9 new best reads for young readers

In an ideal world where words and literature and books are seen as essential to survival, the announcement on National Children’s Book Day, Tuesday, July 17 at the CCP of the 2018 Best Reads would have been a major latebreaker. The selections came from among 181 published books in 2016 and 2017 from 14 publishers. But, as it was, it went largely unnoticed by the media.

The 5th National Children’s Book Awards (NCBA), an initiative of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People and the NBDB, is significant for the publishing industry as it recognizes books that represent excellence in every aspect of production. It is not only what the book says, but how it looks, and the degree of meticulousness and care manifested by the author, illustrator, book designer, publisher and printer in the final product in the reader’s hands. Thus, a trophy each is given to the author, the illustrator and the publisher.

There is no ranking in the selected titles, and the only stipulation for the judges is that a selection of 10 titles may be chosen, with no distinction on the language used. The intent is to develop a Best Reads recommended reading list for parents and teachers, and to draw public interest (and sales) in these books.

In developed countries, the United States’ 80-year-old Caldecott Medal for best picture book and the 96-year-old Newbery Medal for best children’s book are automatic purchases by schools for libraries and classrooms. So are the United Kingdom’s Carnegie Medal choices.

A fairly recent positive development took place in the last months of Br. Armin Luistro FSC’s tenure as education secretary. In resolving the department’s moratorium on the purchase of supplementary materials, it was decided that award-winning books would automatically become part of the list from which the DepEd selects its resources for purchase, and would no longer be  subject to bureaucratic review by virtue of their award.  This policy has been adopted by the present administration of Secretary Leonor Briones, as the previous administration did not have the time to put it in practice.

For the first time since the inception of Best Reads, the selection has grown to nine titles from five publishers: Adarna and Anino, its new imprint for graphic books; Anvil; Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism; Tahanan Books for Young Readers; and Vibal. This year’s choices was evidence of the growth of the children’s book publishing industry; the genres were varied and interesting, targeting different age groups, from picture books to poetry to graphic books to a YA novel to nonfiction titles.

What to me would be the ultimate test of significant progress is if the number of titles grew to warrant a yearly, rather than a biennial, NCBA.

This year’s Best Reads are:

Adarna—Graphic titles “Ang Hari ng Komyut” by Lizette Daluz; “Lost” by Rob Cham; “Meläg” by B. Redila; and “Si Janus Silang at ang Pitumpu’t Pitong Púsong” by Edgar Calabia Samar, illustrated by Borg Sinaban—a contemporary novel that draws from mythology and urban lore.

Anvil—“Habulan” by Kora Dandan, art by Beth Parrocha. This is a delightful narrative in verse using Philippine mythical creatures that keep us awake.

PCIJ—“Si Kian” by Weng D. Cahiles, art by Aldy C. Aguirre, research by Kimberly B. dela Cruz, a troubling story of a senseless killing in our midst, rendered more poignant by Aguirre’s watercolors.

Tahanan—“A Lolong Time Ago: A Prehistory of the Philippines, Halo-Halo Histories” by Michelline Suarez, Joonee Garcia, Divine Reyes, Benjor Catindig, a must-read for today’s generation, as it is history at its most engaging;  “Takbo!: Kapag Naging Tinig ang Tunog” by Auri Asuncion Yambao, a book of 39 onomatopeiac verbs, like “patak” and “pitik.”

Vibal—“May Gulong na Bahay” by Genaro Gojo Cruz, illustrations by Paul Imbong, was cited for its depiction of home for father and daughter in a kariton where they enjoy the warmth of home and family.  It highlights the issue of poverty in the country.

The judges who wrote the citations for their choices were a distinguished group: comic book artist Manix Abrera, crafts master and free spirit Robert Alejandro, Amor Andal of Beacon Academy, Edgar Quiros of the National Library of the Philippines, and award-winning author, academician and critic Roland Tolentino.

Neni Sta. Romana Cruz (nenisrcruz@gmail.com) is chair of the National Book Development Board and a member of the Eggie Apostol Foundation.