Here Be Dragons

“Here be Dragons is an intellectual story that does not confine the audience to the notion that what you see is what you get.” – Looking for Juan for the Romeo Forbes Children’s Story Writing Competition, 2012.

Here Be Dragons (© Canvas Press 2015) was the winner of the 2012 Romeo Forbes Children’s Story Writing Competition, one of the most important awards for Children’s literature in the Philippines. It was published in 2015 by CANVAS with Illustrations by New York-based Surrealist Jon Jaylo (who spent nearly 3 years painting each of the artworks in oil on canvas), and a Filipino translation by four-time Palanca Awardee Rhandee Garlitos. An online copy of the book can be found here .

The Center for Art, New Ventures & Sustainable Development (CANVAS) is a non profit organization that works with the creative community to promote children’s literacy, explore national identity, and broaden public awareness for Philippine art, culture, and environment. All the proceeds from “Here Be Dragons” went towards donating books to children from the poorest sectors of society.

It has become part of the Southeast Asian section of Internationale Jugendbibliotheck in Munich, Germany last August 2018. This library houses the world’s largest collection of children’s books.

Here be Dragons is out of print. However,  you may still find a copy at CANVAS in the Philippines or at Woods In The Books in Singapore.

Jon Jaylo exhibit : “Here Be Dragons, Artworks“, Canvas & West Gallery, Ayala Museum, Makati, Philippines, September 2013