TWO Thomasian illustrators and a UST creative writing professor reaped awards at the 8th National Children’s Book Awards (NCBA).
Harry Monzon, Maria Cristina Sison, and Assoc. Prof. Chuckberry Pascual were among the winners announced by the National Book Development Board (NBDB) on Thursday, Sept. 5.
Monzon, a children’s book author and UST literature alumnus, bagged the Best Reads award for his book “Inip,” which he both wrote and illustrated.
“Inip” was included in the five titles published from 2022 to 2023 that were named Best Reads by a panel of award-winning children’s book authors, illustrators, and scholars.
Inspired by Monzon’s personal experience of riding the bus to Baguio, his work portrays boredom as an emotion, as it tells the story of a child who is at a loss over what to do on a moving bus.
“Initially it was supposed to be two characters on a field trip but the publisher made a suggestion of making it about one child experiencing inip on his own,” Monzon told the Varsitarian.
“I think it worked better that way instead of the resolution coming from a second person because I think inip is more of a solitary emotion,” he said.
Meanwhile, children’s book illustrator and advertising alumnus Sison won the Kids’ Choice Awards for his illustration of “Bee Responsible.”
Written by Joyce Piap-Go, “Bee Responsible” teaches young children the importance of responsibility using colorful bee illustrations by Sison.
Pascual, associate professor at the UST Creative Writing department, won the Kids’ Choice Awards for his young adult book, “Mars, May Zombie!”
Both “Bee Responsible” and “Mars, May Zombie!” were part of the top 20 favorite picture book and chapter book titles voted by a panel of child judges.
“Masaya ako dahil mga bata ang pumili. Sila kasi ang intended audience ng libro. Pero syempre, masaya rin ako sa reception ng ibang age groups,” Pascual told the Varsitarian.
Pascual’s book, which was published in 2022 by Adarna House, is about a queer teenager named Mars, who navigates a post-zombie apocalypse in the Philippines.
The creative writing professor cited the pandemic and the loss of loved ones as inspiration for the work.
“Nawalan ako ng mahal sa buhay, kaya nagsimula akong magsulat ng zombie fiction. Paraan ko para mag-deal sa death,” Pascual said.
“Noong pandemic, may kumakalat na fake news na magiging zombie raw ‘yung mga mababakunahan. Tulad ng maraming tao, frustrated din ako sa response ng gobyerno sa pandemic. May pakiramdam talaga noon na nasa end times na tayo,” he added.
Held every two years, the National Children’s Book Awards (NCBA) cites books written for children and young adults. John Kobe S. Balod with reports from Rafael Paolo P. Salaya
