Reading Right Now: Zero O'Clock by C.J. Farley

 

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Talk of Books with Author Trina Velilla-Milan on Araw ng Pagbasa

Today is Araw ng Pagbasa. Trina Velilla-Milan, children's book author and doting parent to a teenager, has an interview on books, reading and the relationships we foster as readers for life. 

1. What books define your writing life?

          As a preschool teacher, I was exposed to reading a lot of children’s books. I, then realized the importance of these books in a child’s development and in beginning reading. How books are introduced at a young age will help the child appreciate books better. Later, then did I discover that some children’s books are more than just words in pages but can be also symbolic once read more deeply.

          “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” By: Eric Carle and “The Giving Tree” By: Shel Silverstein defined my writing life. Incorporating art in the illustrations with simple, easy to read words for beginning reading and with a deeper meaning and lesson that can be applicable to children young and old.

2. What books would you recommend to your son, Sandro, now that he’s a teenager?

          Great question! I would like to start simple. He has been reading the books assigned in his Reading classes but aside from that, I would like him to read “Who Moved My Cheese” By: Spencer Johnson, an easy read on how to see life. Understanding that life can get hard and other circumstances may not be as predictable but learning to go with it, to listen, to learn and to equip oneself with the right tools to navigate thru life.

3. What book or story you wish you had written?

          “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” – The Little Prince” By: Antoine De Saint-Exupery (1943)

The Little Prince is a book I wish I had written. A story that can be read over and over. A book with a lot of takeaways. Observations on life, relationships and human nature topics that interests me. This book helped me grow and there would be new learnings after every read. The famous quote is life changing to many and a great reminder for us to realize that sometimes it is in our heart of hearts that know what our eyes failed to see. What is relevant to one is something we cannot see but could be something we feel.

4. Which author of children’s book do you wish to have a conversation with?

          I wish to have a conversation with the most-translated, most-adapted, most-read and most beloved children’s book author Antoine De Saint-Exupery. Conversations on life, human nature and how he came up with such a timeless story that even after so many years, his story is still alive in all of us.

5. How do you select books to read – for your own and for Sandro?

          Most of the books I read are self help books. Books that can help me be a better person, creating my attitude, understanding myself and human nature in general. Unfortunately, Sandro is not much of a reader. Not as much as I would want him to be. I am still hopeful and patiently opening his mind to the world of books. Starting with the easy books like “Together is Better” By: Simon Sinek. This book can be used a conversation starter. Throwing in some comics too to get him to read and sustain his interest.

Trina was our featured author last October in the blog where she talked about her children's book with us, What the Sun Says to the Moon. Read the interview here!

Information on her book orders:

 

ORDER LINK: https://www.ukiyotophilippines.com/product-page/what-the-sun-says-to-the-moon GOOGLE PLAY: https://books.google.com/books/about/What_The_Sun_Says_To_The_Moon.html?id=yOmoEAAAQBAJ Last copies of the books are available at the Pinto Art Museum https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=pinto+art+museum&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-ph&client=safari#

Read! Reread! Relive! Learning Sessions

 

Reading @PandemicTimes (1 of 3): Reading books opens the door to acts of creation.

Good morning to the learning community of the Jose Rizal College. This is my first time to join you as a resource speaker. It is truly an honor to speak before you about books, reading, its joys and challenges during a most memorable moment in human history. For who would think books and reading are essential for survival a time like this? Today, I am going to present three ideas about books and reading, as well as the joys and the challenges they bring, as necessities in life in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in.

Books and reading are essential for survival because:

1.      Reading them opens the door to acts creation.

2.     Books provide a structure that develops disciplined thought/thinking.

3.     Books and reading builds community. 

1.      Reading books opens the door to acts of creation.

 I am going to show/mention some book covers. Let me know who among you have read them: Demian. Into The Magic Shop. The One Who Walked Away from Omelas. Human Acts. Kafka on the Shore. These books are special to me. Of the five, I have only read two namely, The One Who Walked Away From Omelas (which is actually a short story) and Kafka On the Shore. I am currently reading Into the Magic Shop. Can you guess why these books mean a lot to me?

