Our Nipa Hut

Yelena and Papa take care of their nipa hut — and it takes care of them. But when a tropical storm roars towards the Philippines, their preparation will be put to the test. Will their home withstand the storm? Yelena and Papa take care of their traditional Filipino dwelling – their nipa hut – and it takes care of them. But when a tropical storm roars towards the Philippines, their preparation will be put to the test. Gripping narrative will keep young readers glued to the pages as Yelena, Papa and the nipa hut work together as a family to withstand the storm. AGES: 4 to 8 AUTHOR: Rachell Abalos remembers her childhood in the Philippines, taking naps, eating ice buko, and listening to her Inang sing “Bahay Kubo.” She currently lives in southern California, USA, with her husband and two kids, where she writes stories about her Filipino culture. Our Nipa Hut is her debut picture book. Gabriela Larios grew up in El Salvador, surrounded by volcanoes, Mexican ceramics and tropical flowers grown by her mother, a floral designer. In 2007, thanks to an EU scholarship, she received her Masters from Camberwell College of Arts in London, UK, where she has been living ever since with her family. Gabriela approaches every project as a new adventure – she experiments with different techniques like collage, gouache, pen and ink and more. She draws inspiration for her work both from her childhood in El Salvador and her years in England. SELLING POINTS: . GLOBAL AWARENESS: Written by a Filipino American author who grew up in the Philippines, the story provides a child’s-eye view of life in a traditional Filipino dwelling. . FAMILY: Highlights the child-father relationship and expands on the idea of family by defining the nipa hut as a family member. . SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING: Yelena and her father must persevere and work together in the midst of uncertainty in order to protect themselves and their home. . CLIMATE CHANGE & ENGINEERING: Educational endnotes explore information about the Philippines, the role of climate change in natural disasters, such as tropical storms, and how nipa huts inspired the invention of skyscrapers.

Author Biography

Rachell Abalos remembers her childhood in the Philippines, taking naps, eating ice buko, and smelling the fish frying outside her grandmother’s house. She currently lives in Southern California, USA, with her husband and two kids, where she writes stories about her Filipino culture. Our Nipa Hut is her debut picture book.

Gabriela Larios grew up in El Salvador, surrounded by volcanoes, Mexican ceramics and tropical flowers grown by her mother, a floral designer. In 2007, thanks to an EU scholarship, she received her Masters from Camberwell College of Arts in London, UK, where she has been living ever since with her family. Gabriela approaches every project as a new adventure and draws inspiration for her work both from El Salvador and England.