An effective way of getting kids interested in reading is to offer them the yucky or the scary as subject matter. In his illustrated book Bunso Meets the Mumu, artist Rev Valdez uses the mumu, a Filipino sobriquet for “ghost,” as a come-on to make children realize it’s really nothing to be scared of. It’s also a way of introducing a broader audience to Filipino mythology and culture. Contributor Claire Mercado-Obias explores how Valdez does it (The Mumu Goes Mainstream).

Speaking of books, Frankfurt, Germany hosts the world’s largest book fair. In 2025, the Philippine book industry will be the holding a P200 million-peso exhibition. Contributor Criselda Yabes hopes Filipino book lovers from all over the diaspora will come to show their support. Frankfurt, she writes, is also worthy of exploration (All Booked Up in Frankfurt).

In this issue, we also feature the third-place winning entry at the 2022 Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Writing Award. Alfonso Delgado of Victoria City, Negros Occidental writes about breadfruit, a “super fruit” that also rekindles his memory of his grandmother and her cooking (The Breadfruit, a Super Fruit and So Much More).

Meanwhile, New York writer-editor Cristina DC Pastor gives an update on Vilma Kari, a victim of a hate assault in Times Square. Vilma is recovering from serious physical injuries she received from the unprovoked anti-Asian hate attack. But her daughter says recuperation from emotional damage is more challenging (Hate Survivor Vilma Kari: Doing Well Physically, But Emotional Healing Takes Time).

Finally, contributor Corin Ramos tells us that a tireless community leader in Las Vegas, Rozita Lee shows no sign of slowing down (Meet Unstoppable Community Advocate Rozita Lee). Originally from Lahaina, Maui, the 89-year-old, has gone back several times to her fire-devastated hometown to help survivors recover and cope with the aftermath. Manang Rozita is among the treasures of our community.

Video of the Week: Sinulog Festival 2024