Kim Namjoon, BTS’ leader has read all those books. (I am ARMY and he is my bias). Apart from that, being the lyricist and poet, he is on top of conceptualizing the songs and albums that they create, produce and release on a regular basis. All four books and one short story are inspirations and references of their songs and music video. Since BTS debuted in 2013, they have never stopped creating and producing singles, albums, MVs and reality shows. They have been very prolific. When COVID-19 took the world by surprise, they were the first group of artists who released a single, staged an online concert, performed remotely and continued on doing so until their live concert this month.

There are many factors that attribute to this productivity namely, a system of government that feeds and supports the creative industry of SK; a production outfit that allows them artistic freedom; and the given nature of BTS or Bangtan as brilliant, talented and authentic artists. However, Kim Namjoon’s penchant for reading books, I believe, play a big part in keeping the creative juices flowing.

Let us watch the MV of SpringDay, where The One Who Walk Away from Omelas is referenced and its themeintegrated into the concept of the MV.

Omelas is a short story by Ursula Le Guin. It tells of the story of an ideal society that depends its existence on the suffering and oppression of another, in this instance, a child. Those who cannot live with this reality leave Omelas. Taking this message of the story into the theme and concept of the song and its MV, Spring Day has become one of Bangtan’s compelling works.

 At the time of its production, Bangtan’s popularity was on the rise not only because they are made up of seven gorgeous boys but they also sing and perform songs replete with socio-cultural issues relevant to the society. One such example is Spring Day as it touches on a real-life tragedy that involved the drowning of 100 plus SK students who had a trip off to sea. It is known in SK modern history as the Sewol Tragedy. How the authorities handled and resolved this tragedy was very controversial. Bangtan chose to pick this up and merge it with the theme of Omelas which resulted to a powerful song and MV that portrays the loss, grief, guilt and uncertainties of growing up and dying young either figuratively or realistically. In the end of the video, the boys left an inn/dorm called Omelas, rode a train into an unending winter where they stopped at a leafless tree. A hopeful sign as they gather together stating their choice to leave a place of sorrow and regret.

In Spring Day, we see a combination of themes taken from a work of fiction and from events in real-life, as well as the feelings and the personal experiences of the boys/Bangtan. Imagine taking away Omelas in the equation? The lyrics, as well as the music would have played out differently. The visual images may not have the same gravity if Omelas was removed from the MV. What the story did for the the MV was to amplify its message and themes. The viewer or the audience can now access the MV from various channels, metaphors, sounds and images. Omelas, in this process of creation, is not an accessory but a vital link to the different parts of the MV in general. Books and literature for this matter become tools for creation. Literature was created as a form of art and by reading them, it moves the reader to create one too, or another art form if we take the example of BTS.

Kim Namjoon is continuously inspired by the books he is reading and we see these books and their message, themes and even technology permeate the art and music of Bangtan. It is a gateway to acts of creation as well as a component of the art that is being created. What is amazing is that, KMJ, including Suga, V and JK are known to be active readers. We see them reading in the recently concluded season of In the Soop.

READ to be better at something. READ to create. READ to live.

 

Let's Get Kids Reading!

 

"Let's get kids reading more! Join KIDS' CHOICE BOOKS, a free parenting webinar, this Saturday, May 22.

Ms. Zarah Gagatiga of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People and the National Book Development Board will take you through books appropriate for grade school students, including a presentation of the Best Reads Kids' Choice (2014 to present).

Teacher Zarah will share reading tips and strategies and answer questions about today's digital readers. The hour-long Zoom webinar will be on Saturday, May 22, from 2:00-3:00 PM.

Reserve a slot here, today: (bitly link)

http://bit.ly/KidsChoiceBooksMay29

The talk is an hour's worth of show and tell of books appropriate for grade school students; a presentation of the Best Reads Kids' Choice (2014 to present) of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People and the National Book Development Board in comparison to the National Children's Book Awards (2012 to present); and a discussion of reading tips and strategies for the digital reader of today.

PPT: Reading is...

Library Creatives Workshop 2019: Creativity, Innovation, Reading and Bibliotherapy

My friend Erick Ramos has been working so hard on social media, promoting my workshop. To ease him up a bit, I sent him this description of the workshop.

