Book review: Hale Hale Hoy!
I giggled, I blushed, I cried— it was a happy cry though.
For a moment or two, my happy childhood memory drew closer. And I was reading a book called Hale, Hale, Hoy!
Hale, Hale, Hoy! is a collection of 20 games (laro), 16 songs (kanta), 46 rhymes (tugma), and 90 riddles (bugtong) in print translated into Filipino. It is published by the Adarna House and brought alive by the colorful style of Ang Illustrador ng Kabataan (ANG INK), an organization of illustrators for children’s books, headed by Ms. Liza Flores. True enough, the book is a celebration not only of children’s literature in the Philippines, but also of the recollection of the happy childhood days of Filipinos.
As a mom, it is with great enthusiasm that I recommend this book not only to the young ones but also to those who treasure and miss their childhood: the adults. I definitely encouraged my children to read this book so that they can understand and value Philippines Literature. And as the book is amazingly colorful it was not a difficult task for me to convince my children to read the book.
I hate to bring this up but since children nowadays are more hooked on computers games, it is high time that moms like me encourage their children to play our very own Filipino games like sipa, patintero, taguan and tumbang preso which are comprehensively described with the corresponding vivid illustrations in the book. It’s one of the reasons why I am so in love with this book.
As a matter of fact, I honestly can not express how much I am truly hooked by the book. So please, allow me to show a sample of one of my favorite rhymes that really touched my heart. It was originally written in Bicolano but I will share the Filipino version:
Isa, dalawa, tatlo,
Narito ka sa ulo,
Apat, lima, anim,
Narito ka sa alaala,
Pito, walao, siyam,
Narito ka sa dibdib,
At sampu,
Narito ka sa puso.
And as I perused the book, I encountered more familiar words like holen, sipa, palo sebo, bahay kubo, and phrases like ako ay may lobo; leron, leron sinta; penpen de sarapen; bata batuta; lubi lubi; noong unang panahon; ako’y may alaga asong mataba; bata, bote, buto; sampung mga daliri. I wondered, who could not relate with this book?
Indeed, the book is specifically designed to tickle the imagination of children, and to awaken the emotion and memory of grown-ups. I commend the publisher and illustrators of the book for coming up with this beautiful collection of rhymes, songs, games and riddles.
I give this bright, yellow covered, 152-page book my highest rating of sampung mga daliri. This book is about our rich culture, about children’s literature from different regions, about different dialects, about our children and our childhood.
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