Bumasa at Lumaya: A Sourcebook on Children's Literature in the Philippines: Bumasa at Lumaya, #1

Published and exclusively distributed by

ANVIL PUBLISHING INC.

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125 Pioneer Street, Mandaluyong City

1550 Philippines

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Copyright to this digital edition © 1994 by Anvil Publishing Inc. Virgilio S. Almario, Ma. Elena Paterno, Ramón C. Sunico, and Rene O. Villanueva.

All illustrations remain the property of their creators and/or publishers.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the copyright owners.

1st printing, 1994

2nd printing, 1996

Cover, book design, photos, and captions by Ramón C. Sunico

E-book formatting by Arvyn Cerezo

ISBN 9786214200665 (e-book)

Version 1.0.1

Dedication

Anvil Publishing Inc. dedicates this book to all who share and show others the wisdom and pleasure of writing for children, illustrating for children, and reading by children.

With this book, we commend and celebrate the efforts of all involved in creatively promoting books for children, especially the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) who for 10 years now has relentlessly worked for more and better books for Filipino children. We would also like to acknowledge the support and encouragement of all who have helped in this book including Aklat Adarna, Bookmark, Cacho Publishing House, and Tahanan Books who shared their resources with us; Ilustrador ng Kabataan (INK) who generously contributed their lovely artworks; and Gilda Cordero Fernando who allowed us the use of her library.

Ornaments & Illustrations

Cover Photo: Detail, South Side of Rizal Monument. Below it is inscribed (in Spanish): From education comes the greatness of nations. Photo taken and edited by R. C. Sunico

Frontispiece: Jose Rizal [Rizaliana For Children: Illustrations And Folktales By Rizal. A. N. Salanga, ed. PBBY & CCC, 1984]

Sampaguita Ornament: Juan Arellano [Rizal’s Own Story, A. Craig, ed., National Book Co., 1918]

Landscape: Fernando C. Amorsolo [The Philippine Readers, Bk. 3 by Camilo Osias; Ginn And Co., 1932]

Book: Beth Parrocha, Ilustrador Ng Kabataan (INK)

Monkey: J. Rizal [Rizaliana For Children]

Chair: Joanne de León (INK)

Sleeping Woman: F. C. Amorsolo [The Philippine Readers]

Book Family: B. Parrocha

Juan Tamad: J. de León

Tiyanak, Nuno: J. de León; Man, Kneeling Girl: Kora Dandan-Albano; Nuno: Bernie Solina; Girl: Thelma Lazo Flores; Manananggal: Lormie V. Lazo; (all members of INK)

Typewriter: J. de León; Books: B. Parrocha

Lizard: B. Solina

Rabbit: Katti Sta. Ana (INK)

Computer Collage: Ramon C. Sunico

Skates: K. Sta. Ana

Rat: K. Sta. Ana

Poetry Worm: Noel Riñoza (INK)

Astronaut: K. Sta. Ana

Book: B. Parrocha; Birds: B. Solina

Pen: J. de León

Needle: K. Sta. Ana

Horse: T. L. Flores

Pig: T. L. Flores

Insect: K. Sta. Ana

Various figures: T. L. Flores

Guro: J. de León

Porcupine: K. Sta. Ana

Quail: K. Sta. Ana

Bookworm: N. Riñoza

Contents

Introduction

LOOKING BACK

A History Of Children’s Literature In The Philippines

Why Don’t We Have More Books For Children?

THE WRITER’S HEART

Writing In Wonderland

Writing Fiction For Children

Hello Reader

Letter To Wannabe: (a.k.a. Children’s Poet)

Seven Steps To A Children’s Play

THE BOOKMAKER’S ART

A Brief Review Of The Development Of Children’s Book Illustration In The Philippines

A Portfolio Of Illustrations (Insert)

Illustrating For Children

Masters In Pursuit Of Magic

So You Want To Get Published?

THE READER’S PART

Starting Them Young

Liven It Up With Lit!

I lacked many words, for example, for the word Freiheit or liberty. The Tagalog word kaligtasan cannot be used, because this means that formerly he [Schiller’s Wilhelm Tell] was in some prison, slavery, etc. I found in the translation of Amor Patrio the noun malaya, kalayahan that Marcelo del Pilar uses.

— Jose Rizal in a letter to his brother, Paciano about his translation of Schiller’s Wilhelm Tell [as quoted by Alfrredo Navarro Salanga in his annotation to Rizaliana For Children: Illustrations And Folktales By Rizal. QC: PBBY and the Children’s Communication Center, 1984]

Without liberty there is no light.

— Jose Rizal [from Rizal’s Own Story Of His Life. Austin Craig, ed. Manila: National Book Co., 1918]

Introduction

Books fall open,

you fall in,

delighted where

you’ve never been;

hear voices not once

heard before,

reach world on world

through door on door;

find unexpected

keys to things

locked up beyond

imaginings

. . .

— David McCord

At a day and time when we decry that our children are not reading enough, it would seem that we would be happy to see them engrossed in the printed word, little caring that it be a newspaper or a sports magazine or even a comic book that has them so enthralled. Yet, while reading at all times and for all moods is a preoccupation anyone would advocate, it is the reading of literature that elevates the process of reading to new, artistic heights.

