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Illlustra #1

Daybreaker

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Mika always thought the gods and goddesses of the Philippines were no more than legend—until she wakes one and discovers a destiny she never imagined.

This middle-grade graphic novel series starter by an award-winning Filipina artist, inspired by the folklore of the Philippines, is perfect for readers of Amulet and Percy Jack


Though Mika Mirasol’s boarding school classmates tease her for clinging to the stories of legendary beings her lola raised her on, she can’t help but love them—those myths are all she has left of her guardian.

That is, until a year after Lola’s death, when a moth speaks to Mika in the old woman’s voice. Mika experiences a burst of inexplicable power, and in her panic, she accidentally casts a spell and binds herself to two eavesdropping classmates.

Literally stuck together, Mika, Halle, and Teo grudgingly set out to find a countercurse in ancient Filipino beliefs. But the more they learn, the more it seems that Lola’s tales were all true—and that Mika is destined to play a role in them.

The mythology of the Philippine Islands comes to life in this funny, warm, and enchanting graphic novel about making friends, learning to let go, and finding your place in the world.

256 pages, Paperback

First published September 2, 2025

7 people are currently reading
162 people want to read

About the author

Tori Tadiar

7 books24 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
Profile Image for Spens (Sphynx Reads).
754 reviews40 followers
October 8, 2025
Actual rating: 4.5

Genuinely such a delightful treat!! I had issues with the pacing because it felt too fast and I wanted the story and the introduction of the different creatures to have more room to breathe. But I was still so captivated by the art style and how colorful the characters were (both in the sense of how they were illustrated and how multi-dimensional they were). The story itself is so full of heart and whimsy—it drips with the childlike wonder many Filipino kids grew up with when we were told of these mythical creatures from our culture. Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Beatrice.
1,245 reviews1,729 followers
November 10, 2025
Once again, Tori Tadiar did a fantastic story telling with the Ilustra series and I think I found a new favorite trio!

We follow the story of Mika Mirasol, a scholar at Academia Ilustra. She’s been lonely ever since her grandmother passed away and many of her classmates find her eccentric and a trouble-maker. She had no friends and stays at the school for the rest of the summer along with two more students — Halle Santos and Teo Madrigal.

Mika is raised by her grandmother and she believes in superstitions. For example, if a moth or a butterfly appears, it means your departed love ones come to visit you. In Ilustra — Tori Tadiar incorporated Filipino myths and legends and as well as Filipino superstitions. Once again, she never disappoints with her art and world building of this series. I am really touched with Mika and her Lola. I actually teared up over them.

Overall, this is a great beginning of the series and I am sure there’s a lot more to tell. ❤️
Profile Image for Pam Z (Pam's Shenanigans).
698 reviews102 followers
October 12, 2025
If you’re a lola’s girl or lola’s boy, this graphic novel will feel like home.

Ilustra is a middle-grade graphic novel that explores the themes of grief, found family, sense of belongingness, accepting your fate, as well as learning when and how to let go of things that keep us from moving forward.

Mika Marisol grew up on stories told by her loving lola—stories of gods and goddesses, myths and legends she always believed were real—until she learned that not everyone shares her beliefs. That is, until her two classmates become literally bound to her after accidentally casting a spell. Suddenly, magic and myths are no longer *just* stories.

Here are the 4 things I loved about Ilustra:

