kaleidoscope // spring 2023

Angela DeRamos

graphic design // angelamarieart.myportfolio.com // @angelamarie.art

Halaya!
Halaya! tells an exciting story about a little tarsier named Tala who learns how to make ube halaya with her mom. Ube halaya ("ooh-beh" "hah-lah-yah") is a jam that is made from ube, which is a purple yam. Ube is native to Southeast Asia and is commonly used in Filipino desserts.

As a Filipino-American, it was rare to see any type of Filipino representation in western media during my childhood. I wanted this book to be about this specific recipe because it is something that is personal to me and my culture, and I believe that Filipino-American children nowadays could have a connection to it. I also believe that it would be beneficial for children who do not have a Filipino heritage to be able to read this book and learn about a cultural dish that they may not be familiar with. Teaching children about other cultures is something that should be encouraged more.

My love for both editorial design and illustration inspired me to make a children's book. Ever since I was little, I loved creating my own stories with illustrations, and I would make a ton of them. It was only recently that I realized that becoming a children's book illustrator is a dream of mine.

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