By Katrina Macapagal
Six months into my maternity leave I was googling “Philippine children’s books in the UK” and was coming up with nothing. I also checked Amazon and Ebay – nothing. I asked other Filipino mothers here in the UK if they knew where to get Philippine children’s books for young readers – and they all shared my frustration about not being able to source Philippine children’s books easily over here, especially compared to availability in the US.
I was looking primarily for Philippine children’s books for young readers, such as picture books and language and learning books that I could add to my daughter’s library. I was also keen to add books about Philippine folktales and legends – stories that I grew up with that I was hoping to share with my child as she grows up.
Of course, I could have ordered online from publishers and resellers based in the Philippines, but shipping costs were quite steep, so I thought it would make sense to order in bulk. I could have also waited for family or friends to come visit and ask them to bring books – but as we were just coming out of the pandemic in early 2022, travel plans were still uncertain. Relying on visitors from the Philippines also meant a longer waiting period for delivery, and I was keen to get my hands on Filipino-authored children’s books before the end of my maternity leave.
So after a bit of research, I took the plunge and launched Talas Books UK in June 2022.
With a little help from other diasporic mothers
While scrolling Instagram I came across an account based in Australia – Abakada.au and found that it was run by a fellow diasporic Filipino mother in Sydney. I sent the account a direct message to ask for some advice about opening the shop, not expecting to hear back at all. But a few days later I received a lovely response from the account owner who shared her experience.
I combed Instagram for similar accounts and cold-messaged Alala Books, based in Vancouver, Canada. Again, I was pleasantly surprised by the warm response and encouragement I received from the owner, another fellow Filipino diasporic mother.
I have since received messages from other Filipino mothers here in the UK and elsewhere, with some simply wanting to connect or rant about the lack of Philippine children’s books sources outside the Philippines, and others asking about how to start their own online bookshop.
What I found in these online interactions with other Filipino mothers is that we all shared the same desire: to introduce our culture to our kids as they grow up outside the Philippines through the world of books.
Learning beyond language
One reason I wanted to add Philippine children’s books to my daughter’s library is to ensure that she is exposed to Filipino – the language that I grew up speaking. I know that teaching her Filipino is going to be an uphill battle in a predominantly English-speaking country, but I’m hoping that including Filipino books in her collection can at the very least entice her to learn the language.
Beyond language, it’s more important for me that my daughter is exposed at an early age to images of life in the Philippines – scenes that she will definitely not find in popular English-language children’s books. I think picture book are incredibly powerful as they can impart a strong sense of space, so I made sure to include books in the shop that show strong illustrations of “typical” Filipino spaces.
For instance, some of the titles available in the shop include objects and scenes unique to the Philippine setting: the tabo (translated in English as water scoop or dipper) for bathing, Sto. Niño in the corner of a living room, a kid buying “dirty ice cream,” jeepneys and buses on the road, and kids wearing flip-flops while playing outdoors. My hope is that giving my child a glimpse of life beyond the UK will help broaden her appreciation of various cultures, especially one that is part of her heritage.
Through Talas Books, I hope I am able to provide a much-needed service for the Filipino diaspora in the UK, especially for parents who are looking for ways to share their Filipino heritage with their children. More broadly, I hope Talas Books attests to the growing presence of Filipino immigrants here in the UK.
Talas Books currently stocks titles from Philippine publisher Tahanan Books – but more titles from other publishers will be added if/when the business grows. Please do visit the shop at talasbooks.co.uk and follow it on instagram.com/talasbooks.uk.
About the author
Katrina Macapagal is a communications professional based in Edinburgh. Talas Books is named after her daughter. She is the author of Slum Imaginaries and Spatial Justice in Philippine Cinema published by Edinburgh University Press.
