Teacher Resources

Interested in some great books and curriculum ideas for your Filipino-Canadian students?

With resources encompassing picture books, graphic novels, middle-grade and YA books and more, here are a few favourites by authors and educators from the Filipino diaspora to get you started.

Click on this menu to explore!

Children’s Literature
Middle Grade Literature
Graphic Novels
Young Adult Literature
Adult Literature
Compare and Contrast

Free Filipino-Canadian Curriculum Kits

The PASSOC team is comprised of Toronto Catholic District School Board teachers and York University staff.

The PASSOC (Philippine Arts & Social Studies in the Ontario Curriculum) Project was designed in collaboration with the Toronto Catholic District School Board, the York Centre for Asian Research, and York University to provide a wonderful Filipino-Canadian curriculum kit for Grades 6 and up.

Covering Social Studies, Geography, Dance, and English, this resource is completely free and invaluable for the educator seeking culturally-responsive Filipino-Canadian curriculum material. Each lesson can be adapted to a spectrum of grade levels. Check out PASSOC today!

Filipino Children’s Literature

Hoy! A Philippine Islands Activity Book

Written and Illustrated by Eric B. Tigley

Edited by Jennilee Austria

Published by YETI Arts, 2018

With over 60 pages dedicated to Philippine history and culture, children can colour pages about national heroes like Jose Rizal and Gabriela Silang, practice pre-colonial baybayin script writing, or learn about mythical creatures like the aswang!

Hoy! A Philippine Islands Activity Book is a groundbreaking collection of colouring pages, mazes, and puzzles awaits children ages five and up. This activity book was edited by yours truly (such an honour!) and designed and illustrated by Toronto-based Filipino-Canadian educator, artist and facilitator Eric B. Tigley.

Sandy Beaches to Snow, Snow to Sandy Beaches

By Mila Bongco-Philipzig

Illustrated by Jamie Bauza

Published by Anvil Publishing, Inc., 2016

Written by Edmonton-based Filipino author Mila Bongco-Philipzig, this book is in both English and Filipino and creates a fantastic opportunity to discuss transnationalism with young students.

Divided into two parts, the first section, “Sandy Beaches to Snow,” follows a family as they transition from the Philippines to their new lives in Canada.

And in the second section, “Snow to Sandy Beaches,” a Filipino-Canadian family travels back to the Philippines for a visit. Both sections depict a perfect balance of nervousness and excitement that make these journeys so relatable to both first and second-generation students alike!

Readers may also be interested in Bongco-Philipzig’s other work that also captures the transnational experience of foreign-based parents and their Philippine-based children: Good Night, Philippines, Good Night World, which is written in English and features many Philippine dialects and world languages spoken by the Filipino diaspora.

Tony’s Wheels

By Mila Bongco-Philipzig

Illustrated by Michael Parillas

Published by ANAK Publishing, Winnipeg, 2021

Based on the true story of Antonio “Tony” Flores, Tony’s Wheels features a Filipino polio survivor who immigrated to Alberta as a teenager and became one of Canada’s top athletes in wheelchair racing, para-Nordic skiing and para-canoeing.

Readers will love how despite Tony's success in Canada, he never forgets his Filipino roots. When he sees his competitors struggling, he makes it his mission to collect wheelchairs for para-athletes in the Philippines.

This book about athleticism and altruism will spark discussions of empathy— even in competition.

Filipino Celebrations: A Treasury of Feasts and Festivals

By Liana Romulo

Illustrated by Corazon Dandan-Albano

Published by Tuttle Press, 2012

While a teacher may think that Filipino celebrations would be the same as they would be in Canada (ie. Christmas and Easter), one look at Filipino Celebrations will show any educator that Filipinos truly make celebrations their own. This is a wonderful book to spark discussions about cultural differences and the importance of keeping traditions alive— even in a new country.

Romulo’s book also includes crafts such as Ati-Atihan Festival Masks and recipes such as Pastillas de Leche, making this book a multifaceted resource for primary classrooms. Romulo has also written Filipino Friends, Asian Children’s Favorite Stories, Filipino Children’s Favorite Stories, and My First Book of Tagalog Words, which are all published with Tuttle Press.

Malong: The Magic Cloth

By Mary Ann Ordinario

Art by Pepot Atienza

Published by ABC Educational Development Center, Mindanao, 2016

This book will show young readers all of the uses of the malong-- a traditional, multipurpose woven cloth that can do everything!

