Dancing the Tinikling (Own Voices, Own Stories) Hardcover – Picture Book, August 15, 2023

I bought this book to support Filipino writers and illustrators but to also learn more about my culture. I think this book will be fun to read with my 7 year old Niece. The pictures/drawings are colorful and vibrant. The story is also very cute.

Jojo loves going to the cultural center with his Lolo and Lola, where Lola teaches the traditional Filipino dance the Tinikling to all willing participants. At first, Jojo struggles to follow the dance steps without getting his feet tangled up in the tricky bamboo poles that frame the dance. But as he watches his beloved Lola more closely and practices the intricate movements, Jojo ultimately finds his own rhythm as he dances not only between the two bamboo poles but also between the two cultures he inhabits. This musical picture book embodies the Tinikling both in visuals and in sound. Written for a young elementary school-aged audience, there is limited text on each page, but there is ample use of onomatopoeia with the clapping, clacking, and tapping often heard with the Tinikling. Colorful images depict people from a variety of backgrounds all coming together over this traditional dance. And no matter a reader's own cultural heritage, they are sure to be interested in learning this challenging dance themselves. Throughout the book, Tagalog is woven in among the English words, which helps to support the fact that this book represents the balance people have when coming from one culture and residing in another. At the end of the book, readers will find more specific background information about the Tinikling and how cultural diversity builds a robust and supportive society, overall. This is a thoughtful addition to library collections for young readers, both inside the classroom and out.