1. The art - Having read only Sagala by Tori Tadiar, I can say that while it’s similar to her art style there, there’s a significant change in her visuals here, which may have to do with reading it in color. I love how the art helped me fully immerse myself in the story through its vivid colors and effects.
2. The plot - Reading Daybreaker, Book 1 feels like an adventure of a lifetime with Mika and her newfound family. They encounter spirits, gods, and goddesses—both the good and the bad. From breaking a curse to saving the world from a sun-eating creature, Ilustra is as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking.
3. The characters - I think it says a lot about a book when you, an adult, can relate to children’s juvenile struggles. While there’s still so much to unpack about each character, the book does a great job of highlighting their strengths and weaknesses in a relatable and realistic way. Mika’s connection with her lola is one of the main highlights of the story for me—it’s something that will resonate deeply with readers who grew up close to their grandparents. Reading this ultimately made me miss being a child—unburdened and unjaded by life’s inevitable harsh realities.
4. The representation - There is no shortage of Filipino representation through familiar folktales, culture, and beliefs that are uniquely ours. It even makes use of Baybayin, which I found very interesting! I had a Baybayin guide by my side to help me translate the text. There really is magic and power in seeing ourselves in the books we read—a book that makes you say, “Hey, that’s us!” or “I grew up believing that too!” This made Ilustra feel like home to me.

Since this is the first book in the Ilustra series, I’m looking forward to seeing how the story unfolds because there’s still so much I want to explore—both in the plot and in its characters.
Profile Image for Elena ( The Queen Reads ).
868 reviews38 followers
October 9, 2025
A beautifully illustrated and well-written graphic novel that blends Filipino mythology with modern storytelling. The art was stunning and the narrative compelling, and I can’t wait to see what more Tori Tadiar creates in this world.
Profile Image for Dani.
290 reviews22 followers
September 23, 2025
What an absolute delight to read. My inner child was over the moon reading this Filipino folklore-inspired graphic novel that incorporated so many different places, tribes, and pieces of Filipino culture throughout. The illustrations were captivating, with heartfelt attention to the small nostalgic things, and to the big beautiful things. I loved seeing baybayin incorporated so seamlessly. I loved the clothes, the food, the spirits, the colours flowing from page to page. Every moment was joyful. I can't wait for the next one.
Profile Image for Veron.
113 reviews4 followers
October 13, 2025
Thanks to the publisher for the gorgeous copy of the book for The Filipino Shelf Book Tour.

Ilustra: Daybreaker is the first in a planned series of graphic novels about Filipino folklore and mythology that center on Mika, a Junior High School arts scholar at Academia Ilustra who discovers that she has magic powers as she accidentally casts a spell that binds her with two other students. By trying to undo the spell, she awakens an ancient deity who threatens to eat the sun and cast the world into darkness, which the trio has to find ways to prevent from happening.

Daybreaker is loyal to the middle-grade adventure story we’ve come to get familiar with. As promised, Filipino fans of Percy Jackson and contemporary mythology-centered books and comics will delight in this graphic novel filled with familiar superstitions, landscapes, food, and practices. Mika is your usual main character with a tragic backstory who has been experiencing unexplainable stuff from childhood, making her an outcast, and with an arc – as it is now – that follows the chosen one trope, complete with the two (sort-of) friends and (sort-of) mentor figures. Tori Tadiar fuses personal and Filipino twists and spins to the template that makes it really worth the read.

As with most of contemporary Philippine Myth fiction, the mythologies of different ethnolinguistic groups are not treated separately from each other. Deities and figures from the Ilongot,Tagalog, Ifugao, and Bagobo interact as if they are in the same realm and are not limited to the regions or provinces where their stories originated.

I wished that the story itself further emphasized that fact instead of stating it in the afterword but I appreciated the author’s advice to go beyond the book and explore more on the topic. I’m really excited to see which figures from folklore would be included in the next books. I also expect the magic system to be fleshed out further as the series goes since there are still things that are unclear such as the wider view of how magic works in this world.

Academia Ilustra, the setting for most of the story, is a private boarding high school different from the more recognizable public school system in the country. It being a boarding school with detentions allowed the plot to go off since it had to be in summer, the time when the magic is most active. I loved Ilustra: the uniforms, architecture, and environment in which the characters go around for research and experimentation. I’m curious to see how the school works in a regular academic year and have it play a larger role in the story since the book series is named after it.

