These five 2022 titles by Filipino American authors include picture books, audiobooks, and more.

Badua, Tracy. Freddie vs. the Family Curse. Clarion. May 2022. ISBN 9780358612896.
Gr 3-7—Freddie Cruz and his family are cursed. For generations, their lives have been a little more difficult, with little things going wrong here and there. Through this, Freddie has learned to keep a low profile: no friends, no fun, and no risk taking! When Freddie finds a family heirloom, an amulet from the Philippines, he thinks his luck will change. Instead, Freddie realizes that one of his ancestors, Ramon, is trapped inside the amulet, and that the evil spirits responsible for Ramon’s death are now after him. Freddie, with a little help from his cousin Sharkey, has 13 days to break the curse or join Ramon in the amulet. A story for readers who love humor with their adventure.

Bonnin, Elisa A. Dauntless. Swoon Reads. Jul 2022. ISBN 9781250795618.
Gr 9 Up—A Filipino-inspired high fantasy story about a girl named Seri who lives in a world with clear rules, where beasts prowl in the forests and hunt the People. All of this makes sense to Seri until she meets Tsana, a stranger who can communicate with the beasts and forces Seri to doubt everything she has ever known.

de la Cruz, Melissa. Doña Esmeralda, Who Ate Everything. illus by Prima Gallanosa. Orchard. Jul 2022. ISBN 9781338751611.
PreK-3—Based on her own childhood experiences in the Philippines, bestselling author de la Cruz brings readers a classic tale with a twist. Doña Esmeralda lives on an island in the middle of seven thousand islands named for King Philip. She loves to eat and eat, especially all the stinky and unwanted leftovers from children, until she realizes that there are much tastier treats. A great option for read alouds.

Guerrero, Tanya. Adrift. Farrar. Sept. 2022. ISBN 9780374389659.
Gr 3-7—Coral and Isa, cousins who grew up on the same small island, are so close they are practically sisters. One day, Coral and her family travel across the sea to Indonesia. Isa is distraught to be apart, so they promise to keep in touch the whole time. When Coral’s boat capsizes, she finds her way to a remote island—but now must find a way to survive and get back home. Isa, back home, is the only one who believes her cousin is out there. A survival story filled with heart.

Tanamor, Jason. Love, Dance & Egg Rolls. Ooligan. May 2022.  ISBN 9781947845343.
Gr 8 Up—Jamie Santiago is an ordinary teen in so many ways, but one way he stands out is his passion to become the next Tinikling Master. Tinikling is a traditional Filipino folk dance involving two people banging and sliding bamboo poles while people dance between them. Jamie finds balance between his two worlds, until the last Asian Folk Festival falls on the same day as Homecoming.