All About the Philippines: Stories, Songs, Crafts and Games for Kids

by Gidget Roceles Jimenez, Kora Dandan-Albano (Illustrations)

**Winner of the Moonbeam Children's Book Award Gold Medal for Activity Book -- Education, Science, History**

This family-friendly Philippines children's book is packed with fun facts about Filipino culture, history, and daily life!

All About the Philippines takes you on an incredible journey across the colorful island nation of the Philippines with Mary, Jaime, and Ari--three Filipino cousins who look entirely different and yet are the best of friends. You'll visit their homes, their schools, their families, their favorite places, and much more. They'll show you how kids in different parts of the Philippines come from many different ethnic groups and have very various cultures--each with separate traditions, languages, and beliefs--and yet, they are all 100% Filipino!

This children's book, aimed at kids ages 8 to 12, brings them on an exciting trip through some of the most fascinating islands on earth.
Along with fun facts, you'll learn about the spirit of the Philippines that makes this country and its people unique. This is a book for families or classrooms to enjoy together.

Genres: Nonfiction, Geography, Picture Books, Childrens, Asia, History

64 pages, Hardcover

First published October 13, 2015

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The OwnVoices creators make the nation sound like paradise!

Skips over many of the standard facts like population, climate, and doesn't have an actual map.
Mostly vibrant pictures and lots of text, lots of multi-multicultural vocabulary words.
Not quite as many stories, songs, etc. as I'd hoped for.

Recommended to children's libraries and homeschooling cooperatives, but maybe not so much to adults or even children doing research reports. The three star review is not objective, but reflects what I, personally, got out of it.

[Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Originally read in November 2015)

I'm still excited when I find a book about my culture (even kids books) that doesn't seem boring or textbook-sy. All About the Philippines is a great title to have in any classroom library and is apparently part of a series that focuses on other Asian countries. I know I will definitely seek them out as well.

Readers follow three cousins from the Philippines as they learn about their country- from origin folk tale stories, traditions, values, and history. It's actually very comprehensive in a not overwhelming of a format. There are even instructions to make a couple crafts and recipes for some dishes!

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

All About the Philippines is an adventure through the Philippines via daily lives of three cousins. All three have mothers descended from the Ilfugao people who are from Luzon, one of the large islands in the Philippines. One has a father descended from China, another from Spain, and the other from Arab missionaries. As readers follow them through their days, they can see a variety of lifestyles and culture present within the Philippines.

The author began by introducing the children and followed up with a basic history of the Philippines. I would have loved a timeline at the end, but for this age group, the facts at the beginning were probably enough. This was followed by a geographical tour. I especially enjoyed learning about the underground river that can be explored by boat.

The book has information about languages (there are many and most Filipinos speak at least two or three), games, songs, food, celebrations, and crafts. I am itching to try some of the recipes.

This would be a great follow-up to reading the fun picture book Cora Cooks Pancit.

[Erik This Kid Reviews Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I love that the book has three kids giving you a tour of life in the Philippines, and that, while they look nothing alike, are all related through their mothers! It captures the diversity and flavor of the Philippines. Ms. Dandan-Albano’s illustrations really bring the culture to life and perfectly compliment the educational value of the text. The illustrations make the reading fun. I recommend this book to older children, as it is twice the length of a traditional picturebook or for parents and teachers looking to do units on different countries. The book is packed full of activities, not just facts.
*NOTE* I got a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gidget Roceles Jimenez writes a collection of essays about Philippine stories, songs, crafts, and games for kids, with illustrations by Corazon Dandan-Albano. While the book is organized into 22 brief chapters, for the most part, each page features a self-contained theme. This book could be read to a child; or, better, a 7 or 8 year old should be able to read this. The book showcases a plurality of Philippine cultural groups, while, at the time of publication, many English language Philippine culture children's books do not do. Readers seeking an inclusive introduction to the diversity of cultures of the Philippines should be entertained and impressed.

[Soleil · Rating 5 out of 5]

To preface, I’m reading this from the perspective of a second generation adult Filipino-American who is unfamiliar with much of Filipino history and culture.

I was expecting a cute little children’s book with lots of songs and stories but was happily surprised the book touched on the history of the Philippines’ colonization/independence, topography, many languages and dialects, religious customs, and daily life. (There is only 1 song, 2 crafts and 1 story included.)

This book follows three cousins who are each from different regions of the Philippines and lead different lives. Mary goes to Chinese Catholic school, Jaime is mestizo and his family runs a mango business, and Ari is Muslim goes to Islamic school.

I'm glad that the book focused on the multicultural aspect of the Philippines but was disappointed by the lack of darker skin tones.

I loved learning things like what the colors of the flag mean, how men carry bahay kubo (transportable bamboo huts) during typhoon season, and how Filipino Muslim weddings work. I was also happy to see familiar things like Lola selling goods at the barter market, the act of pagmamano, and of course, lechon.

Vibrant illustrations and digestible information on a wide-range of Filipino experiences. An excellent primer for children or second gen adult Filipinos!

(PS I saw another review mentions the book has no map - my edition includes at least 2 maps.)

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This easy-to-read title introduces readers to the culture, terrain, and history of the Philippines. Not only will they travel to different parts of the country, but they will learn about some of the traditions, beliefs, and languages spoken in the country. Since the different elements of this diverse land are being discussed through three youngsters, Mary, Jaime, and Ari, first cousins who live in different parts of the Philippines, the examples and experiences are easy for students to understand. Even adults can learn something about the Philippines; for instance, the frequency of natural disasters such as earthquakes and the diversity found on the islands. I had no idea that there were so many different languages and religions represented there. Youngsters will enjoy learning how to create some different crafts and try out some recipes and new foods. The book is filled with many interesting facts nestled within lively, engaging writing and colorful illustrations. This is a great place to start when beginning to explore this fascinating land.

[Lectus]

So on page eight, it says that from 1556-1892, the people of the Philippines were forced to accept Spanish language, culture and religion. But, on page nine it says that when the United States invaded the country in 1898, the Americans educated the Filipinos, teaching them English. Hmm… 🤔🤔🤔

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pancit recipes, lumpia drawings, and differentiated culture tours through the eyes of a child. I bought this as a gift to my Filipino student, but I'm glad I perused it beforehand.