Liana Romulo

This story is about a little boy who is American and Filipino and is visiting the Philippines for the first time. It teaches about Filipino culture in regards to its customs and language. I also think it is really relatable to children who may be visiting their native country for the first time because the boy doesn't know much about his culture and is going to experience it first hand during his visit. Something that stood out to me was the fact that it shows students both the English and Filipino translations of the text. For example, the book goes through the seasons and translates all objects relevant to that season in both languages. A pail and a shovel are translated to timba and pala! I think this is extremely beneficial for not only students who are ELL, but all students because it gives them amazing insight into another culture that is not commonly discussed. This text is a great tool to show students the differences between Western and Philippine lifestyles and is aided by simple yet playful illustrations painted in water color. The main idea of this story is to help to bridge the gap between the American and Filipino cultures.… (altro)

One of a number of these 'children's favorite stories' titles - Balinese Children's Favorite Stories| , Chinese Children's Favorite Stories, Korean Children's Favorite Stories, etc. - currently available (although the first that I have read), this delightful collection includes thirteen traditional tales from the Philippines. Some will seem familiar to the folklore enthusiast, and some unfamiliar, but they are all entertaining. From the opening selection, Why Mosquitoes Buzz Around Our Ears (whose title is so reminiscent of the West African tale, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears), which follows the story of grumpy Maga, the King of the Crabs, whose determination to find the party responsible for disturbing his sleep leads to unintentional long-term consequences; to the concluding one, The Prince's Bride, which sees Marco, a king's youngest son, marrying a fuzzy caterpillar-who-is-really-a-princess (a story that seems to be of the same tale-type as the Russian skazki, The Frog Princess), these stories are quite engaging, and will hold young readers' attention. Other selections include:

The Terrible Giant, in which the cruel and malicious Lupit, having finally gone too far, in tearing off Tutubi the Dragonfly's wing, is brought to justice through the combined efforts of Ahas the Snake, Tuko the Lizard, Paparo the Butterfly, and Goyam the Ant.

The Hermit and the Two Worms, in which two worms, indignant at the disrespect for the natural world shown by human beings, are transformed into people by a hermit, but soon forget their quest to enlighten their new fellows.

The Battle of the Wind and Rain, in which boastful Wind challenges Rain to a game which will determine who is the strongest, but finds that all his bluster cannot get a little monkey out of a tree, while Rain's soft downfall can.

Alunsina, a creation myth explaining the placement of the sun, moon and stars in the sky, in which the god Langit banishes his lazy wife, Alunsina, and uses her finery to decorate the cosmos.

A Feast of Gold, in which a rich couple, caring even more for gold than for food, slowly starve to death, as they count their riches. Elements of this tale, particularly the transformation of all food entering the hacienda into gold, reminded me of the story of [book:King Midas and the Golden Touch|630684].

The Runaways, in which Tonito and Lupe, a young brother and sister, run away from home when they can no longer bear the mistreatment meted out to them by their stepmother.

The Magic Lake, in which two men - the honest Pedro and the greedy Lito - have very different experiences when they lose their ax-heads in a lake, and encounter a fairy.

The Deer and the Snail, in which Bembol the Snail challenges Gaspar the Deer to a race, when the latter refuses to apologize for a rock he sends Bembol's way, in the course of running. This story of some clever snails who outwit a rather arrogant deer, bears a close resemblance to the Aesopic fable of The Tortoise and the Hare.

A Bridge of Flowers, which - through its tale of Bighari, the goddess of flowers, who builds a huge bower of blooms, hoping to ingratiate herself again with her displeased father, the god Bathala - explains the existence of the rainbow.

Why the Cock Crows, a pourquoi tale explaining the crowing of roosters at dawn, in which Sidapa, the god of war, is terribly displeased with his servant Pepe, and transforms him into a cock as a punishment for gossiping.

And finally, The Battle of the Sea and Sky, in which a weary bird, tired of endlessly flying between the sea and sky, provokes a war between the two, thereby leading to the creation of land - of the Philippines!

As always, in a collection of this sort, I enjoyed the mixture of familiar and unfamiliar elements in the stories presented. The accompanying ink and watercolor illustrations by Joanne de Leon are colorful and appealing, greatly adding to the charm of the book. All in all, Filipino Children's Favorite Stories is a charming little book, one I highly recommend to all young folklore enthusiasts, and to anyone interested in traditional Filipino culture.… (altro)