For Friday, July 19, we will have a discussion on CREATIVITY and what informs INNOVATION. A workshop on tapping into one’s creative self will follow. There will be sharing of best practices on library innovations and presentation of models and samples. 

We will then move into understanding what Reading is and why it is akin to THINKING; how cognition and emotion factor in reading; and using this understanding in designing library readers services and programs for kids, teens and grown ups. 

And yes, we will have a bibliography session for librarians! 

I am excited to see you all!

Library as Culture: A genuine love for books and reading

There are wonderful conversations about books that has been going on in my social media neighborhood, especially in Facebook. One on-going conversation is happening over at a "secret" online book club whose members are mostly Titas of Manila who love to read. A friend invited me to join and, as I am always in search for good books, nice people and bookish events, I gave in. 

Here is the question that got me engaged. It is a recurring question in all book clubs I joined in.

What was the first book that ever made an impression on you?

My mother is a librarian. She borrowed books for me in the library where she worked back when I was young. She brought home Dr. Seuss; The Little Red Hen; dinosaur books and non-fiction books; graphic novels and YA. She did this until I was in high school but I knew and felt, I had to buy my own books and build my own library. I went to a small town Catholic school where the library’s stock of books is limited. So I learned to save up for books I want to buy for my own reading. Hello Book Sale! I basked in the freedom of deciding for my own reading pleasure. It was only later in life when I realized how important choice is in learning how to read. 

While I appreciate growing up with books, I give props to my lola who ran a sari-sari store. It was there where I discovered komiks! Aliwan. Funny Komiks. Wakasan. Filipino Komiks. And all the series of Pinoy horror and romance. She rented these komiks out to readers. I read them for free! Somewhere among those komiks, I read Gerry Alanguilan. Yep. Go ahead. You can carbon date me now. 😂

If I got asked this question a few years back, ten or fifteen years ago, I would have given a different answer. But now, I think, it is the people in my family who introduced me to books I am grateful for. That’s how I want to be, moving forward. I will continue bringing books and readers, and readers to books closer to each other. Naks!

Speaking of reading origins, here are links to previous blog posts. 

Reading as a Hobby

My Life as a Reader

With Friends Who Read and Love Books

World Read Aloud Day: Kids and Grown Ups Reading

Filipino Librarians Read

What about you? What was the first book that ever made an impression on you? What is your reading history? 

Book Review: Uprooted

Uprooted
Naomi Novik
Del Rey, 2015

A predictable beginning, a roller coaster ride in the middle and an ending that satisfied the romantic me.

The novel has several cliches but Naomi Novik is a fascinating storyteller who centers her characters at the heart of human suffering, desire and joy. Her wizards and witches are all too human, far from the wizened sages and mages of fantasy. They appear to be stereotypes and yet, their personalities, once matched and mixed in relevant events in the novel result in a wonderful, funny, scary and fascinating alchemy that shows the complexities of life.

For example, Ballo’s bookish approach to magic versus Alosha’s detachment to power is a mirror to humanity’s use of resources and technology and the many ways of dispensing them. Focus on the contents of a book and knowledge becomes rigid and stale. Power and ambition, among other things, corrupt so a personal indifference to both can save, not just life but the soul as well. Indeed, the tension of the opposites is a strong issue in the novel which is best depicted in Agnieszka and Sarkan’s relationship. Her magic is intuitive and organic while his is precise and logical. With chants, stories and songs, she wields her power with great effect. Sarkan, on the other hand is concise and practical like math. But together, their workings combined is a force that can shake the earth, make the oceans rise and move the stars from its firmament. Together, they are amazing despite their stark differences.

Uprooted isn’t great but it is alluring, charming and made me want to read Novik’s other stand alone novel, Spinning Silver.

Rating: 4 Bookmarks

Recreational and Intentional Reading: The Library's Role

Dear Ms. Z: Answers to Your Life as a Reader

For Teacher Twinkle, and to loyal readers of the blog.

