What do you think?
Rate this book
Children's Favorite Stories
Filipino Children's Favorite Stories
This colorfully illustrated multicultural children's book presents Philippine fairy tales and other folk stories—providing insight into a rich oral culture.
Filipino Children's Favorite Stories presents thirteen well-loved myths and tales from the Philippines. These stories will enchant six to ten-year-old readers around the world with their wit and charm. Many of the tales have been transmitted from mother to child over centuries, and cover classic childhood themes—such as the forces of good triumphing over evil, children rebelling against adults and the weak prevailing over the strong. They make perfect new additions for story time or bedtime reading.
Narrated with an international audience in mind and illustrated with whimsical watercolors by award-winning artist Joanne de Leon, this is a must-have collection of tales for anyone interested in the Philippines.
Featured Filipino stories include:
Why Mosquitoes Buzz Around Our Ears
The Magic Lake>
The Deer and the Snail
Why the Cock Crows
The Prince's Bride
The Children's Favorite Stories series was created to share the folktales and legends most beloved by children in the East with young readers of all backgrounds in the West. Other multicultural children's books in this series include: Asian Children's Favorite Stories, Indian Children's Favorite Stories, Indonesian Children's Favorite Stories, Japanese Children's Favorite Stories, Singapore Children's Favorite Stories, Favorite Children's Stories from China & Tibet, Chinese Children's Favorite Stories, Korean Children's Favorite Stories, Balinese Children's Favorite Stories, and Vietnamese Children's Favorite Stories.
Filipino Children's Favorite Stories presents thirteen well-loved myths and tales from the Philippines. These stories will enchant six to ten-year-old readers around the world with their wit and charm. Many of the tales have been transmitted from mother to child over centuries, and cover classic childhood themes—such as the forces of good triumphing over evil, children rebelling against adults and the weak prevailing over the strong. They make perfect new additions for story time or bedtime reading.
Narrated with an international audience in mind and illustrated with whimsical watercolors by award-winning artist Joanne de Leon, this is a must-have collection of tales for anyone interested in the Philippines.
Featured Filipino stories include:
Why Mosquitoes Buzz Around Our Ears
The Magic Lake>
The Deer and the Snail
Why the Cock Crows
The Prince's Bride
The Children's Favorite Stories series was created to share the folktales and legends most beloved by children in the East with young readers of all backgrounds in the West. Other multicultural children's books in this series include: Asian Children's Favorite Stories, Indian Children's Favorite Stories, Indonesian Children's Favorite Stories, Japanese Children's Favorite Stories, Singapore Children's Favorite Stories, Favorite Children's Stories from China & Tibet, Chinese Children's Favorite Stories, Korean Children's Favorite Stories, Balinese Children's Favorite Stories, and Vietnamese Children's Favorite Stories.
94 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2000
23 people are currently reading
301 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
February 23, 2020
One of a number of these 'children's favorite stories' titles -
Balinese Children's Favorite Stories
,
Chinese Children's Favorite Stories
,
Korean Children's Favorite Stories
, etc. - currently available (although the first that I have read), this delightful collection includes thirteen traditional tales from the Philippines. Some will seem familiar to the folklore enthusiast, and some unfamiliar, but they are all entertaining. From the opening selection, Why Mosquitoes Buzz Around Our Ears (whose title is so reminiscent of the West African tale,
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears
), which follows the story of grumpy Maga, the King of the Crabs, whose determination to find the party responsible for disturbing his sleep leads to unintentional long-term consequences; to the concluding one, The Prince's Bride, which sees Marco, a king's youngest son, marrying a fuzzy caterpillar-who-is-really-a-princess (a story that seems to be of the same tale-type as the Russian skazki, The Frog Princess), these stories are quite engaging, and will hold young readers' attention. Other selections include:
The Terrible Giant, in which the cruel and malicious Lupit, having finally gone too far, in tearing off Tutubi the Dragonfly's wing, is brought to justice through the combined efforts of Ahas the Snake, Tuko the Lizard, Paparo the Butterfly, and Goyam the Ant.
The Hermit and the Two Worms, in which two worms, indignant at the disrespect for the natural world shown by human beings, are transformed into people by a hermit, but soon forget their quest to enlighten their new fellows.
The Battle of the Wind and Rain, in which boastful Wind challenges Rain to a game which will determine who is the strongest, but finds that all his bluster cannot get a little monkey out of a tree, while Rain's soft downfall can.
