A Gift

Keeping our heritage alive is one of the reasons we homeschool.  While our kids are very American in the way they talk, act, think, they also have kept a lot of their Filipino-ness, we believe because we kept them home with us.  They have time to observe and absorb and appreciate what makes us unique as Filipinos. 

This book is about learning about, keeping in touch with, and appreciating one's heritage.  It's a book about family, distance, coping, and the good that can come out when families continue to care about each other even when they are apart. 

The key to the indian

What the book is about: Now that Omri's dad knows about the cupboard, they both find out that Little Bear is in need of help, and they travel back in time to the Indian campsite.

-Migi 11 year

The Legend of Old Befana

Another Tomie de Paola classic.  This tells of a charming old woman who sweeps, sweeps, sweeps... She finds out about the Christ child and goes to see Him, bearing gifts, but alas!  She doesn't find him.  (To me that's the saddest part about the whole story.)

A Ticket to Philippines

This book tells about the islands of the Philippines, tropical places, volcanoes, a little history, and what the people do there. -- Migi, 11

Holi

A Read About Holiday book about India's Holi.  Very interesting, especially the part where people throw paint on each other.  Maybe the precursor of paintball?

Hanna's Christmas

I wish I had known about this book before!  Written by fellow homeschooling mom Melissa Wiley for the Hanna Andersson company in 2001, it is an utterly charming book that tells about family, home, and Christmas!  It was also a joy to learn about Swedish traditions while reading this book.  I'd buy one except it's now a collectible so yikes, pricey!

Little Oh

Oh, so charming!!  A lovely gem of a book.  Read it aloud while munching on some mochi and sipping some matcha.  Maybe work on  some origami after?

Maples in the Mist

Can be used for intro to Chinese culture.  Some of the messages may be lost (and a couple of the kids thought this was "boring") but an older kid may appreciate it better.  On the other hand, the illustrations are beautiful enough that it may still appeal to younger children even if they can't fully relate to the poems.

Learned about it from Genevieve at 4Real.

Ten Mice for Tet

Really cute counting book!  Love the embroidered illustrations, very clever.  This would be so great for a sampler!

The Night of Las Posadas

And yet one more Christmas classic from Tomie de Paola.  I have to admit the biggest reason I love this book is because it reminds me of a beautiful church we used to attend when I was growing up in the Philippines -- its name was "Posadas".  It sat on top of a hill and the view was just beautiful.  Coupled with warm Manila summers and soft breezes blowing (less pollution at the time)... going there for Mass on Sundays was not only refreshing for the soul, but for the tired body as well.

Onto the book itself... is it just me, or are the background colors in this book more vibrant?  Perhaps Tomie de Paola chose those colors to reflect Mexican arts' usual panoply of hues.  Very, very Catholic book.  :)