Llaneza

Gobble up this new picture book inspired by Filipino mythology featuring trinket-stealing goblins whose knack for thievery just might save the day.

Mind your manners; hang on to your toys (and pineapples?)

When Caden and Cailyn forget to say thank you to Lola Mi for their gifts, the famous gobbling goblins come to take the children’s treasures. Gobble gobble gobble. It’s all in a day’s work.

But then a band of mischievous elves swipes some curious VIPs (Very Important Pineapples) from the house . . . pineapples that look suspiciously like Caden and Cailyn. Not saying thank you is one thing, but turning children into fruit? Talk about impolite! Now the goblins are on a rescue mission to get those pineapple-kids back from the elves. Can their latest gobble save the day?

Maika Llaneza is a 1.5 generation Filipina American whose interests include pre-Philippine history and folklore monsters in the Philippines. She has worked with students with disabilities and is currently a special education teacher in New Orleans. Her work can be found in Sojourners magazine, Inheritance magazine, on the website HelloGiggles, on the Stories With Sapphire podcast, and more. She was a 2018-2019 State of Formation Writing Fellow and has presented at the Biennial Filipino American National Historical Society Conference. She is an avid reader, writer, and monster fanatic.

Ara Villena is a freelance illustrator and art director, specializing in children’s book illustrations. She has created children’s books and related content for Save the Children Philippines, the Department of Education, and USAID. From time to time, she also creates illustrations for motion graphic videos and animated films.