One of the rewards of literature is the pleasure it gives the reader, whether child or grown-up. He turns to literature not primarily to gain information, but to laugh, cry, and feel for and with the characters. (And very often, even to escape.) Whether the reader ends up liking a book or not, still some of the pleasure in having gone through it remains. It may be because he recognizes himself or others familiar to him in the story or sees an aspect of himself that he was not aware of before. Or it may very well be because a thoroughly enjoyable story has been encountered.

Literature may imitate life, but not life in its chaos and confusion. It gives all these events some form, some order, and yes, some meaning. Literature is true to life in its portrayal of life’s fragmented events, but it renders it in some logic and sequence, so that the reader, even one who is all of nine years, will notice the essential and focus on the significant. A story has a good, masterful plot when the reader is challenged by choices to be made, and experiences the very same doubts and uncertainties, successes and triumphs that characters are confronted with.

Charlotte Huck in Children’s Literature in the Elementary School quotes writer W. H. Auden who distinguishes between the reader’s response to first-rate literature and second-rate literature. To the latter, it would be, That’s just the way I always felt. But first-rate literature elicits this deeper reaction: Until now, I never knew how I felt. Thanks to this experience, I shall never feel the same way again.

Yet another wonderful offering of literature is the opportunity it provides the reader with whatever vicarious experience he desires. This is especially important for the child whose experiences are still quite limited. Through books and authors, readers are allowed the uncommon privilege of living lives in a different time and space. The possibilities are limited only by the number and kinds of books one reads. In many ways, quality literature stretches the child’s imagination.

Literature for children is much more than just all the printed materials that children read or whatever literary form there is where children figure as characters. It goes far beyond the textbooks prescribed for them at school — the appropriate text for the corresponding grade level, nothing lower or higher, no matter the interest or the child’s ability. Instead, it is trade books that have come to mean the books that make up the body of children’s literature. They consist, among other things, of various types of literature that appeal to young readers, from preschool age to 18 years.

A popular misconception of children’s literature is that it consists mainly of folk literature, nursery rhymes, songs, ballads, riddles, proverbs, folktales, fairy tales, epics, fables, myths, and legends. Generally overlooked are other genres: modern fantasy, contemporary realistic fiction, biographies, poetry, and information books for example. Such diversity alone justifies the serious study of this discipline and a closer look at children’s literature in the Philippines. This is what this book now attempts to undertake.

Children’s literature in the country today is only beginning to create a presence, finally reaping the benefits of the pioneering work done by Ceres Alabado and Pamana, Bookmark and its trial publication of children’s stories by Maryknoll College students in the sixties, and Virgilio Almario and his Aklat Adarna series in the seventies. More than has ever happened in the past, parents are buying books written and published in the Philippines for their children, the band of children’s book publishers is increasing, and writers and illustrators are continuing to grow in their craft with every book project.

The scenario just described is misleading and far rosier than it really is — for the economics of writing, publishing, and marketing children’s books in a developing country such as ours can discourage even the staunchest crusaders of children’s literature. The publishers do not enjoy any tax incentives at all and are hostage to inhospitable government rules and regulations, making imported children’s books less expensive than books published locally. Writers and illustrators cannot as yet live on their craft and often carry on with multiple jobs. And even in bookstores, locally published titles have to compete for equal space and prominence with their foreign counterparts, not to mention the inevitable comparison of evident printing technologies. Much remains to be done. Much is to be desired.

But fortunately for us, the adherents of Philippine children’s literature are a hardy lot and not easily discouraged. It is adequate for them that there is renewed interest in the field from the purchasing and reading public today.

This book, the first of its kind in the country, is addressed to parents, teachers and the sympathetic public who know and understand the important role of literature in young hearts and minds. It is also for all who care enough about reading and writing for children or at the very least, are curious about it.

There is something in this for everyone, for the authors of the articles represented here belong to the many sectors involved in the writing, illustrating, publishing, marketing, and promoting of children’s literature. There could not have been more competent spokespersons dwelling on their specific spheres of interest and expertise. Ma. Elena Paterno traces the history of children’s literature in the country and shares the techniques of writing fiction for children, while Nina Lim-Yuson underscores the importance of instilling the habit of reading for pleasure for children of all ages. Ramón C. Sunico gives valuable tips on writing for children and getting published. Rene Villanueva discusses seven major steps to writing drama and the elements of poetry writing. Marcy Dans-Lee tackles the history of and the development of Philippine illustrations. Dr. Lina Diaz de Rivera analyzes the art of master illustrators led by internationally known Jose Aruego, all of whose search for and discovery of magic and stardust continues. Dr. Nemah Hermosa gives most valuable and practical tips for teachers keen on integrating literature with the other disciplines.

And while the orientation of this book is children’s literature in the Philippines, the articles are universal enough to be of relevance and interest to other countries.

This is the Philippine Board on Books for Young People’s way of celebrating reading and writing and ten years of promoting these twin arts. That this should be launched at PBBY’s tenth anniversary should be considered sheer serendipity, for the book truly is its own reason for being, a product of the times suddenly in need of it.

This is PBBY’s tribute to the Filipino children and the adults who nurture them.

Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz

Chairperson

Philippine Board on Books for Young People

LOOKING BACK

Years have passed since then. The child has become a man.