New Releases by Liana Romulo

**Winner of Moonbeam Children's Book Award Gold Medal** For thousands of years, children all over the world have listened to popular folktales. Each country has its own set of fascinating stories, and learning those from another part of the world is both entertaining and educational. Asian Children's Favorite Stories presents 7 Asian folktales from different countries--China, Japan, Korea, India, the Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia. The classic stories in this book include: Why Cats and Dogs Don't Get Along (Korea) Baka the Cow and Kalabaw the Water Buffalo (Philippines) How the Mousedeer Became a Judge (Indonesia) Liang and His Magic Brush (China) The Lucky Farmer Becomes King (Thailand) The Clever Rabbit and Numskull (India) The Crane's Gratitude (Japan) This multicultural children's book opens doors to other cultures and engages the imagination.

Travel to the Philippines without leaving home! From the author of Filipino Children's Favorite Stories comes a book for young children that features a Filipino-American boy visiting the Philippines for the very first time. Each picture features soft watercolor illustrations and is labeled with English words and their Filipino translations. They also show readers both the similarities and differences between Western and Philippine lifestyles. Filipino Friends, perfect for Filipino-American's or those just interested in the culture, is indispensable in bridging the gap between the two cultures. Following the sweet multicultural children's story, kids will learn about Philippine customs and traditions, including: Filipino festivals and celebrations Traditional dress Snacks and meals Songs and games The Filipino language--Tagalog--and more!

"Susa's approach to needle felting will give beginners the know-how to get started, but experienced felters will also appreciate her whimsical designs." —Library Journal Irresistible Felted Baby Animals shows you how to bring out the playfulness and wide-eyed innocence of sweet young creatures of backyards, barnyards, woodlands and seas from all over the world.This new collection by Sachiko Susa, the author of the bestselling Cute Needle Felted Animals, will appeal to beginners and experienced felters alike. Learn how to create felted cuties from all walks of life! An easy and incredibly cute baby seal, chick or penguin Woodland buddies like foxes, bears and raccoons Exotic friends from foreign lands like the panda, lion, koala and manul Family pets like puppies, kittens, bunnies and hamsters And more—18 different animal friends in 30 different poses! Perfect for beginners and experienced felters alike, the felting projects are presented according to the level of experience required to make them, with detailed step-by-step instructions for each. Actual-size diagrams for the key body parts make it easy to reproduce their sizes and shapes accurately. Active (and sleeping) poses make the figures extremely lifelike and give you a variety of options so you can even assemble a whole litter of cuties!

"U is for umaga, the end of the night—when Mama kisses me good morning, and dark becomes light." My First Book of Tagalog introduces preschool children to the Tagalog language—also known as Filipino—the national language of the Philippines, which has been influenced by both Spanish and English. Important everyday words in Filipino culture are presented in a playful and approachable ABC structure that makes learning fun and easy. Studies have shown that kids this age are developing language skills at a rapid rate—learning new words is a snap for them! The catchy rhymes in this book reinforce learning, and children will be delighted by the charming Filipino kids they meet on each and every page. An introduction to the sounds of Tagalog along with notes on the Filipino language and culture provide a positive learning experience for both youngsters and parents. An introduction to the sounds of Tagalog words, along with kid-friendly notes on linguistics and culture throughout, makes learning to speak Tagalog a positive experience.

This multicultural children's book is full of Filipino holidays, culture, language and stories! In the Philippines, people love to celebrate--holidays are filled with music and dancing, sometimes with colorful costumes, and always with great food! Rich with detailed watercolors and cultural flavor, Filipino Celebrations: A Treasury of Feasts and Festivals makes major holidays (like Christmas) and family gatherings (like weddings and birthdays) come alive. From these pages, children will learn the history of each holiday, its cultural influences, the varied ways in which people celebrate in different regions of the Philippines, special customs and food, key words and phrases (in English and Tagalog), and more. Games, songs, and other activities invite young readers to join in the fun. New and familiar holidays take on a special flavor as children learn about the diverse cultures that make up this wonderful island nation. Perfect for Filipino-American families looking to share the unique culture of the Philippines, educators interested in promoting multiculturalism in the classroom, or anyone interested in the country, Filipino Celebrations will encourage children ages five to ten to participate and learn while having fun. Celebrations and festivals include: Mga Kaarawan--Birthdays Semana Santa--Holy Week Mga Barrio Fiestas--Town Festivals Mga Binyag--Baptisms Araw ng Kalayaan--Independence Day and more!