Malong: The Magic Cloth is a valuable story that celebrates Filipino Muslims— a community not often depicted in children's literature. Winner of the ASEAN Children's Book Illustrator Best in Fiction, International Children's Content Rights Fair 2017.

When Lola Visits

By Michelle Sterling

Illustrated by Aaron Asis

Published by Katherine Tegen Books, 2021

Rich in smells, tastes, and cultural traditions, this book shows the many joys of a grandmother’s annual summer visit from the Philippines.

With vibrant illustrations and words depicting everything from Filipino recipes to Tagalog songs, When Lola Visits is a heartwarming story that Filipino students will love reading again and again.

Riley the Raccoon Goes to the Philippines

By Jasmine Arellano Montreuil

Illustrated by Chad Vivas

Published by Tellwell Talent, 2021

Written by Toronto-based author Jasmine Arellano Montreuil, Riley the Raccoon Goes to the Philippines is a self-published picture book about visiting loved ones in the Philippines.

When Tino the Tarsier invites Riley the Raccoon to come along on his visit to the Philippines, Tino teaches Riley the importance of bringing along pasalubong— “homecoming gifts”— for the people they’ll see. But when their precious gifts fall off a jeepney, Carlo the Carabao comes to the rescue!

Rich in Filipino content, this book is filled with Tagalog phrases, such as “Salamat po” (“Thank you for very much”) and “Hay naku” (“Oh no”), and the various titles for grandparents, aunts, uncles, and more. Both newcomer and Canadian-born Filipino students will definitely feel represented when they see this book on a classroom shelf.

Goodnight, Lala

By Corazon O. Calica, Maya O. Calica

Published by Adarna House, 2013

In this early readers’ chapter book, children will delve into eight true stories of Filipino life under the Japanese occupation during World War II.

These stories combine memoir, history, magic, and adventure from deep in the heart of Pampanga.

Lovingly retold by daughter Maya O. Calica, Goodnight, Lala beautifully preserves the stories of the “Lala” of the family, Corazon O. Calica and would be perfect for any children interested in Philippine history.

Recommended for Grades 3 and up.

Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey

Written and Illustrated by Erin Entrada Kelly

Published by Greenwillow Books, 2021

Marisol Rainey is an 8-year old girl with a Filipina-American mother and a father who works on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico.

She’s quiet, introspective, and she dreams of spending more time with her father, standing up to the neighbourhood bully, and getting enough courage to climb Peppina, the big tree in her backyard… maybe.

With short chapters and engaging illustrations by the author, Maybe, Maybe Marisol Rainey is perfect for early readers who dream about overcoming their fears.

Recommended for ages 6+.

Filipino Middle Grade Literature

Any Day With You

Written by Mae Respicio

Published by Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Children’s Books, 2020

Twelve-year-old Kaia is a Filipina-American from Santa Monica, California who has two summertime goals: first, to win a contest with a film based on Filipino mythological creatures, and secondly, to convince her beloved Tatang— her great-grandfather and best friend— to stay in America instead of moving back to the Philippines.

As Kaia learns about everything from filmmaking techniques to Philippine history during World War II, Any Day With You depicts inter-generational relationships in the Filipino-American context while still being relatable to readers from any background. As Kaia teaches her friends about Filipino cultural traditions like New Year’s Eve superstitions, boodle fights, and pre-colonial folklore, readers will stay hooked right until the story reaches its touching finale. Middle-grade readers may also be interested in Mae Respicio’s debut novel, The House That Lou Built.

How to Win a Slime War

Written by Mae Respicio

Published by Wendy Lamb Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Children’s Books, 2021

Alex Manalo is a sixth grader with a passion for slime, a knack for entrepreneurship, and an aversion to soccer. When he starts at a new school in Sacramento, California, he finds himself in the middle of a Slimebreaker— a competition for the school’s monopoly on selling slime.

As Alex’s friends puts him to compete, he demonstrates some natural entrepreneurial savvy that will give young readers some helpful tips on succeeding in business. Alex’s business sense will also help his father, who inherits the family sari-sari store and tries to make too many changes to a beloved community institution. How to Win a Slime War has a relatable and spirited protagonist and who stays true to himself. Bonus: readers will love the various slime recipes throughout the book!