The vibrant, warm, and cute art somehow reminiscent of both Disney movies and anime (but not exactly those) compliments the themes and setting of the story. I thought the usage of stylized baybayin script as spells was a clever advantage of the graphic novel form. Plus the small details that enhance the story such as the distinction of the three characters’ handwriting. Tori’s experience in serialized comics showed through the chapters that had an episodic feel to them and made it flow well.

Halle and Teo are refreshing side characters as they don’t fit the usual archetypes relegated to the friends of the protagonist. There is no obvious smart and nerdy figure that usually takes care of the info-dumping and there is also no obvious comedic relief. Halle is a varsity sipa team vice-captain while Teo is a choir member and both of their skills were utilized well. A large portion of the book is dedicated to building their personalities and chemistry that pays off in the end.

The opening scene is a memory Mika has with her grandmother with flowers and butterflies, setting up the role of her grandmother and her passing in driving the story, as much as, if not more than, the grand fantasy elements. Daybreaker is a journey of a child’s grief as much as it is a story of sun-devouring gods. And that makes the book really special. One defining trait of lolas in Filipino households is storytelling and value-building to her grandchildren. By reflecting this, the book becomes an ode to the first storytellers of our many people told through a really magical adventure filled with the values of friendship, sacrifice, and courage that many young and young-hearted readers will resonate with.
Profile Image for Tuesday Pil.
Author 3 books
October 17, 2025
such a beautiful, riveting, and action-packed story starring a main trio of hilarious and endearing characters! the illustrations are BEYOND gorgeous, and i loved this from front to back cover!! i’m so glad to be alive in a time in MG where Filipinos are writing and publishing stories centering our cultural mythology. it’s so inspiring and i love learning alongside our young readers!!!
Profile Image for Shiandra.
100 reviews13 followers
November 18, 2025
A wonderful read that really struck my heart. It opened up so much love within me for the main character. Although not everything is perfect, it still deserves all the raving reviews my friends gave it.
Profile Image for Gab of Green Gables.
192 reviews6 followers
September 29, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s previous work "Twinkle, Twinkle", so when news broke that her latest story would be published by Disney Hyperion, I was beyond excited—especially after learning it would delve into Philippine mythology.

The story follows Mika Mirasol and her grandmother, Lola Belen, whose stories help guide Mika through her journey.

I loved how the story transported me to magical realms while staying rooted in Filipino culture. The inclusion of Baybayin was a delightful touch; as someone who understands it, I found joy in decoding each line.

The pacing was engaging—I couldn’t stop turning the pages, eager to uncover the mystery behind Mika’s unique ability. Her dynamic with Halle and Teo was charming and reminded me of the trio energy of Percy, Annabeth, and Grover.

The art style beautifully complemented the narrative, with rich colors and distinctly Filipino settings like the balete tree and rice terraces that added authenticity and wonder.

Tori Tadiar skillfully brought Philippine lore to life in a way that’s both fun and meaningful, supported by a memorable cast of characters. I became teary eyed at one point for both Mika and Lola Belen.

I’m thrilled to see where this series goes next and can’t wait to return to the world of Ilustra.
Profile Image for Julia Pika.
1,026 reviews
November 18, 2025
Thanks to the publisher for giving away this copy at ALA in June.

It was kind of boring to be honest. I feel bad saying it because there's a lot of heart put into here but the characters and story just didn't grab my attention. The magic system was really confusing for me too which didn't help. Lots of anime-style references here and there. I'm sure a kid will like it more than me.
Profile Image for Earl.
4,088 reviews42 followers
March 3, 2025
This graphic novel kicks off a series steeped in Filipino mythology. After the loss of her lola, Mika finds herself in possession of powers beyond her control. In fact, she accidentally unleashes a creature who wants to devour the sun and destroy the planet. It's up to her and her unwilling new companions to find a way to save the world. But at what cost?
5 reviews1 follower
September 16, 2025
Papa, me want more Ilustra..