Alunsina, a creation myth explaining the placement of the sun, moon and stars in the sky, in which the god Langit banishes his lazy wife, Alunsina, and uses her finery to decorate the cosmos.
A Feast of Gold, in which a rich couple, caring even more for gold than for food, slowly starve to death, as they count their riches. Elements of this tale, particularly the transformation of all food entering the hacienda into gold, reminded me of the story of King Midas and the Golden Touch.
The Runaways, in which Tonito and Lupe, a young brother and sister, run away from home when they can no longer bear the mistreatment meted out to them by their stepmother.
The Magic Lake, in which two men - the honest Pedro and the greedy Lito - have very different experiences when they lose their ax-heads in a lake, and encounter a fairy.
The Deer and the Snail, in which Bembol the Snail challenges Gaspar the Deer to a race, when the latter refuses to apologize for a rock he sends Bembol's way, in the course of running. This story of some clever snails who outwit a rather arrogant deer, bears a close resemblance to the Aesopic fable of The Tortoise and the Hare.
A Bridge of Flowers, which - through its tale of Bighari, the goddess of flowers, who builds a huge bower of blooms, hoping to ingratiate herself again with her displeased father, the god Bathala - explains the existence of the rainbow.
Why the Cock Crows, a pourquoi tale explaining the crowing of roosters at dawn, in which Sidapa, the god of war, is terribly displeased with his servant Pepe, and transforms him into a cock as a punishment for gossiping.
And finally, The Battle of the Sea and Sky, in which a weary bird, tired of endlessly flying between the sea and sky, provokes a war between the two, thereby leading to the creation of land - of the Philippines!
As always, in a collection of this sort, I enjoyed the mixture of familiar and unfamiliar elements in the stories presented. The accompanying ink and watercolor illustrations by Joanne de Leon are colorful and appealing, greatly adding to the charm of the book. All in all, Filipino Children's Favorite Stories is a charming little book, one I highly recommend to all young folklore enthusiasts, and to anyone interested in traditional Filipino culture.
The Terrible Giant, in which the cruel and malicious Lupit, having finally gone too far, in tearing off Tutubi the Dragonfly's wing, is brought to justice through the combined efforts of Ahas the Snake, Tuko the Lizard, Paparo the Butterfly, and Goyam the Ant.
The Hermit and the Two Worms, in which two worms, indignant at the disrespect for the natural world shown by human beings, are transformed into people by a hermit, but soon forget their quest to enlighten their new fellows.
The Battle of the Wind and Rain, in which boastful Wind challenges Rain to a game which will determine who is the strongest, but finds that all his bluster cannot get a little monkey out of a tree, while Rain's soft downfall can.
Alunsina, a creation myth explaining the placement of the sun, moon and stars in the sky, in which the god Langit banishes his lazy wife, Alunsina, and uses her finery to decorate the cosmos.
A Feast of Gold, in which a rich couple, caring even more for gold than for food, slowly starve to death, as they count their riches. Elements of this tale, particularly the transformation of all food entering the hacienda into gold, reminded me of the story of King Midas and the Golden Touch.
The Runaways, in which Tonito and Lupe, a young brother and sister, run away from home when they can no longer bear the mistreatment meted out to them by their stepmother.
The Magic Lake, in which two men - the honest Pedro and the greedy Lito - have very different experiences when they lose their ax-heads in a lake, and encounter a fairy.
The Deer and the Snail, in which Bembol the Snail challenges Gaspar the Deer to a race, when the latter refuses to apologize for a rock he sends Bembol's way, in the course of running. This story of some clever snails who outwit a rather arrogant deer, bears a close resemblance to the Aesopic fable of The Tortoise and the Hare.
A Bridge of Flowers, which - through its tale of Bighari, the goddess of flowers, who builds a huge bower of blooms, hoping to ingratiate herself again with her displeased father, the god Bathala - explains the existence of the rainbow.
Why the Cock Crows, a pourquoi tale explaining the crowing of roosters at dawn, in which Sidapa, the god of war, is terribly displeased with his servant Pepe, and transforms him into a cock as a punishment for gossiping.
And finally, The Battle of the Sea and Sky, in which a weary bird, tired of endlessly flying between the sea and sky, provokes a war between the two, thereby leading to the creation of land - of the Philippines!