How to Make Friends with the Sea

Written by Tanya Guerrero

Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, 2020

After his parents divorce, California-born Pablo moves all over the world with his mother, but when they reach the Philippines, he is tired of his life being upended. While working at a wildlife sanctuary, his Mamá is not only asked to take care of the animals, but an orphan girl with a cleft lip named Chiqui who shows Pablo the power of chosen family.

Through Pablo’s migration to the Philippines, Manila-based author Tanya Guerrero gives her readers a unique chance to watch twelve-year-old Pablo settle into his new Filipino home: he finds the little sister he never knew he needed, he makes his first real friends, he has beach adventures in Baler and Anawagin Cove, and after overcoming his fear of the sea, he begins to control his undiagnosed anxiety disorder. Emotional and well-paced, How to Make Friends with the Sea will introduce tweens to the Philippines in a unique way— not as the usual story of emigration out of the Philippines, but of foreigners choosing to settle in the Philippines.

All You Knead is Love

Written by Tanya Guerrero

Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, 2021

When 12-year-old Alba is suddenly sent away from her abusive home in New York, she finds family-- both biological and chosen-- in Barcelona.

Readers will root for this tomboyish Filipina-American as she discovers her Filipino-Spanish side through adventures in Mercat dels Encants, Parc de la Ciutadella, El Raval, the Carmona sunflower fields, and more.

And when Alba finds healing and a sense of home in an old bakery, she and her young friends show a passion for entrepreneurship— a rarity in the Filipino community— and discover valuable tips for making a thriving business. Recommended for older elementary school readers.

Hello, Universe

Written by Erin Entrada Kelly

Published by HarperCollins Publishers, 2017

Recipient of the 2018 John Newberry Medal, this middle-grade fiction novel is a charming story from the perspective of four American tweens. One of the narrators is Virgil Salinas, a shy Filipino-American boy who finds his voice through the power of friendship, magic, and Philippine folklore.

Readers will love the depictions of characters who are often underrepresented in children’s fiction.

Hello, Universe is also a wonderful accompaniment to many other Entrada Kelly books: The Land of Forgotten Girls, Blackbird Fly, You Go First, Lalani of the Distant Sea, We Dream of Space, and Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey.

My Fate According to the Butterfly

Written by Gail D. Villanueva

Published by Scholastic Press, 2019

Manila-based author Gail D. Villanueva does a wonderful job showing the nuances of this complicated city through the eyes of a precocious Filipina tween.

Sab has one wish for her eleventh birthday party: to have a reunion between her estranged father and her elusive big sister. This seems impossible because her sister isn’t speaking to her father, and she can’t figure out why.

As she and her friend strive to find out what the family has been hiding, they encounter real-world situations that teach them about colonial mentality, police brutality, the war on drugs, white privilege, and more. And as they come closer to the truth about her father’s past, Sab must come to terms with the bonds that bind families together, no matter what. Recommended for older middle-grade audiences.

O.C.W.: A Young Boy’s Search for his Mother

Written by Carla M. Pacis

Illustrated by Yasmin Ong

Published by Cacho Publishing House/Anvil Publishing, 2001

In this classic Filipino fiction novel, Tonio’s mother leaves for Hong Kong to make money to support her husband and children in the Philippines. But when their situation worsens, Tonio embarks on a quest to get to Hong Kong to bring his mother back home. From the darkest corners of Manila to the metropolis of Hong Kong, this story is unlike any other about the Filipino diaspora.

With its crisp, clear prose, O.C.W.: A Young Boy’s Search for his Mother, is suitable for both middle-grade students and reluctant readers in secondary school.

Filipino Graphic Novels

Lola: A Ghost Story

Written by J. Torres

Illustrated by Elbert Or

Published by Oni Press, 20o9 and 2020

When Jesse leaves Canada for his grandmother’s funeral in the Philippines, he finds that he has inherited something special from her: his Lola’s gift for seeing the supernatural.

J. Torres is an award-winning Filipino-Canadian comic book writer who perfectly depicts Jesse coming to terms with his new abilities as he wrestles with the fact that his Lola may have blessed or cursed him.

Lola: A Ghost Story is the perfect graphic novel for young readers who are interested in the eerier side of the Philippines.

I Was Their American Dream

Written and Illustrated by Malaika Gharib

Published by Clarkson Potter (Penguin Random House, 2019

In this engaging graphic memoir, NPR journalist Malaika Gharib tells an intersectional story of growing up between cultures and its impact on her as an adult today. Born in the USA to a Filipina Catholic mother and an Egyptian Muslim father, Gharib shows readers the difficulties of being pulled between identities while trying to forge her own path.

