Asia in the Heart, World on the Mind

This year is the 3rd National Children's Book Awards (NCBA) and the deadline for nominations is this Friday, January 31. Click here to read the NCBA rules and click here to download the NCBA nomination form. The online version of the rules asks for seven copies of each nominated book, but now ten copies of each nominated book must be submitted because more judges (kid judges!) have been added to the awards. I'm already looking forward to the awards ceremony on July 26. :o)

Modern Heroes for the Filipino Youth Series, Bookmark’s series for children’s books, will be formally launched on February 5, 2014, Wednesday, 6:00-9:00 p.m., at the Last Chukker, Manila Polo Club, McKinley Road, Forbes Park, Makati City. The series features nine new titles, namely: A Passion for Science (Dr. Lourdes Cruz and Dr. Baldomero Olivera, Jr.); A Time to Grow (Margarita Dela Cruz Santiago); A Voice of Hope in a Time of Darkness (Susan Fernandez-Magno); BROCKA: The Filmmaker without Fear (Lino Brocka); The First International Filipino Diva (Jovita Fuentes); The Pangat, the Mountains, and the River (Macliing Dulag); I Know Where My Heart Is (Bro. Richie Fernando SJ); My Father, the “Soldier” (Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos); and My Role Model (Vidal Lory Tan.) The Modern Heroes for the Filipino Youth Series aims to present role models for young people to emulate. Each story in the series contains a central theme that exemplifies a moral value or characteristic or an exempl...

The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) awarded Honorable Mention for the 2014 PBBY-Salanga Prize to writers Michael de Guzman, for his story "Reyna Elena"; Genaro Gojo Cruz, for his story, "Gaano ba Kalayo Patungong Paaralan?"; and Susan Anne Alegro Quirante, for her story "Ang Misay sa Aming Bahay." This is not the first time de Guzman and Cruz have been awarded by the PBBY. De Guzman bagged Honorable Mention in 2003, while Cruz won Honorable Mention in 2004. This is Quirante’s first award from the PBBY. The three winners shall be awarded during the celebration of National Children’s Book Day in July 2014. For inquiries about the contest, email the PBBY Secretariat at pbby@adarna.com.ph.

Last Saturday, Bulilit Lit for YolandaPH Relief raised Php 62,620 for the children affected by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). Thank you so much to the following groups for making the event possible: Adarna House Alitaptap Storytellers Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (Ang INK) Anvil Publishing Flipside Publishing Halo Halo World Hiyas/OMF Literature Kuwentista ng Mga Tsikiting (KUTING) Lampara Books Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) Sipat Lawin Ensemble Tahanan Books Thank you most especially to all the people who visited the event and did their Christmas shopping there! Your money will go to a good cause. We hope you enjoy the books and art and other items you bought at Bulilit Lit for YolandaPH Relief. :o) 

In an effort to contribute to on-going relief and rehabilitation endeavors, the children’s literature community in the Philippines is coming together to raise more funds for the survivors of typhoon Yolanda. The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) , Kuwentista ng mga Tsikiting (KUTING) , Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (Ang INK) , and Adarna House bring you Tinda-Tindahan, Kuwento-Kuwentuhan: Bulilit Lit for YolandaPH Relief , a day dedicated to children affected by the devastating storm. Join us on Nov. 30, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Raya School Gym, 109 Sct. Fernandez corner Sct. Torillo, Brgy. Sacred Heart, Quezon City for the following activities: * Sale: Rummage through and purchase books, artwork, collectibles, and other previously-loved items. Or drop-off your previously-loved items to sell and donate. * Meet & Greet Sessions: Grab the opportunity to chat with your favorite authors and illustrators. Get your books signed and your photos ta...

  Welcome to the second day of the Ngumiti si Andoy blog tour ! Ngumiti si Andoy , written by Xi Zuq ( /Shee Zuk/) and illustrated by Dominic Agsaway , is the winner of the 2013 PBBY Salanga and Alcala Prizes and the latest bilingual (Filipino and English) picture book from Adarna House .   In Ngumiti si Andoy , a boy named Andrew is drawing the statues in his school's heroes park when the statue of Andres "Andoy" Bonifacio , the Father of the Philippine Revolution, comes to life. Andrew and Andoy have a conversation about Andoy's parents, siblings, and wife. The book has great educational value - t eachers and parents can use it to introduce children to the hero or complement formal history lessons - but it is not overtly didactic.      For the Ngumiti si Andoy blog tour, I am interviewing both the book's author and illustrator, as well as sharing some of the illustrator's initial sketches for the book. Let's start with the...

If you are an author, please consider participating in this online auction for the benefit of Typhoon Haiyan victims.   And if you are an illustrator, please consider selling illustrations for the benefit of Typhoon Haiyan victims.