THOMASIAN fictionist Iza Maria Reyes said children’s books should be “relatable” to adults, during the launching of her latest title “Ang Aking Agent Nanay” last Sept. 14 during the Manila International Book Fair at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay.
“A children’s book is most effective if it is understood and can be appreciated by adults. I told my story, particularly my personal experiences, in which adults can also relate,” Reyes told the Varsitarian.
Reyes, a UST journalism alumna, said her work was based on her experiences as a mother.
“I just made sure that both children and adults can grasp my message. Being a mother is no joke, so they (mothers) have to be valued by us,” Reyes said.
The book is about a mother working as a call center agent, inspired by the stories of Reyes’s friends in business process outsourcing.
Other children’s books launched at the 39th Manila International Book Fair were “Ang Kahon ng Pabaon” by Eugene Evasco on the Filipino diaspora; “Maliit na ang Palda ni Isay” by Teresa Gumap-as Dumadag on the problems of the Philippine educational system and “Magic Balikbayan Box” by Liwliwa Malabed on a child of an overseas Filipino worker. K.B.L. Arlegui
