Nowadays, there are a lot of options when buying Filipino Story books for children. I even see sidewalk vendors selling books on the street! When I was young, the only books you can find in bookstores are those hardbound American children’s books and fairy tales. I feel a tingling sense of joy whenever I see these vendors. Admittedly, some of them are full of grammatical errors and some are old fashioned and misinformed. But it was on these streets that I felt a sense of hope for our Filipino literature.
As such, it becomes a little overwhelming to choose the right children’s books for your kids. With so many children’s books available in the bookstores, it can be a challenge for parents to choose the right book that will be both enjoyable and insightful for children.
Hiyas, OMF Literature’s imprint for Filipino Story books for children, assists parents by publishing books that help children form healthy habits and grow in Godly character. Plus, the books are fun to read! Hiyas offers a wide selection of books on different topics, ranging from books on values and health to Bible stories and activity books.
A popular Hiyas Filipino Story books for children series is the Dee the Bee series written by Joyce Piap-Go and illustrated by Maria Cristina Sison. The Filipino book series helps kids develop positive values, stay healthy, and take care of the environment. In Bee Helpful, the seventh title in the series, Dee the Bee teaches young kids practical life skills they will need when they grow up, including lessons on how to be diligent, independent, and kind. The book also encourages adults to help kids nurture a caring and helping attitude by “deliberately creating opportunities for them to act compassionately.”
Dyaran! Ang Kambal na Hebigat! (Tada! The Heavyweight Twins!) by pediatrician and writer Luis “Tito Dok” Gatmaitan. This Filipino book series introduces the topic of weight management and good eating habits to children. The twenty-first title in the bestselling “Mga Kuwento ni Tito Dok (Stories of Uncle Doc)” series, Ang Kambal na Hebigat not only addresses obesity in children but also gives tips on how parents can help their kids have proper weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The book features the fun illustrations of Mike Amante.
Dirty ’Yan, Judy Ann! (That’s Dirty, Judy Ann!), is the second title in “Oki Dok!”, the new health series by Luis “Tito Dok” P. Gatmaitan specially written for younger kids. With adorable illustrations by Cy Vendivil, Oki Dok! features fun and simple stories that address the health and hygiene concerns of preschoolers. In the book, Tito Dok explains the value of cleanliness through the endless—but loving—reminders of a mother obsessed with being clean.
All three titles are available at National Book Store, OMF Lit Bookshop, Passages, and other leading bookstores nationwide. Bee Helpful and Dirty ’Yan, Judy Ann! are available for P100.00 each, while Dyaran! Ang Kambal na Hebigat! sells for P120.00. The books can also be ordered online through passagesbooks.com.
