Filipino Fridays (2): Kids and Books

Hi, readers! Just three weeks more before the Filipino Reader Conference.  To contain our fiery excitement while waiting, let us answer topic #2 for the Filipino Friday meme.

Filipino Friday (2):  
"What were your favorite books as a kid or while you were growing up? Do you still read children’s books? If you could give your younger self a book to read, what would it be?"

When I was very young, there was one particular book I truly treasure.  Katy-No-Pocket was written by Emmy Payne, with illustrations by H.A. Rey, first published by Houghton Mifflin in 1944.  The book is an endearing story about a mommy kangaroo named Katy, who had the misfortune to be created without a pouch of her own to carry her joey in.   Heartbreaking, right?  Before she completely wallows in despair, Katy received a random act of kindness from a certain good-hearted handyman.  It's the kind of story that a child will carry until his/her old age because we all know that helping others can never grow old and should be nurtured. 

I will probably never get tired of reading children's books.  This was how my daughter started her reading interest, so did mine, and the same with my mother too.  It is something wonderful to pass on. ❤

"I hope we can give our children a world in which they will read, and be read to, and imagine, and understand." ~Neil Gaiman

If there's another book I can give to my younger self, it would be Dr. Seuss's Oh, the Places You'll Go!  A very encouraging book.  Basically, this is about taking charge of your own life -having choices, making mistakes, facing difficulties- with your head high and standing up to the challenges written in lyrical prose that children will easily appreciate.

"It's opener there

in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen

and frequently do

to people as brainy

and footsy as you.

And then things start to happen,

don't worry. Don't stew.

Just go right along.

You'll start happening too."

-Dr. Seuss

Oh, my!  This Filipino Friday meme can be very revealing.  I scantily dodged from blurting out my age here.  Now it's your turn, visit The Filipino Reader Con site and share.

Oh, and remember that the 3rd Filipino Reader Con: What Do Readers Want? is happening on November 9, 2013, at Rizal Library in ADMU. So, see you there!