As always, in a collection of this sort, I enjoyed the mixture of familiar and unfamiliar elements in the stories presented. The accompanying ink and watercolor illustrations by Joanne de Leon are colorful and appealing, greatly adding to the charm of the book. All in all, Filipino Children's Favorite Stories is a charming little book, one I highly recommend to all young folklore enthusiasts, and to anyone interested in traditional Filipino culture.
February 13, 2025
So many stories!
March 17, 2022
This is a fantastic collection of stories both wise and entertaining. Most contain familiar elements presented in new ways. The illustrations add charm and warmth to every story.
November 7, 2020
I've always been interested in mythology. I grew up reading and enjoying Greek mythology and studied a bit of Egyptian mythology in college. However, there are many places that I have very little knowledge of their mythology and their fables. The Philippines is one of those places, so when we were set to study that part of the world, I was looking forward to what stories would be in there.
There are thirteen different stories and I felt like there was a good mix of all the categories. It is both interesting to me how some stories seem so similar to our own fables and fairy tales. "The Deer and the Snail" seemed very close to "The Tortoise and the Hare" although I wasn't sure the message was very good since I disliked the snail more than the deer in the story. "The Runaways" reminded me of "Hansel" and Gretel a little. Not that they're exact by any means, but enough similarities to make you wonder if one influenced each other or if they both developed independently.
There are also many stories that were very unique as well. Some strange like "Why Mosquitoes Buzz Around Our Ears"; some sad like "Alunsina" and "A Bridge of Flowers"; and others are trying to teach lessons like "A Feast of Gold," "The Magic Lake," and "The Prince's Bride." Of course I liked some of the stories more than others, but I found them all interesting to read.
I do wish that we were told a little bit about each of the stories. How they came to be, or at least a general idea anyhow. I do understand that this was a book geared towards children so it's not something that I would have really expected to be a big focus, but it would have been a nice inclusion.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I always find it interesting to see the tales and stories of different people groups, particularly in areas that I don't know a whole lot about. I liked some stories more than other and do wish that there was a bit more background information about the stories provided, but those are fairly minor things. I'm sure there are other books that would give me that information if I want to hunt them down.
There are thirteen different stories and I felt like there was a good mix of all the categories. It is both interesting to me how some stories seem so similar to our own fables and fairy tales. "The Deer and the Snail" seemed very close to "The Tortoise and the Hare" although I wasn't sure the message was very good since I disliked the snail more than the deer in the story. "The Runaways" reminded me of "Hansel" and Gretel a little. Not that they're exact by any means, but enough similarities to make you wonder if one influenced each other or if they both developed independently.
There are also many stories that were very unique as well. Some strange like "Why Mosquitoes Buzz Around Our Ears"; some sad like "Alunsina" and "A Bridge of Flowers"; and others are trying to teach lessons like "A Feast of Gold," "The Magic Lake," and "The Prince's Bride." Of course I liked some of the stories more than others, but I found them all interesting to read.
I do wish that we were told a little bit about each of the stories. How they came to be, or at least a general idea anyhow. I do understand that this was a book geared towards children so it's not something that I would have really expected to be a big focus, but it would have been a nice inclusion.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I always find it interesting to see the tales and stories of different people groups, particularly in areas that I don't know a whole lot about. I liked some stories more than other and do wish that there was a bit more background information about the stories provided, but those are fairly minor things. I'm sure there are other books that would give me that information if I want to hunt them down.
January 30, 2021
Within this book, there are thirteen different stories. These are stories that have been orally passed down from generation to generation. Some classic themes included here are good triumphing over evil, children rebelling against adults, and the weak prevailing over the strong. Notable stories include “The Battle of the Wind and the Rain”, which shares why people want rain on a windy day, “A Bridge of Flowers”, which shares the story of Bighari and how rainbows came to be, and “The Battle of the Sea and Sky”, which tell the story of how the Philippine archipelago--a land of more than seven thousand islands--was formed.
As a Filipino, most of the stories that I knew were all told orally, and to have stories like these written down are special, knowing that they will be able to be shared with others. As an educator, I am excited to share this book of stories with them so that they can have a window, as well as a mirror.
As a Filipino, most of the stories that I knew were all told orally, and to have stories like these written down are special, knowing that they will be able to be shared with others. As an educator, I am excited to share this book of stories with them so that they can have a window, as well as a mirror.
November 30, 2012
Beautiful illustrations and charming, unique stories. Want to buy another copy because I am giving mine away!