1. What is your earliest memory of reading/of a book?

I can still remember the smell of the book my mother read aloud to me when I was a child of five or four. It was a book about a little red hen and a cunning fox. I can no longer recall how the story goes but the smell, I remember well. It smelled of mantekilya and fresh pandesal. 

And then, there was the dinosaur book my mother brought home from the library where she worked. The book was big and so were the dinosaurs that regaled every page. Most impressive for me were the diplodocuses that moved in herds. One spread of the book showed how long a diplodocus is by lining up several buses to illustrate its length and stacking up a good number of people to show its tremendous height. I wondered if such animals really existed so I asked my mother this question. She had nothing to say but, a few weeks after, she brought home a children's encyclopedia volume D. That was my first lesson on research and reference sources. 

How can I not love books when the ones that made an impact on me as young child amazed me and aroused my sense of wonder. Furthermore, I had associated a book read aloud to me with comfort food. What joy!

Later on, my mother brought home Dr. Seuss, Frog and Toad are Friends, Encyclopedia Brown, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. She brought me to the library where she worked and there, I met cool librarians and teachers working with kids my age and older. In the library where they worked, they have shelves for the works of children who wrote stories and books. In the library where they worked, I was allowed to choose books I could read. 

One particular summer I visited the library, I met King Midas, the Greek Gods and Jose Aruego's Juan and the Aswangs. I read Dumbo and Peter Pan, and as the years progressed, I was introduced to Judy Blume and Katherine Patterson. All the Newbery and Caldecot awardees of the time, I got to read them as well the Printz Prize winners during my high school years. Yes, I read foreign authors.

It was only in college when I read my first Filipino novel. 

2. What or who made you like reading/books?

I think I answered this question already. See number 1. 

But I wish to stress that if not for my grandmother's knack for storytelling, I wouldn't enjoy my mom's reading aloud as much. The stories my grandmother told me prepared me for more fantastic stories found in the printed page.

3. Did anyone read to you when you were a child? If yes, who was this? 

Refer to questions 1 and 2 as I have mentioned people in my family as influential to my reading journey. 

My school teachers read aloud from textbooks. Our school library was limited. My grandmother, other than being a fascinating storyteller, had a sari-sari store and she rented out komiks. I read Aliwan, Funny Komiks, Filipino Komiks, etc. So, there. That was another literacy experience of reading from my childhood years.

In high school, I had a small circle of friends and we were all book lovers. We had book swaps and reading time. Then we talk about the books we have read at lunch and at recess. Ah, my wonder years!

4. Do you still like reading until now?

Yes. It is the reason why I never left school librarianship. What I discovered over the years is that, those who love books and reading are willing enough to share this love with others. Now this is the reason why I am still in the board of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY).

5. Why do you like reading/books?

Books spark joy! I want to share the joy books bring with others. 

Dear Ms. Z: Your Life as a Reader

I got this request from Teacher Twinkle Caro, my  friend from PBBY.

Good day! 

I’m giving a talk on motivating children to read and I would like to cite some real-life experiences of avid readers like you. I hope you have the time the answer a few questions:

1. What is your earliest memory of reading/of a book?

2. What or who made you like reading/books?

3. Did anyone read to you when you were a child? If yes, who was this? 

4. Do you still like reading until now?

5. Why do you like reading/books?

Thank you very much! Your answers will be very much appreciated. 😊

I will post my answers in the blog tomorrow.

Reading Conferrence @ Southville: Intentional and Recreational Reading

2018 In Review: Books Reviewed

As 2018 winds down to its last days, I continue writing my blog's year in reviews. This one is about the books I have read and posted a review on the blog.

Fiction and Non-Fiction Book Review   of High School Hacks is a DIY-survival Guide for students enrolled in the IB Program. Plus, it has a short review on Lian Hearn's The Storyteller's Daughters. One of the more memorable read I have this 2018 is the Sycthe Series by Neal Shusterman. Read my review of book 2, Thunderhead in this link.

The Holiday Season is a time when I also catch up on my reading. So, to recall, here are links to
Christmas romcom books and more Christmas romance books I read over the holiday break in 2017 but posted reviews in January 2018. I also received advance reader copies of ebooks. I reviewed ARC of Cora Seton's A Seal's Purpose, a contemporary romance series and a college preparatory guidebook ACT Prep.

