I love to read, everybody who knows me prolly knows that. Despite the schedule and my laziness, I still love to buy books which, I cannot read right away and will just prolly accumulate dust in the shelves or will still be inside its plastic after a few years.
I love buying fiction books but there are books from my shelves which I really like and treasure -- my set of LGBTQIA+ children's books; and they are written by Filipino authors.
I like them very much because:
- They are unusual. They are hard to find in bookstores or maybe I just really couldn't see them.
- They represent. It is hard to find books, in Filipino, in the Philippines, that talk about LGBTQIA+, more so, if they would be for children.
That's why when I found copies in Pumplepie Books & Happiness, I did not think twice. Just take my money and send my books, kindly!
The very first one I wanted to have, for the longest time, is the Ang Ikaklit sa Aming Hardin by Bernadette Neri. It won a Palanca! It talks about a little girl having two mothers.
I was so happy when I got it from the mail!!!! Finally! I have read it before for there were copies online but I wanted to see and know how the whole book looks like. Even if I already read it before, I still read it when it came. The wrap even had a message from the sellers asking if I were too excited to have it and how wonderful the book is.
What I like about this book: It talks about two girls loving each other, we don't have much of that in media and... “Hindi mahalaga kung sino ang nagtanim sa mga punla. At hindi rin mahalaga kung babae ba o lalaki ang nag-aalaga sa mga ito. Ang importante ay kung paano ito inaarugang mabuti.”
Then months after, Pumplepie posted a set of children's books on their instagram. It turns out, there are more books that tackles LGBTQIA+ for children! I ordered for my copies.
Yaaaas to my editing skills!
Each of them are in also translated in English along the pages.
Ang Bonggang-Bonggang Batang Beki! This book is the last of the printed ones, Pumplepie said. Luckily, I got it! It talks about a little boy named Adel who loves pink on everything and how soft he moves and acts.
What I like about this book: Boys can like pink and that's OK. Pink doesn't mean it is for girls. Pink is just pink and anyone can like it. And the illustration is really pink, too!
Uncle Sam! Uncle Sam or Auntie Samantha of Annie always fixes Annie's hair in the most beautiful way making Annie the most popular girl in school.
What I like about this book: No matter what others say, it is happiness when your family accepts you and loves you for who you are.
Ang Nanay ni Erwin/Ang Tatay ni Klara! This book is so kewl because it is a flip book and the ending is where the middle of the book meets! It tells the story of having parents whose work or profession, and how they dress up and act are different from how other parents do the drill.
What I like about this book: Aside from it is a flipbook or two books in one, I like how professions doesn't need gender. What man can do can be done by women and vice versa.
Dalawa ang Daddy ni Billy! Billy thinks its cool that he has two dads but his classmates think otherwise.
What I like about this book: Bullying was never a good thing and children have better understanding on things unlike adults who just keep on complicating things and they pass on their judgments to their children. Never a good thing as well.
I hope I never lose the child in me. I don't think I will, though. The reason why I love children's books and stories is because they are straight to the point, and there are no profound words where you would need a dictionary. It just sends the message across. That's how I like to write, too. I want to make things simple that even kids can understand. Something which you no longer need to think 1, 2, 3, and so on steps.
For more Filipino children's books, visit Pumplepie Books & Happiness here: website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You may buy books on their website!
By the way, again, this is not a paid or partnership post with Pumplepie Books & Happiness.
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What do you think, Awesome?