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Giveaway: EDSA by Russell Molina and Sergio Bumatay III

EDSA by Russell Molina and Sergio Bumatay III (Adarna House and the EDSA People Power Commission, 2013) is a picture book done right. It's the story of the Philippines' nonviolent 1986 EDSA Revolution presented as an interactive counting book. Children are treated to minimal text (in Filipino) and iconic images of the revolution, such as radios, yellow ribbons, military tanks, flowers, and thousands of Filipinos united.

Molina used counting because, like counting, the EDSA Revolution was something that started quietly and then escalated. It's brilliant: Gently introducing the EDSA Revolution to children instead of force-feeding a history lesson or hitting them over the head with it. Children will be awed by the illustrations and will have fun counting the birds, soldiers, priests and nuns, supply trucks, and flags in the book, but they will also naturally ask questions about their stories. The book then becomes a springboard for family conversations and classroom discussions about the EDSA Revolution.   

Bumatay's pen and acrylic illustrations for EDSA are overwhelmingly good. There is special use of the color yellow, as the EDSA Revolution is also known as the Yellow Revolution, but the illustrations are mostly black and white to emphasize how the book brings back memories of the revolution. The illustrations are mounted in wooden boxes as dioramas, giving a faint sense of movement and three-dimensionality that completes the book's nostalgic effect. Picture books are children's first exposure to fine art and EDSA is definitely a portable gallery for them. 

Click on the image below to see the details of one of the illustrations for EDSA!


I highly recommend EDSA for very young Filipinos and am giving away a copy signed by both the author and illustrator. To join the giveaway, leave your name in the comments section below. This giveaway is open to everyone, no matter where you are in the world. The winner will be randomly selected and announced the evening of Aug. 7.
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Comments

  1. jvincentsongJuly 31, 2013 at 9:27 PM

    Howdy! I wanna! - Jan Vincent S. Ong- Ortigas, Metro Manila

    ReplyDelete
  2. SanaJuly 31, 2013 at 9:30 PM

    Hi Tarie.

    This is Sana Sta. Ana, a flipper! I hope I get to win EDSA :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. hello my name is pergyJuly 31, 2013 at 9:58 PM

    yay i want! Pergy Acuna! :D

    ReplyDelete
  4. Angela TaguiangJuly 31, 2013 at 11:01 PM

    I'll try my luck! - Angela Taguiang

    ReplyDelete
  5. mjhebronaAugust 1, 2013 at 2:23 AM

    Matt Hebrona!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Candy GourlayAugust 1, 2013 at 4:31 AM

    Here's my name!!! Candy Gourlay! I'd love to have this book!
    But I'm in England.

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownAugust 1, 2013 at 3:24 PM

    Hello! My name is Daniel Tingcungco and you have a nice blog. Keep on writing! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anthony MarianoAugust 1, 2013 at 7:02 PM

    Yes, please! Anthony Mariano

    ReplyDelete
  9. UnknownAugust 2, 2013 at 12:31 AM

    John Lamano

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jessalyn Mae E. NalanganAugust 2, 2013 at 9:09 PM

    Jessalyn Mae Nalangan

    ReplyDelete
  11. MayiAugust 3, 2013 at 5:36 PM

    T^T One of my favorite illustrators... signed copy.... *flails*

    Leave my name ... Marigel T. Maniego... there :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Kathryn Anne HilarioAugust 4, 2013 at 12:49 AM

    I must win this! Kathryn Anne Hilario po, Ms. Tarie. :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. sumthinblueAugust 4, 2013 at 11:21 PM

    Squee!!! Joining!

    Blooey Singson

    ReplyDelete
  14. UnknownAugust 5, 2013 at 3:05 PM

    I sure want to win a copy of this book!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Blessie AdlaonAugust 5, 2013 at 7:36 PM

    Joining! Blesilda Adlaon

    ReplyDelete
  16. JinkyAugust 6, 2013 at 1:35 AM

    Thanks for the generous giveaway. Please count me in!

    jinkyisreading at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. thefreelancemommaAugust 6, 2013 at 12:26 PM

    Daisy Virtudazo!

    ReplyDelete
  18. sanneAugust 6, 2013 at 1:28 PM

    Rosanne Unson

    ReplyDelete
  19. RacquelAugust 6, 2013 at 2:19 PM

    This is a great alternative to history textboks. I'm a homeschoolilng mom to two girls, and we're on our 7th year! - RACQUEL GUEVARA

    ReplyDelete
  20. GayathriAugust 7, 2013 at 1:10 AM

    I would love to win a copy of this! Will probably need a translation from the publishers though :) Looks absolutely beautiful. -- Gayathri Bashi

    ReplyDelete
  21. Happily LostAugust 7, 2013 at 11:33 AM

    Hi Tarie! Sophia Lee :) We still need to have dinner!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Agay LlaneraAugust 7, 2013 at 5:24 PM

    Agay Llanera :)

    ReplyDelete

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