Librarians, The Nook, Co-working Space

Readers	Families with young children (K-6)
Opportunities	Learn basic developmental bibliotherapy; partake in community and empathy building
Advocacy	Promote children’s literature, reading and literacy skills development; Developmental Bibliotherapy
Development	Skills in developmental bibliotherapy; the readership of PH children’s literature; pakikipagkapwa tao
Sustainability (human capacity)	Strengthen skills and competencies of librarians and allied professionals in storytelling and bibliotherapy

 

Advocacy Campaign 2 – Reading Gives Hope! Books Bring Sunshine

Proponents: Zarah Gagatiga, Triccie Cantero, Enoy Ferriol

Goals: To promote and uplift the book industry especially the creators of children’s literature and to spread the message of BTS and what they stand for: inclusivity; hope; diversity and loving oneself

Objective: To conduct a book drive and book donation campaign for Ayta children of Sapang Uwak, Pampanga

Partners: Pearl ARMY; Peace Kamp; Dear Books; Volunteers from the PH Children’s Book Industry

Readers	Ayta Families with young children (K-6)
Opportunities	Learn about the culture of the Aytas; partake in community and empathy building; break the prejudice on ARMYs as 15-year-old screaming fan girls
Advocacy	Promote children’s literature, reading and literacy skills development; Understand an IG, marginalized groups as well as ARMYs
Development	Readership of PH children’s literature; growth of the PH children’s book industry; pakikipagkapwa tao
Sustainability (human capacity)	Spirit of volunteerism

 

These advocacy activities and campaigns are not perfect but I learn many things from the process and the people I meet and work with. Planning and implementing them is exciting and yes, labor intensive. Evaluation is essential especially in an operational or logistics level. Financing such advocacies are crucial too. Amazingly, when you work among and with like-minded groups, the money is enough but the gains in terms of relationships is limitless. My number one take away from all these experiences is that, the causes I believe in never grows old. They are always new and fresh but I consider them as constants.

I now have my eyes set on mentoring young school librarians or at least inspiring them to advocate for children’s books, reading, storytelling for growth and healing towards peace that is nurtured internally. Please wish me luck and do pray for me as I do same to you.

 

Maraming salamat! Borahae!

Source: What is Advocacy? American Association of School Librarians: Transforming Learners. https://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/definitions. Retrieved November 3, 2021.

Inclusivity, Diversity and the 38th National Children's Book Day at Tabang Kariton sa DYME TV Radyo Masbate

 

Here is a recorded video of my guest appearance in Tabang Kariton's episode last Sunday, July 25, 2021 where topics about inclusivity, diversity and representation were taken up. We celebrate National Children's Book Day this month of July and PBBY is gearing up for the Children's Book Summit this coming Saturday, July 31, 2021.

2022 PBBY-Salanga Prize: Call for Entries

 2022 PBBY-Salanga Prize: Call for Entries

The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) is now accepting entries for the 2022 PBBY-Salanga Prize. The winner shall be given a cash prize of P25,000.00, a medal, and an opportunity to be published. Prizes will be awarded in a ceremony to be held during the celebration of National Children’s Book Day on July 19, 2022.

DEADLINE: Entries must be sent to secretariat@pbby.org.ph, with the subject SALANGA2022, by November 5, 2021.

The contest rules are as follows:

1. Open to all Filipino citizens except those who are related to any PBBY member up to the third degree of consanguinity.

2. Content should be intended for children aged 6–12 years old. The content and sequence must be capable of sustaining an illustrated book of 28 to 32 pages.

3. Entries may be in Filipino or English.

4. Entries must be in PDF, double-spaced. Each entry must be 2,000–5,000 words long. The PDF file name should follow the format: 2022SALANGA_YourPenName.

5. A contestant may send in more than one (1) entry.

6. Each entry must be signed by a pen name only.

7. Together with each entry, contestants must submit a document containing the contestant’s full name, address, contact numbers, and a short literary background, as well as a statement from the author, vouching for the originality of the entry and for the freedom of the organizers from any liability arising from the infringement of copyright in case of publication, and affirming that the entry or any variant thereof has (a) never been published nor (b) won any other contest i.e. that it has never won 1st, 2nd, 3rd, honorable mention in any other contest or otherwise been awarded a medal, a citation, or included in a publicized list of meritorious entries to a literary contest.

The file name should follow the format:

Your Name_Bio and Your Name_Statement Of Originality.

8. All entries must be sent to secretariat@pbby.org.ph by November 5, 2021.

9. Winners will be announced no later than January 17, 2022.

Grand prize and honorable mention winners shall be subject to a bidding process to be facilitated by PBBY, to determine which publisher/s will publish their winning stories.

The winning story will be the basis for the 2022 PBBY-Alcala Prize.

For more details, interested parties may contact the Philippine Board on Books for Young People, at secretariat@pbby.org.ph.

Happy National Children's Book Day!

Philippine Children's Book Summit: Inclusivity & Diversity in Children's Literature

 

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Filipino Pride Books 2021

 This tag I received from Darrel Marco, friend and kindred spirit is pretty special. I am an ally. And don't you forget it!

Philippine Children's Book Summit 2021: Inclusivity & Diversity in Children's Literature

 

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Ms. Zee's Book List: Special Needs and Disabilities

I am putting this list of books on children with special needs and the like. This is a request from a colleague who only had three titles on hand. It turns out that there are more! I hope to further develop this book list. 

Theme: Children with Special Needs and Disabilities / Children’s experience of disability, old age, sickness and death

1.      Title: Xilef

Dyslexia

Author and Illustrator: Augie Rivera and Beth Parocha

Publisher: Adarna House

Year of Publication: 2000

 

2.      Title: There Is A Duwende in My Brother’s Soup (Lampara Books)

Autism

 

3.      Title: Federico

Down Syndrome

Author: Eugene Evasco

Publisher: Adarna House

Out of Print

 

4.      Ang Kuya ni Karina ( Anvil/Cacho)

Deaf Mute / Hearing Impaired

 

5.      Inside Daniel’s Head

ADHD

Author: Joji Santos

Publisher: Adarna House

Year of Publication: 2019

 

6.      Ang Pambihirang Buhok ni Raquel

Luekemia

Author: Luis Gatmaitan

Publisher: OMF Hiyas

Year of Publication: 1999

 

7.      Kiko Kitikiti

ADHD

Author: Lauren Macaraeg

Publisher: Lampara House

Year of Publication: 2020

 

8.      San Dosenang Sapatos

Child with disability / Crippled child

Author: Luis Gatmaitan

Publisher: Hiyas OMF

Year of Publication:

 

9.      Two Friends One World

Friendship between a blind boy and a girl

Author: Rayvi Sunico

Publisher: Anvil/Cacho

Year of Publication:

 

10.   Benito and His Magnificent Teeth

Distorted physical condition

Author: Augie and Mike Rivera

Publisher: Adarna House

Year of Publication: 2001

 

11.   Made Perfect in Weakness: Rosel Ambubuyog

Blindness / Biography

Author: Didith Tan Rodrigo

Publisher: Bookmark

Year of Publication: 2017

 

12.   Magic Silya ni Titoy

Crippled child

Author: Rusell Molina

Publisher: Adarna House

Year of Publication: 2004

 

13.   Sampu Pataas, Sampu Pababa

Dysgraphia (?)

Author: Rusell Molina

Publisher: Adarna House

Year of Publication: 2007

 

14.   May Lihim Kami ni Ingkong

Senility

Author: Luis Gatmaitan

Publisher: Hiyas OMF

Year of Publication: 2001