Since 2016, I followed through two young adult series by Alwyn Hamilton, the Rebel in Sand series and Sabaa Tahir's Ember in the Ashes series. Hamilton's final installment to Rebel, Hero at the Fall was a satisfying closure to the series. Tahir's Reaper at the Gates is the deep breathe before the end and conclusion to Elias and Leia's adventure.

Sadly, I am only able to post two reviews of books by Filipino authors in the blog. Read Eric Ramos, Author of Productivong Librarianship and Emiliana Kampilan's Dead Balagtas. The later won a National Book Award last month. The hype over this book is real. But, I am still seated on my chair on this one as I have read books and graphic novels of this kind before.

And then, there are book reviews I posted in the blog from books I picked from our library. Dialogue and Humble Inquiry, How Psychology Works. The Demon Haunted World and Other Books, Formative Five are all good reads I shared with the Beacon Academy community as well as readers of the blog.

It's been a good reading year, judging from this list of book reviews. To think that I have not posted fiction I read during the second half of 2018 is saying a lot about the concerns and the work that kept me busy. Lined up for 2019 are Candy Gourlay's Bone Talk, Hello, Universe,  Still Me by Jojo Moyes, and From the Library of CS Lewis.

Happy sigh. I am giving myself a pat on the back.

National Book Week 2018: Stories! Stories! Stories!

Darrel Marco explaining the judging mechanics

National Book Week begins on Saturday, November 24, 2018 and will end on Friday, November 30, 2018. NBW Chairperson Darrel Marco shares with us what makes this NBW celebration exciting, why libraries are all the more important in today's globally conflicted world, and compares NBW 2018 to Rhandee Garlitos'  Chenelyn! Chenelyn! (Adarna House)

 1. What makes NBW 2018 exciting?

Stories! Stories! And more stories!!! 

National Book Week 2018 this year is themed "Connected Actions, Collective Vision: Libraries transforming society".

I believe that it is thru the telling of stories that we can transform our society -- stories of struggles and hardships, stories of failures and downfalls, stories of hope and aspirations, stories of collaboration and cooperation, and stories of success and happy endings.

We are opening the 2018 National Book Week with a Reader's Theatre Contest and a Storytelling Festival on November 24, 2018 at the Gateway Gallery in Cubao, Quezon City. This is one successful story of collaboration between the PLAI and an NGO gearing towards the development and promotion of literacy in our society thru books and stories.

Another notable collaboration is among different regional librarian's councils working hand-in-hand with the Department of Education divisions to promote the National Book Week.

This year, we also introduced the nationwide Graphic Novel Making contest. Entries started pouring in from all over the Philippines since August, and this is aside from the usual Poster Making and Essay writing contests. Winners of these contests will be announced on the opening day, as well.

I think what makes this event exciting is the fact that this is not purely librarians' work but a collaborative effort of a community wanting to promote literacy. Some events and celebrations may have the flash and bangs but makes the NBW2018 special are those minute details that make the event more endearing to the public.

Entries for the Poster Making Contest

2. In light of the current political climate in the country and in the world, how do librarians and libraries factor in book development in the country?

The dawn of social media was a double-edged sword, with one side helping us to move forward thru easier and real-time communication, and with the other one shaking up our core value i.e. the truth. We are bombarded daily with deliberate disinformation in the forms of fake news, alternative facts and historical revisionism, and oftentimes people retaliate thru namecalling or smart-shaming. I say, let us go back to the facts -- i.e. the written and verified ones.

As librarians, we are supposed to be the gatekeepers of these facts. The library that is open to everyone -- the innocent, the accused, the victim, the abused and even to some extent, the criminals -- should be a bastion of social justice. We still have a long way to go in developing a learned nation that would go to books to seek for facts instead of social media but I am positive of the steps being taken to have a more media and information literate society. Additionally, there is also a sliver of hope that Philippine children's books today are tackling more radical and sensitive topics that were used to be considered as taboo.

The judges troop together for a photo op.

