Vendor
	Mohrbooks Literary Agency Annelie Geissler
Categories
Children’s picture books

A ROOF!

Stephanie Ellen Sy

A dazzling picture book debut about a young girl in the Philippines who returns a neighbor's roof after a typhoon with the help of her community.

Typhoons are a regular part of Maya's life in the Philippines, but after this storm, she finds something unusual in her backyard - a roof! There's an address written on it, and Maya is determined to return it to its family. She'll need help to make her way through the damage left behind by the typhoon. As she sets out with her tatay, Maya collaborates with a farmer and his carabao, a couple of fishers and their boat, a sapatero, a labandera, a kusinera, and more of her neighbors. Together, they sail around knotted tree roots, hauling, heaving, pushing, and dragging the roof until they find its family - and begin to rebuild their community. Told by Stephanie Ellen Sy in a cumulative structure that begs to be read aloud, and paired with Daniel Tingcungco's lush and cinematic illustrations, A Roof! is a story about community care that celebrates the Filipino spirit of bayanihan. Stephanie Ellen Sy is a writer with a degree in international relations and Asian studies from Tufts University. She was inspired to write A Roof! by her experiences growing up in Hong Kong and the Philippines, where destructive typhoons are a regular occurrence. She now splits her time between Vancouver, British Columbia, and Hong Kong. When she's not writing, she's thinking about her next meal or planning her next hike. Visit her online at StephanieEllenSy.com and follow her on Instagram @steph_steph_sy. Daniel Tingcungco is an illustrator and advertising art director from Manila, Philippines, currently based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Always inspired by the vibrant colors of every day, through his work, he aims to give new light and fresh eyes to familiar places and subjects. He's a proud member of Ang InK, the Philippines' first and only organization of illustrators dedicated to children's illustration. He has collaborated with clients such as Adobe, Security Bank, Educo, and more, with his work also appearing on murals, magazines, record albums, posters, packaging, and branding. Follow Daniel on Instagram @CafeDandy.

Available products
Book Published 2024-09-17 by Kokila

Comments

French: Le Genevrier

LOVE this cumulative title. Such a wonderful book about a child who follows their heart to help a neighbor in her community after a typhoon! A Roof! is beautifully written.and gorgeously illustrated.

In a year when everyone has seen images of, or experienced, real-life climate disasters, A Roof! feels like a particularly healing story.This book chronicles their journey and the many acts of cooperation that overcome obstacles they face along the way. The Filipino concept of bayanihan.is depicted beautifully.Through this gorgeous, loving book, readers see how one person's instinct to help the community inspires others to pitch in, too.

[A] wonderful picture book about a community coming together. The fact that they are led by a little girl after a typhoon only makes the story better.

The illustrations offer beautifully rendered images of the destruction after a natural disaster, demonstrating the courage of Maya, her father, and the community in helping each other recover, while the well-paced story shows the commitment they all have to rebuild...A great addition to any collection, with its representation of Filipino culture and themes of community and determination. Read more...

Children's book on resilience, bayanihan inspired by Typhoon Odette 'A Roof!' is a new children's book by Filipino Canadian Stephanie Ellen Sy Read more...

This sweet, community-based story has an easily digestible plot that clearly communicates the possibilities created when folks look for ways to help each other. Maya's hopefulness is contagious, both to the reader and to the helpful adults she meets along her journey. [A Roof! has a] valuable message and...dynamic illustrations.

[Tingcungco's digital mixed-media art] illustrates the beauty of the Philippines and of community as well as the gravity and destructiveness of natural disasters.

Stunning mixed-media illustrations provide visual beauty, while the text is redolent with Maya's determination. An author's note explains the Filipino concept of bayanihan, 'being in a community,' which is evident in this beautiful and heartwarming story that celebrates the power of cooperation. A Roof! shines light on ordinary human compassion and kindness and will inspire readers to consider their own community participation.

Weaving themes of caring, community and persistence, Stephanie Sy tells the story of the aftermath of a typhoon in the Philippines.Daniel Tingcungco's lush illustrations are a beautiful complement to the text.

[A] heartwarming story of a community coming together Read more...

Stephanie Ellen Sy and Daniel Tingcungco show us that the spirit of bayanihan shines through every storm.With the help of her community, [Maya] learns that rebuilding isn't just about fixing what's brokenit's about coming together and lifting each other up. Perfect for read-aloud sessions and for teaching your young bookworms the power of community.

Sy's lyrical, methodically paced narrative pairs perfectly with Tingcungco's lush, digitally rendered, collagelike artwork. The illustrator expertly blends textures and color.[T]his tale will leave young readers fiercely resolved to follow Maya's worthy example. A bighearted tribute to a tradition rooted in love and community. Read more...