Melo the Umang-Boy: an Ivatan Tale
Bilingual: English and Ivatan. Themes: ocean biodiversity, shyness, leadership, community, migration, respect for elders. Story by Alyssa Sarimiento-Co and Christina Newhard, illustrations by Jaypee Portez, translation by Criselda Vinalay
Melo is a painfully shy little boy living with his grandmother and uncle. One day he visits a magical, busy city on the bottom of the ocean, filled with talking sea creatures. Disaster strikes the city, and he must overcome his shyness to help the sea creatures rebuild.
Kalipay and the Tiniest Tiktik: a Cebuano Tale
Bilingual: English and Cebuano. Themes: friendship, play, tolerance, Philippine folklore, vegetarianism, bullying. Story by Christina Newhard, illustrations by Happy Garaje, translation by Jona Branzuela Bering
Daydreaming comes easily to Kalipay, but she doesn’t know how to make bullies leave her alone. One day, she makes an unusual new friend in Gamay, who tells the school bully, Juan, to stop teasing Kalipay. Other children are afraid of Gamay—her strange tongue, split body, and bat wings—but Kalipay is fascinated by the things that make her new friend different. Together they learn how friendship can overcome differences and create happiness for everyone.
Amina and the City of Flowers: a Chavacano Tale
Bilingual: English and Chavacano. Themes: diversity, tolerance, weaving, Yakan weaving, Zamboanga, homesickness, refugees. Story by Christina Newhard, illustrations by Robbie Bautista, translation by Floraime Oliveros Pantaleta
Amina, a young Yakan weaver, is homesick for Basilan, but she finds inspiration for her loom in the diversity and color of her new home, Zamboanga City.
Sandangaw: a Waray Tale
Bilingual: English and Waray. Themes: independence, growth, riddles, etiquette, persistence. Story by Voltaire Q. Oyzon, illustrations by Ray Sunga, translation by Merlie Alunan and Firie Jill Ramos.
Little Sandangaw might just be a handspan tall, but he wants to do all the things that bigger children do. If only his family weren’t so afraid he’d be blown away, dragged, or stepped on! When the village magic woman tells him to visit the Eagle of Mt. Danglay for help, Sandangaw learns what it takes to grow.
Jalal and the Lake: a Meranaw Tale
Bilingual: English and Meranaw. Themes: nature, the environment, leadership, Islamic culture. Story by Hanna Usman, illustrations by Marianne J. Palita, translation by Professor Sorhaila Latip-Yusoph.
In Jalal’s small village, everyone celebrates the bounty and beauty of their vast lake. Everyone, that is, except Jalal. Jalal doesn’t notice the lake, its bounty, or his people’s wishes. His only desire is to own the magical, puffy clouds in the sky. When strange men come to the village and offer to grant his wish, Jalal finally learns what the lake means to his people.