3. If you are to compare the NBW to a book, what is it and why?

In an ideal world, it would be The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Who doesn't love a beautiful butterfly as an ending, right?

But looking back, I would rather say, it's Chenelyn, Chenelyn by Rhandee Garlitos. 

Books are there whenever we need a friend or a helping hand, whenever we want to while away our time at the beach or at a coffee shop -- but we just realize their true importance once they are gone. We take for granted those books that are offered in front of us, given that we have social media, Netflix and technology.

I hope that books and technology would co-exist and would not go against each other. I mean if you could go watch one episode of RuPaul's Drag Race, then try to read one chapter of a book too, or even one short story, and you'll see that your life will change.

Bibliotherapy: Experience the Healing Magic of Stories

I am excited to go back to UP Diliman on Thursday, November 8, 2018 as guest speaker on the topic of Bibliotherapy. My talk will be hosted by the UP Reading Education Department where I took cognates in Reading while I pursuing my masters degree in Library and Information Science. Those were amazing years in the College of Education!

I was truly inspired by my teachers and proessors, namely, Dr. Nemah Hermosa (Dr. H) Teacher Dina Ocampo, Lina Diaz de Rivera (LDR) Teacher Victor Villanueva and Portia Padilla. In later years, teachers Vic, Portia and Dina became friends and co-advocates in reading and literacy. LDR ignited my passion for children’s literature and from Dr. H, I learned the fundamentals of reading pedagogy and education. Dr. Felicitas Pado wasn’t my teacher, but she was always in our reading courses as guest lecturer and speaker. 

It is only now, many years after, that I realize how much love and care they put into their work and chosen profession that it seeps into their relationships with students. It was there where I felt accepted for what I am, and for who I am. A school librarian who wants to be a literacy skills teacher.

And so, I will visit Benitez Hall once again. I look forward to learning new things because, in this profession, one is never too old to uncover insights and wonderful discoveries!

If you are free, come join us and experience the healing magic of stories. My talk will focus on these three basic points:

* Children’s Literature for the development of life skills, soft skills, character and aesthetics;

* Bibliotherapy process and

materials (how to conduct sessions, programming and community involvement)

* Bibliothwrapy research and “best” practices

See you! 

Selecting Stories for Kids for Kids to Read

I received a request for interview from Prof. Johann Frederick "Igor" Cabbab for his dissertation on Children's Literature. It is a long document and it needs time to answer the questions. I have been going back and forth on the document because in a way, it is a review of the current children's literature the country has published. As of writing, I have called friends from the book industry to help out.

For the meantime, allow me to share with you a snippet of the interview. This is with permission from Prof. Igor, of course.

To start off, when you choose a storybook for acquisition, for referral to parents, or recommended reading for kids, or for use in storytelling... Are there any criteria involved? I mean in terms of institutional / environmental concerns? Individual concerns? Thematic drives? Things like that. 

Of course there will always be criteria, especially when selecting books for children. The criteria I set for the selection of children’s books vary in terms of context, purpose and function. Form or genre is also important. I think these are my blanket or conceptual criteria: context, purpose, form and function. 

Context would be the readers or the intended audience. Purpose is the why of the book. Function is the what is it for of the book. Form is the genre, media, technology or literary trope. The book is, in itself the form, or the technology. So I would further categorize them as picture book, graphic novel, middle grades book, chapter book, YA novel, hybrid books, etc.  

Of the four, it is context that is at the top of my list. I value my readers. 
Who are my readers? Why am I selecting books for them? Why this book at this particular stage of their development? What is the book for? Of what use is the book in their lives, in general? How will this book matter in their lives? How will it affect them? What are its possible effects or impact? These are some of the questions I ask myself when selecting, recommending and acquiring books for children. 

These questions are latched on learned concepts and principles in Reading Education, Developmental Psychology, Media Studies, Information Literacy, a formalist’s stance on selecting and reviewing of literature, and Ranganathan’s 5 Laws of Librarianship, especially laws 1, 2 and 3. Books are for use. Every reader his/her book. Every book its reader.

Lastly, there is CULTURE. CULTURE is everything.