I Was Their American Dream opens up discussions about transnationalism, class, and belonging in a way that is both poignant and light-hearted.

Perfect for students interested in second-generation coming-of-age stories, explorations of the intersectionality of culture and religion, and suitable for reluctant readers.

Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me

Written and Illustrated by Lorina Mapa

Published by Conundrum Press, 2017

A groundbreaking historical graphic memoir by Montreal-based author Lorina Mapa.

Upon her father’s unexpected death in the Philippines, Mapa leaves Canada to return to her childhood home, where she is confronted with her memories of growing up in Manila in the 1980s during the fall of the Marcos dictatorship.

With references ranging from Depeche Mode and Duran Duran to Imelda Marcos and the 1986 People Power Revolution, Duran Duran, Imelda Marcos, and Me seamlessly blends popular culture and contemporary Philippine history.

Perfect for students interested in politics, military coups, Philippine history, and memoirs, and suitable for reluctant readers.

Filipino Young Adult Literature

Tall Story

Written by Candy Gourlay

Published by David Fickling Books, 2010

Bernardo Hipolito is only sixteen years old, but in the villages of San Andres, he’s already a legend because he’s eight feet tall. To the villagers, he represents the returned spirit of Bernardo Carpio, the giant from Philippine folklore who held the mountains apart. How else to explain the absence of earthquakes since Bernardo’s incredible growth spurt?

When Bernardo wishes on a magic stone, his dream comes true: he gets the immigration papers to reunite with his mother, his stepfather, and his half-sister, Andi, in the United Kingdom. Bernardo is thrilled, but wracked with guilt at leaving his village without his protection.

Meanwhile, Andi is growing up in the UK and struggling with her parents’ constant nursing shifts and being shut out of the all-boys basketball team at her new school when Bernardo suddenly shows up. Before they can connect, she needs to find common ground. But who can connect with a giant?

A well-paced, dual-narrative story about gigantism, family, and folklore that is perfect for both reluctant readers in secondary school and middle-grade readers alike.

Bone Talk

Written by Candy Gourlay

Published by David Fickling Books, 2018

What would it be like for a tribe to meet their colonizer for the first time?

Candy Gourlay answers this and more through Bone Talk, her historical fiction novel about the Bontoc tribe. High in the remote mountains of the Philippines in the late 1800s, they live in relative isolation when their lives are upended by American colonization.

Ten-year-old Samkad is ready to become a man, but his ceremony is cut short when his father must leave for the lowlands to retrieve his spiritual brother, Kinyo. But when Samkad’s father and Kinyo return to the village, they also bring an American with them. And shortly afterwards, three American soldiers arrive who are intent on using the Bontoc people to dig the graves of a tribe they have recently decimated. With the help of his friends, Samkad seeks to save his home from the invaders.

Bone Talk is a fictional novel suitable for mature readers interested in themes of indigeneity, colonization, and resistance.

Something in Between

Written by Melissa De La Cruz

Published by Harlequin Teen, 2016

Jasmine de los Santos is a Filipino-American in California who has everything: she’s head cheerleader, a top scholar, and valedictorian, too.

But when she receives a scholarship that allows her go to any American university for free, her parents tell her something that changes her life forever: their visas have expired and their documents are forged. They are in America without green cards.

As Jasmine travels to the White House, leads her team to the national cheerleading competition, and experiences the ups and downs of first love, she tries to overcome the biggest obstacle of all. Does she get deported, or does she find a way to stay?

This fictional novel was inspired by the author’s own immigration experience— she moved to America as a teenager, but didn’t get citizenship for 28 years. Although the American and Canadian experiences differ quite a bit (Filipino youth aren’t commonly in Canada without status), Something in Between is still a powerful addition to any YA shelf.

After the Shot Drops

Written by Randy Ribay

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers, 2018

Nasir, a biracial Filipino-American, and Bunny, an African-American, are best friends growing up in Whitman, a rough neighbourhood outside of Philadelphia.

When Bunny receives a basketball scholarship to study at an elite private school, Nasir’s feelings of abandonment and jealousy make it impossible for him to be supportive of his friend.

When Nasir’s cousin, Wallace, makes a series of dangerous decisions, Nasir struggles between rebuilding his friendship with Bunny and helping his cousin survive.

