Recommended Read: Just Add Dirt

Miguel is a young boy and just like any other boy, his world revolves around play. So focused is Miguel about play that he forgets to take a bath. He goes to sleep as a filthy boy, with no worries about going to bed covered in dirt and grime.

He woke up one day with mung bean seedlings growing out of his ears! Imagine all that dirt inside those ears that made those seedlings sprout! Continue reading“Recommended Read: Just Add Dirt”

Book Review: Tuko, the Tenor Wannabe

“Tuko, the Tenor Wannabe” is a story that defines expectation versus reality.

Author Nemah Hermosa gave us Tuko, who badly wants to be a singer. He went to music school and dreamed of being in the opera. But he just not cut out for it because… he does not have the beautiful voice to boot. To be blunt, he is off key and annoying to listen to. But he is persistent and stubborn refusing to listen to anyone, even his mother.

With fun illustrations by artist Ruben de Jesus, this story takes us into the amusing journey of Tuko — and how he realized that he just have to give up singing so he can keep his friends.

This is a story that I first encountered nine years ago during an Inquirer Read-along session. I did not like it at first. I cannot quite remember why. Maybe because I was 23 years old then with little knowledge about what storybooks are appropriate for children. I saw a copy of this again in 2017 when I was browsing through the shelves of National Bookstore, in search for a unique storybook. I found this book, read it, and loved it! This is a perfect material to use to teach children the value of humility; to accept their weaknesses and choosing to channel their energies into other endeavors.

Starting with this edition of our Book Reviews in this site, I decided to record myself (audio or video, whichever works) reading the story along with a copy of the book. For this edition, I have my daughter, Antoinette, help me out. She can now read sight words and four-letter to five-letter words so I am using this book to help her improve her reading skills as well.

Watch the video here :

If you have any storybook suggestions, feel free to send us a message through our Facebook page or write a comment below.

Thanks for reading and watching!

Recommended Read – Anita: The Duckling Diva

I really need to write this.

There are storybooks that are so delicious to read to a group of children; and there are those that are just better read to a child.

You see the difference?

Reading to a big group of children — “big” being a relative word — entails careful selection of a story in which the text are not long and verbose. The story needs to be entertaining with the pace fast enough to render the children excited, but slow enough to entice them to listen. Continue reading“Recommended Read – Anita: The Duckling Diva”

Book Recommendation: Ikaw Ba Ang Akong Inahan? (Kayo Ba ang Nanay Ko?)

Managing a multi-lingual household means reading books in different languages. Storybooks in the Binisayang Sugbuanon language are mainstays in our bookshelves at home. One of my favorites is the big book version of “Ikaw Ba Ang Akong Inahan?” This is the Binisayang Sugbuanon version of “Kayo Ba Ang Nanay Ko?” that is written by …

BookReco: Espesyal nga Adlaw ni Mario (Mario’s Special Day)

Toddler Storytime kicked off last April 2018 in time for the 99th anniversary of the Cebu City Public Library. Since then, I have been on a trial-and-error mode in trying to figure out which songs and dances to perform and which books to read to an audience composed of toddlers …

Book Review: Ang Pambihirang Sombrero (The Amazing Hat)

Ang Pambihirang Sombrero (The Amazing Hat) is my recent favorite storybook from writer-illustrator Jose Miguel “Jomike” Tejido’s creative endeavors. I was hooked to “Dindo Pundido” when the twins were barely a year old. Ang Pambihirang Sombrero tells the story of a girl named Mia, who loves old things. One day, …

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