It’s not a criterion, but a bigger concept where in the four criteria fit in and the disciplines merge and combine. It is a great challenge to select and acquire books for kids in communities where reading, book and library culture are very weak.

Mommies Who Read To Their Kids, Succeed!

Photo credit to Mommy Val P. Thanks so much!

When Nico, our eldest told us last month that he and his friends who from ConChords, the a cappella group they formed nearly two years ago, will compete in the A Capella Championship 2018 in Singapore, we racked our brains for ways to raise funds. Planning a trip abroad in a month is a financial nightmare in our case. These things take time, right? So, it must be a generational thing for Nico to surprise us. The experience has been stressful, but fun and exciting. Ah, what the young learn from their elders and vice-versa. 

Long story short, we did crowdfunding, solicitations from family and friends and fund raising. 

I sold my books, the Bulilit Books-Project LEARN series, to raise funds and amazingly, all the Filipino versions I bought have all been sold. In the process, I get comments and feedback about the from friends who supported Nico through this fundraiser.

Mommy Jet was impressed with Magbilang Tayo. She bought two sets as gifts to a nephew and to one of her godchildren. How she missed having a toddler and a young reader, she said. If the book elicits that kind of response, our writing team must have done something write! 

Then there's Mommy Magie, a college friend who bought five sets as gifts too. She gave a set to her daughter's best friend who was, at the time, celebrating her birthday. How timely! Her youngest was so happy receiving the books as well. It must be the personal messages I write to readers. It is something I enjoy doing as well for I believe that authors build relationships with their readers. What's more, I wish to convey to my young readers that when they open the pages of the book, they interact with the story. 

Mommy Val bought eight sets for the same purpose as Mommy Magie. Her son's birthday was within the week when she bought the books from me. The books are give aways and tokens for her son's classmates since he will be celebrating his birthday in school. Here's hoping his classmates enjoy reading the books!

A note from Mommy Shine. How touching!

And then, there's Mommy Shine who first knew my work through Big Sister (Lampara, 2014). She learned of my book sale in Facebook. As a mother of two, she is serious in raising kids who read. She reads to her kids regularly that's why she has a good knowledge of children's books and literature available in the market. When we had our meet up, she told me how her daughter could relate to Big Sister. Oh, I know how it is since I am a big sister too, I replied. And we had a good chat on parenting and reading, and learning and managing time for ourselves as women and for the home we keep. 

This fund raiser has been a fun. Tiring yes, and I had to put aside a lot of work for the summer. But that's how it is with being mom. No regrets. 

My appreciation goes out to all the mommies who bought my book. You, ladies, really know what to do with my books. This makes me one happy author!

In and Out of the Belly of the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale

My trip to the Big Bad Wolf Book Sale last week was what I expected it to be. It is big and really, really bad. For where else can a reader find hard bound books as low as Php 100.00 pesos with a 2016 copyright but in this book bonanza. I couldn't help but wonder how the organizers and business people behind this sale successfully staged it all. I think of the writers and the creative team who published these books and their royalties.

If anything, Filipino readers with book budget allocations per year benefited a lot from the sale. The selections of titles and how the books were categorized address readers in a very personal way. Fiction books are grouped together occupying more than half of the entire World Trade Center hall. From Young Adult (YA) novels, romance, graphic novels and children's books in various formats and presentations, readers can rummage through the tables to their heart's content. As a school librarian, it was the children's books, YA books and graphic novels areas that enthralled me! A day's visit is not enough.

The Non-Fiction books are likewise geared towards the personal interest of readers as these were arranged according to travel, cookery, hobbies and crafts, history, biography, business and references. Topics that would appeal to individual readers  It does not have the academic arrangement of the Manila International Book Fair. Of course. What was I thinking? This is not to say that librarians and teachers did not benefit from the sale. I met a friends from the profession that day I went and they were happy to acquire 10-15 books for a book budget of 3-5 thousand pesos.

The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale is on its last day today, Sunday, February 25. It is the 32nd anniversary of the People Power Revolution. If you have not been to this book sale, go visit and buy a book or two. If you and I can still buy books we want to read, then there is still freedom to be had.

Read and take flight!

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