March 1, 2023
I recently read this book to help me connect with my Filipino roots; my Filipino mother worked split shifts, and so she never really had the time to read to us girls any Disney bedtime stories or tell us stories from her homeland. On the other hand, she'd also said that her country's fairy tales were rather scary or disturbing; hence, her hesitation in sharing them with us.
This children's storybook is filled with thirteen tastefully written, albeit, unusual tales that explain how or why things in our world have been created. For example: "Why Mosquitos Buzz Around Our Ears" is all because a very demanding king crab named Maga hid in a dugout after killing an arrogant mosquito. "The Hermit and the Two Worms" is about appreciation and respect for what we are given. "Alunsina" tells a sad story about vanity and selfishness, and the price paid when it is confronted by a loved one. "A Feast of Gold" shares the repercussions of a couple living only for money. The remaining fables, myths, and fairy tales reveal lessons in honesty, deception, bullying, punishment for failure to do one's job, redemption, and creation.
While this is certainly NOT a book of Walt Disney tales sprinkled with fairy dust, it is worth a read to see how other countries handle questions from their young ones. I recommend it even if only out of sheer curiosity.
This children's storybook is filled with thirteen tastefully written, albeit, unusual tales that explain how or why things in our world have been created. For example: "Why Mosquitos Buzz Around Our Ears" is all because a very demanding king crab named Maga hid in a dugout after killing an arrogant mosquito. "The Hermit and the Two Worms" is about appreciation and respect for what we are given. "Alunsina" tells a sad story about vanity and selfishness, and the price paid when it is confronted by a loved one. "A Feast of Gold" shares the repercussions of a couple living only for money. The remaining fables, myths, and fairy tales reveal lessons in honesty, deception, bullying, punishment for failure to do one's job, redemption, and creation.
While this is certainly NOT a book of Walt Disney tales sprinkled with fairy dust, it is worth a read to see how other countries handle questions from their young ones. I recommend it even if only out of sheer curiosity.
October 29, 2023
This was one of many Filipino heritage books that was displayed at my local library. Since I grew up reading about American stories, I was curious to read what were considered Filipino favorites.
I regret picking it up. I should have realized that it would be from a dialect I wasn’t brought up with and though it was in english, there were some words that were still in its native tongue and at that point I didn’t bother to look them up.
Maybe If I was a child being read to this could have been more enjoyable since if I were to look back, some of the stories could be considered funny. Other stories were informative, giving explanations to how things were created and why things are how they are.
I regret picking it up. I should have realized that it would be from a dialect I wasn’t brought up with and though it was in english, there were some words that were still in its native tongue and at that point I didn’t bother to look them up.
Maybe If I was a child being read to this could have been more enjoyable since if I were to look back, some of the stories could be considered funny. Other stories were informative, giving explanations to how things were created and why things are how they are.
September 18, 2020
I looked forward to reading this book to my kids every time we sat down to read from our stack. The pictures were interesting and the stories both simple enough to keep the attention of my 3 year old and entertaining. We would usually read two stories at one time mixed with a few picture books. Until I read one of the other reviews here, I didn't know that there are other countries - I'll be looking to check out the Chinese, Japanese and Koren titles as well!
January 2, 2023
Weird Take
It feels like some of these stories are western stories dressed up to be Filipino stories. Fables and folklores tend to have a moral point but ones like the story about the kids and the step mother don’t make sense. It’s very weird and seems trite and not at all a collection of children’s stories that tells of Filipino culture.
It feels like some of these stories are western stories dressed up to be Filipino stories. Fables and folklores tend to have a moral point but ones like the story about the kids and the step mother don’t make sense. It’s very weird and seems trite and not at all a collection of children’s stories that tells of Filipino culture.
December 14, 2018
Occasionally there was a bit of odd formatting, but I loved the stories and the illustrations. This is my second Tuttle book in the "... Children's Favorite Stories". I'm now on my third, and I just keep loving them. An excellent addition to any story-lover's bookshelf.
October 1, 2020
Stan Alunsina for clear skin and a sky of diamonds!
May 26, 2021
needed to read something short and would get me out of my reading slump
September 4, 2021
We used this book to engage our small children with the culture and tradition of the Philippines as we welcome a new member of the family.
Vividly illustrated and engaging.
Vividly illustrated and engaging.
September 12, 2022
I hope these authors will explore writing more Filipino stories, perhaps for adults too :)
September 17, 2022
A lovely colourful collection of stories.