After The Shot Drops is a valuable book about justice, privilege, class, basketball, crab mentality, and the complicated bonds between childhood best friends.

Patron Saints of Nothing

Written by Randy Ribay

Published by Kokila, an imprint of Penguin Random House, 2019

Jay is a Filipino-American student in Michigan who finds out that his cousin Jun has suddenly died in the Philippines. While the family blame President Duterte’s drug wars, Jay knows that his cousin would never be involved with drugs. So over spring break, he goes to the Philippines to find out what really happened.

This book shows many aspects of Filipino life: the Filipino diaspora in America, the gated community in Manila, the slums, the ancestral farm house, and more. Patron Saints of Nothing is a nuanced, ground-breaking, and timely book that is a must-have for Filipino youth and secondary school bookshelves.

My Heart Underwater

Written by Laurel Flores Fantauzzo

Published by Quill Tree Books, 2020

In this heartfelt, emotional story, seventeen-year-old Cory Tagubio takes readers from Los Angeles, USA to Quezon City, Philippines, and shows them sides of both countries that are rarely shown in YA fiction.

After her father is in an accident at work, Cory turns to Ms. Holden, her history teacher, for comfort. But when her crush turns into something more and they’re caught kissing, Cory’s mother sends her to live with her half-brother in the Philippines— someone she has never met.

As Cory navigates complicated relationships with her brother, her sexuality, and her relationship with the Philippines, readers will be drawn to this coming-of-age story told through a queer Filipina-American’s eyes.

Filipino Adult Literature

Scarborough

Written by Catherine Hernandez

Published by Arsenal Pulp Press, 2017

In this nuanced depiction of Toronto’s Kingston-Galloway area, Scarborough tells a complex story of multiple characters tied together by a literacy program run by the warm-hearted Miss Hina.

There’s Laura, who is being raised by a racist father; Sylvie and Johnny, Indigenous siblings who live in a shelter with their mother, and Bing, a queer Filipino boy who loves to sing. The author’s commitment to representation is strong, and readers will love the authenticity of this powerful story.

Monsoon Mansion

Written by Cinelle Barnes

Published by Little A, 2018

Cinelle Barnes is a master memoirist, depicting her coming-of-age story in a crumbling mansion in 1990s Manila in a touching, harrowing way.

Monsoon Mansion is a story of opulence and excess in the aftermath of a monsoon— both literal and figurative— which will give students a rich work to delve into discussions of imagery, metaphor, and more in an unforgettable Filipino setting.

Arsenic and Adobo

Written by Mia P. Manansala

Published by Penguin Random House, 2021

Mia P. Manansala has brought Filipino fiction into the “cozy mystery” genre with great success. With an engaging murder mystery at the forefront, readers will also love the elements of Filipino cuisine, strong family ties, and the relatability of a protagonist returning home to discover where her place is in the world.

The first in Tita Rosie’s Kitchen series, Arsenic and Adobo is followed by Halo-Halo and Homicide and Bibingka and Blackmail.

Compare and Contrast

Teachers often ask me to find books that offer good compare-and-contrast options for existing books on their class lists. Here are two that I recommend!

The Farm

Written by Joanne Ramos

Published by Penguin Random House, 2019

Filipina-American writer Joanne Ramos drew from her experiences among the wealthy at Princeton University to create a dystopian world focused on the complex issues surrounding the employment of women as surrogates. The Farm is a place where “hosts” for elite clients spend their pregnancies in a closely-monitored retreat centre that boasts every luxury: organic meals, fitness trainers, massages, and more.

Through Jane, the Filipina protagonist who leaves her infant daughter behind in New York City in order to work as a surrogate at the Farm, readers will see the dark side of this seemingly idyllic place. Jane is a Host who is determined to give birth to a stranger’s baby in order to provide for her own child. But at what cost?

Compare with: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

America is in the Heart

Written by Carlos Bulosan

Published by Penguin Classics

Originally printed in 1946, this heart-breaking historical memoir takes place during the 1930s and 1940s, after a teenaged Carlos Bulosan arrived in America alone. Readers will be shocked to see the racial atrocities endured by the Filipino community at the hands of farm owners, law enforcement, and more.

This work is a valuable record of abuse against migrant workers in the fields, canneries, orchards, cities and towns throughout the Pacific Northwest and California in the years of the Great Depression and beyond.

Harrowing and unforgettable, America is in the Heart is considered one of the most important works by a writer in the Filipino diaspora.