I think I was more excited than my kids to open my package from Hartlyn Kids. I knew I’d be “traveling” to a new country via a children’s book that evening and I was anxious to see which one. I’m a grown woman but I still get giddy when a package comes in the mail with my name on it and a new book, children’s or not, doesn’t lessen that excitement one iota. When my son asked if the package was for him (which he always does ’cause he gets excited too), I told him that it was for us. I’m a big kid – I know.
After opening “our” package I saw that we’d be traveling to the Philippines for the evening, learning about the culture and picking up a few words along the way. Now, I’ve never been to the Philippines but I’ve had several close Filipino friends in high school and college. Unfortunately, we never talked in depth about the country or the culture – think we were all too busy dealing with teen angst. However, I was always curious.
The children’s book answered a lot of questions. It was fun to read the story about Diego and Paco to my son. We learned about the national dance of the Philippines, the tinikling dance, which the two boys are practicing and perfecting for an audition. We got a glimpse into some of the snacks they eat, the national flower, and sari-sari stores.
The Bamboo Dance is cleverly illustrated and ends with a good message for kids: believe in yourself and keep trying.
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