Adarna House
| Status | Active |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1980 |
| Founder | Virgilio S. Almario |
| Country of origin |
 Philippines |
| Headquarters location | Quezon City |
| Distribution | Nationwide |
| Key people | Emelina B. Soriano-Almario, President and General Manager |
| Publication types | Books and other educational printed materials |
| Fiction genres | Both fiction and non-fiction |
| Official website |
adarna |
History
During the mid-1970s, the Nutrition Center of the Philippines (NCP) found itself in need of a series of storybooks to supplement their mental feeding program. [1] They approached Virgilio S. Almario, a well-known poet and literary critic of that time, to spearhead the production of this series. He then recruited authors, editors, illustrators, and researchers for the series, which he would call Aklat Adarna. (The Adarna bird is a fictional creature which had the ability to cure any sickness with its song.) The name was chosen to evoke the healing power of education and knowledge against the struggle of the Filipino against poverty-causing ignorance. [2]
When NCP concluded the storybook program, Almario carried on with the project through the Children's Communication Center. [3] Soon enough, with its increasing number of publications, CCC needed a distributor and publisher and a decision was made to found Adarna Book Services, later renamed to Adarna House, Inc.
Books
Preschool
For many years, Adarna House's preschool line was limited to a collection of 5 posters for preschool teachers and day care workers. In 2007, they released the Ready for School series — a set of 10 flip books (one side with Filipino text, the other with English) discussing preschool concepts like colors, shapes, emotions, and directions. [4]
Through a partnership with Reach Out and Read Philippines, Adarna House published the very first English-Filipino board books in the country.[5]
Storybooks
It was 1977 when 8 pocket-sized and landscape-format storybooks were published under the Aklat Adarna Series. The titles included Istorya ni Dodong (The Story of Dodong) in two parts, Si Pilar Katerpilar (Pilar the Catterpillar), Ang Pag-ibig ni Mariang Makiling (The Love of Mariang Makiling), Digong Dilaw (Yellow Digo), Munting Patak-Ulan 'Little Raindrop), Nang Magkakulay ang Nayon (When Color Came to Town), and Si Emang Engkantada at ang Tatlong Haragan (Emang the Enchantress and the Three Rascals). [6] The last four of these titles are still in print, with Nang Magkakulay ang Nayon being relaunched with English text and a Cebuano translation—a first in Adarna House history.
Since then, Adarna House has published more than 400 original stories, [3]with over a hundred stories still in print as storybooks and big books, or compiled in Aklat Adarna volumes.
Manuals and References
To promote reading, literacy, and education, Adarna House has worked hand in hand with reading specialists and educators to produce manuals for parents, teachers, day care workers and storytellers. [7]
Its Toys and Games Manual, Storytelling Manual, and Lesson Plans for the Big Books are aligned with Adarna House's aim to enrich and supplement the curriculum.
Through the support of cultural institutions and relevant organizations — such as the National Centennial Commission, Bench, and Oishi — Adarna House has come up with books that aim to collectively identify things that are distinctly Filipino. Adarna House's reference books are easily marked by its use of the 100 number, as in 100 Events That Shaped the Philippines, 100 Questions Filipino Kids Ask, and the two-volume 101 Filipino Icons. [7]
Adarna House's science books, on the other hand, have titles that begin with "Can we". Can We Plug Into Lightning?, Can We Drink the Ocean? and Can We Live on Mars? feature colorful and humorous illustrations, trivia, photos, simple science activities, as well as contact information of several relevant institutions. [7]
Other Products
Recognizing gaps in reading resources for certain ages and interests, Adarna House has endeavored to break new ground and publish alternative reading materials for children and young adults through poetry books, like Buwan, Buwang Bulawan, and novels, like Displaced. [7]
Services
Adarna House only has one office, located in Quezon City. To make up for limited visibility, it holds book fairs in schools and participates in trade fairs throughout the year. [8]
The publishing house is also known for its storytelling sessions, called Kuwentong Adarna. Facilitated by a member of Adarna House's pool of storytellers, the sessions are done to encourage children to take up the habit of reading. [9]
Apart from storytelling, Adarna House also facilitates numerous workshops for children and adults. Regularly held during summer vacation, Klasrum Adarna for kids offer a variety of writing and illustration classes, while Klasrum offerings for adults include storytelling, teaching beginning reading, and library improvement among others. [10]
Adarna House also offers book development services to individuals and institutions out to commission the production of a book project. The services include copy writing, editing, research, illustration, art direction, and printing. [11]
Partners
Adarna House works with various organizations to carry out its primary goal "to educate and entertain the Filipino child." [7]
In partnership with DepEd and Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC)'s Bright Minds Read!, big books and a collection of lesson plans were developed to help public school teachers use children's literature as a springboard in building reading skills among beginning readers.
The Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Social Welfare (DSWD) and Development are major partners for the Early Childhood Development Project. DSWD also worked with Adarna House for Ang Buhay ni Bimboy, a guide for parents and day care workers in nurturing children.
As one of the main proponents of Teens Read, Too! (a year-long reading campaign for Filipino teenagers), the Filipinas Heritage Library has hosted many of the campaign's activities under its roof. It is through this partnership that the Pilar Perez novellas for young adults were created.
The Meralco Management and Leadership Development Center (MMLDC) Foundation works closely with Adarna House for Lakbay Kalikasan, which promotes environmental awareness through storytelling, puppet shows, and nature trips.
Adarna House serves the Philippine Board on Books for Young People as its Secretariat. With the logistical assistance of Adarna House, PBBY is able to organize its activities such as the National Children’s Book Day celebration, PBBY-Salanga Prize, PBBY-Alcala Prize, and the Salaysayan National Storytelling Competition.
The Reading Association of the Philippines came on board Adarna House’s Libro Mo, Libro Ko program to help identify beneficiaries for the program. For every pledge of donation to these beneficiaries, RAP offers free teacher training and Adarna House comes in with additional book donations.
In 2008, Adarna House and Reach Out and Read-Philippines launched the first bilingual board books in the country during the opening of Aklatang Adarna, a reading corner at the Philippine Children's Medical Center.
Two five-storybook series, Batang Historyador and Batang Katutubo, were completed with United Nations International Children's Fund (UNICEF).
References
- ↑ National Commission on Culture and the Arts, article on Children's literature.
- ↑ Ang Alamat ng Aklat Adarna, the first post on Masayang Magbasa! blog
- 1 2 Entrepreneur Magazine, article on the business of publishing books for kids.
- ↑ Adarna House concept books
- ↑ ROR-P Board Books
- ↑ Adarna House 2007 Calendar
- 1 2 3 4 5 Adarna House Marketing Kit 2009
- ↑ Biyaheng Eskuwela ng Adarna
- ↑ Kuwentong Adarna
- ↑ Klasrum Adarna
- ↑ Adarna House FAQs