Note to those who are considering of buying this: GO AND BUY IT NOW IT IS SO WORTH IT PRAMIS. (I'm waiting for the fandom to start and more people talking about this)

This has been a book that I have been waiting for since I was in early jhs (I'm in shs now as of writing this) and I can say that it was really worth the wait. As a someone who is mostly a novel reader, this is one of the first comics that I have finished in one sitting and now I want more.

Though it may just be the first entry, I'm really excited for the future entries of this series since I found the characters and the story as a whole really interesting and I really hope to see more soon.

Profile Image for Karla.
420 reviews8 followers
October 31, 2025
This was fantastic!  There were lots of funny moments and the beautiful art matched those moments perfectly.  The baybayin writing system used here kept me busy translating, and it was such a great interactive experience for me.  The mythology in this and how it was rendered in the animation, was so good!  My daughter and I enjoyed this a lot!
540 reviews7 followers
September 26, 2025
Great narrative and great art. Loved the characters and their interactions. The character arcs are solid and the Filipino mythology was awesome. I can’t wait for more from this author/ artist.
Profile Image for Dani.
165 reviews10 followers
October 13, 2025
This reminded me of all the reasons why I used to love the chosen one trope. Oh, and the art! SO MAGICAL. Looking forward to book 2!
Profile Image for Mary.
804 reviews
October 28, 2025
Fun, adventurous graphic novel. Looking forward to more.
Profile Image for Lenn ♡ | anatomyofabooknerd (IG).
469 reviews44 followers
November 5, 2025
𝑫𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒓 by Tori Tadiar is an enchanting middle-grade graphic novel that breathes new life into our local myths in such a vivid, imaginative way. Indeed, if you love the sense of adventure and humor in 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒚 𝑱𝒂𝒄𝒌𝒔𝒐𝒏 or the emotional storytelling and stunning visuals of 𝑨𝒎𝒖𝒍𝒆𝒕 (I love and adore both), this book is absolutely worth picking up. ☀️

The story follows Mika Mirasol, a girl who clings to the stories of Filipino gods and goddesses her late lola (grandma) used to tell her—stories her classmates think are nothing but make-believe. But when a talking moth appears with her lola's voice and a sudden burst of magic ties her to two unsuspecting classmates, Halle and Teo, Mika realizes those bedtime legends might not be so fictional after all. What follows is a mix of chaos, humor, and heart as the three bound-together students are forced to navigate ancient Filipino beliefs and figure out how to undo the curse. I loved how naturally the story wove in folklore—it felt authentic without ever feeling like a history lesson. 🙂‍↕️

Tori Tadiar, both the author and illustrator, brings this world to life with so much energy and emotion. The art style perfectly captures the wonder of Filipino mythology, from otherworldly creatures to breathtaking landscapes. 🍃 Every page feels alive, glowing with detail and color. But what makes 𝑫𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒓 stand out most for me is its heart. It's not just a fun fantasy adventure—it's a touching story about grief, identity, and friendship. Mika's journey, learning to embrace who she is and where she comes from, is tender and empowering, and the awkward, funny bond between Mika, Halle, and Teo adds warmth and levity to the story. 🤍

𝑫𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒓 is such a gem—fun, heartfelt, and bursting with Filipino pride. It's the kind of book that makes you proud to see our culture shine on the page. Tadiar's storytelling and illustrations make this a magical, unforgettable start to the Ilustra series, and I honestly can't wait for what comes next. 👀
Profile Image for Karla.
420 reviews8 followers
November 14, 2025
This was pure joy!  There were lots of funny moments and the beautiful art matched those moments perfectly.  The baybayin writing system used here kept me busy translating (I just looked for a guide online) and it was such a great interactive experience for me.  The mythology in this and how it was rendered in the animation, was so good!  My daughter and I enjoyed this a lot, what a great ending to my October honestly!  I have to buy a physical copy because this book is so beautiful 😍
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews

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