*Selected for the International Youth Library Foundation "White Raven" list of 2024 -- Recommended children's books from around the world.*
Meet the creepy creatures and amazing beasts from Philippine mythology! This delightful compendium of mythical creatures (and where to find them) takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the ghoulish and gory things that go bump in the night--blood-sucking trolls, shape-shifting goblins and terrifying vampires who defend their turf with glee as they unleash chaos in the world.
Monsters and magical creatures spring vividly to life on every page of this book thanks to the exceptional artistic talents of some of Asia's leading children's book illustrators. Brief bilingual descriptions and dazzling illustrations introduce 56 fun, freaky and fearsome creatures, including:
- Mandurugos -- whose long tongues slither down through cracks in the ceiling to suck out the souls of unsuspecting sleepers at night
- Busos -- who noisily gather in cemeteries to dig up and consume freshly-buried corpses
- Tiktiks -- who swoop, hop and crawl as they prey on babies, the elderly and pregnant women
- Batibats -- who drop from the house beams at night to suffocate sleepers with their huge bodies
And yes, they live among us--in secret burrows, hollow trees, underwater caverns--and especially in the spaces we call home.
"Tabi-tabi po" is the phrase to be invoked in their presence, meaning, "Kindly step aside, Sir, and allow me to pass." These words are respectfully addressed to the unseen creatures who jealously guard their turf and don't take kindly to trespassers, intentional or otherwise.
So be forewarned as you venture into this supernatural realm. Get acquainted with these amazing beasts, and remember to say,
"Tabi-tabi po!" when you meet them!
May Tobias-Papa is a professional mom-splainer, and kiddifier of difficult subjects. May's portfolio as writer and illustrator of children's books includes works that have been recognized with the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature, National Children's Book Award Best Reads, Philippine Quill Awards, American Association of School Librarians, and Kirkus Star.
Liza Flores is one of the leading children's book illustrators in the Philippines. Her books
The Secret Is in the Soil and
Ang Maliit na Kalabaw have been included in the National Children's Book Award Best Reads. She mentors illustrators from different countries through Room to Read, an inter-national nonprofit organization. Liza also runs Studio Dialogo, a graphic design studio in Manila. She designed
KarapatDapat (2018), which was included in The White Ravens list.
The Ang Ink Artists Collective is the Philippines' first and only organization of artists dedicated to children's illustration, and Asia's leading children's book illustrator collective. The group, established in 1991, consists of the best visual artists working in the country today, many of whom have won local and international awards and recognition for their work. See below for full biographies of the 29 illustrators who contributed to
The Amazing Beasts of Philippine Mythology