October 10, 2022
A couple were quite dark in nature and one regrettably had fat shaming. For the most part interesting little reads.
April 11, 2023
Interesting
December 28, 2022
Fun stories!
July 30, 2017
I may have read this before but I still enjoyed reading this collection of fairy tales and folk tales from the Philippines. It makes me want to explore more the rich storytelling tradition of my culture and find other stories that people may enjoy!
May 21, 2021
Probably a fine collection but too old for Theo right now
December 20, 2024
Beautifully written & illustrated!
July 20, 2014
It has been a while since I reviewed in the children's genre. The folklore and mythology in this fantastic book is preserved from a centuries-long oral tradition, and some have the hallmarks of traditional European folklore as well (most likely the influence of Spanish colonization), and some tales the reader can tell are from pre-Hispanic Philippines. The best tales were The Magic Lake, Alunsina, A Bridge of Flowers, The Battle of the Sea and Sky, A Feast of Gold, and The Prince's Bride. Would like to see more folklore from the Philippines printed in the U.S. and more folklore and fairy tales from Southeast Asia as well. There seems to be a paucity in this area.
The watercolor artwork is ravishing in here--pure fantasy with a skilled hand.
Highly recommended for children and early teens, or just those who are eternally young at heart. A great summer book of fantasy (or for any season).
The watercolor artwork is ravishing in here--pure fantasy with a skilled hand.
Highly recommended for children and early teens, or just those who are eternally young at heart. A great summer book of fantasy (or for any season).
October 9, 2012
The story, “Alunsina,” from the book of “Filipino Children’s Favorite Stories” tells a tale of loneliness and longing. This tale explains the creation of mountains, sea, animals, rain, moon, planets, stars, and thunder (example- raindrops formed by the tears shed). The god Langit leaves to create mountains and the sea, but unfortunately his goddess Alunsina leaves him. Langit later takes his wife’s jewels to make the stars, sun, and moon, and his voice thunders through the skies. I might use this book to introduce my students to different genres of books, such as creation stories. This story would also help students to relate to emotions and feelings, such as the goddess’s loneliness and the god’s sorrow. The author, Romulo’s, Philippine heritage paired with the illustrator, de Leon’s, background in Philippine culture have resulted in a book that is rich and full of culture.
October 13, 2015
Of course I'm gonna give it 5 stars! This was one of my most cherished and loved books from childhood. <3 I remembered curling up to this book and just enjoying all the wonderful stories within it. The illustrations were also well done and depicted the stories quite well.
My favorites are:
The Hermit and the Two Worms
Alunsina- made me terribly sad as a kid and even now really ;(
A Feast of Gold- I was a little scared of this one back then because its a bit horror-ish? I liked it though.
The Magic Lake
The Prince's Bride- I found myself going back to this over and over again, simply because the illustrations were really funny! The caterpillar princess was so adorably illustrated. Anyway this story was lovely.
My favorites are:
The Hermit and the Two Worms
Alunsina- made me terribly sad as a kid and even now really ;(
A Feast of Gold- I was a little scared of this one back then because its a bit horror-ish? I liked it though.
The Magic Lake
The Prince's Bride- I found myself going back to this over and over again, simply because the illustrations were really funny! The caterpillar princess was so adorably illustrated. Anyway this story was lovely.
September 19, 2011
I liked this book, especially the story about how the archipelago of the Philippines was created. It was all because of a scarecrow making the sea and the sky made at each other. Now that I have thought of that, I can connect this story to one of the Mr. Bean episodes when Mr. Bean was rushing to get a kettle that was stuck on his hand to be removed. While waiting in the line, he bumped two men making them think that they were hitting each other. I also learned that fibs can turn into something larger and worse for yourself and other. Also telling lies and secrets will get you into really big trouble.
January 25, 2009
Interesting telling of these beloved Filipino children's stories. It is obvious that the stories are in translation, however, because you sometimes left with the feeling that something was left out and there should have been more to the story.
I did feel that there was so much of the Filipino culture that showed through in the choice of these stories.
I did feel that there was so much of the Filipino culture that showed through in the choice of these stories.
November 23, 2015
Very lovely pictures, lovely stories. Many were familiar, but with a Filipino flavor to them. Had to renew this one from the library several times to savor it all.
November 18, 2020
A nice collection and a great way to share a smidge of Filipino culture with little ones
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews