Lalani of the Distant Sea audiobook

I will eventually have a full review up and ready, but for the time being, let's make one thing clear: This book is unapologetically Filipino. It draws from various Filipino folklore. It centers Filipino characters. It illustrates the importance of community and bayanihan, which are highly regarded virtues in Filipino culture. THIS IS FILIPINO.I am genuinely pissed off at the reviews that dismiss this incredibly unique story because their ignorance of other people's cultures has led them to believe that Lalani is an imitation of Disney's Moana, who isn't Filipino in the slightest. Moana isn't the only island girl to ever exist, and honestly, the racism really leaped out from that reach. Full stop.

Have your ever read a book that connects so much to you it feels like it's seeing through your soul? In my case, Erin Entrada Kelly's MG fantasy debut, Lalani of the Distant Sea, will be THAT book. Because even though the narration did not clearly state that the story has Filipinx MCs and setting, the entirety of the storyline screams Filipino pride.First, let me just tell you that this book is rich with Filipino folklore and mythology so wonderfully reimagined, it will make yourself more interested to our own stories and legends. Revolving on the story of Lalani Sarita, a young Sanlagitan girl who always thinks outside of the box and loves stories of mysteries. When an overlong drought came upon the island of Sanlagita pestering both the people and their produce, people tried to make ends meet by making the most out of what's left in their village. But Lalani is different as she is a girl with a fresh perspective of the world. When an instance brought her along the footsteps of the forbidden lands of Mount Kahna, Lalani found the truth behind the darkness covering this clandestine landform. But with this comes a choice that pushed her to go beyond her limits and do what she think is best for her family and the rest of Sanlagita. The question is, will she make it out of the quest alive or will she be just like any other Sanlagitan men who tried before but never came back to their homeland?As powerful and imaginative as it is, Erin's Lalani of the Distant Sea easily became my most favorite book of the year. The fact that it features the best of the best of Philippine mythology and folklore is definitely something that excited me when I first heard about it last year and now that I finished a copy and will soon be released. I love how Erin reimagined most Filipino folk stories like the nunso (a wordplay for nuno sa punso) and Fei Diwata (Diwata means fairy in Filipino). There's also a lot of interesting tale characters in this like Ziva, the goyuk, Bai-Vinca, whenbos, the weeping loset, the Ditasa-Ulod, and the mindorens (which I imagine as tamaraws and mindoren must be derived from Mindoro?) If you want a fresh take on the Philippines old fables and folklores, this book should definitely be on your shelves.Another thing I love about this book is how it challenges the beauty of childhood thinking in a way that it inspires children and adults like me to always see the bigger picture in everything the way our MC, Lalani, does. The story delivered the notable Erin Kelly vibe which embodies her Filipino trait of being generous to others and being brave in times of desperation.Moving on, let me highlight another good point on this book which is the importance of making yourself go the distance. Lalani Sarita may be a simple girl in the outside but her brain holds more plans than anyone. She simply had the choice to just accept her fate as a Sanlagitan girl who will be either a mender or a farmer but she did not conform to the norm and instead did her best in forging her own path. This may be subtle but that takeaway tells a lot when it comes to taking the risk and doing things that we should do instead of just going with the flow and be a dead fish.I may not be able to translate all the things I love about this book but let me have this space to scream that this is how being represented feels like.Lastly, the illustrations in this book were exemplary and outstanding. Lian Cho's artwork served its purpose and added a clearer view to the picture being painted by Erin's words. And let me just commend Erin, Lian, and the rest of the Greenwillow team for bringing this book to the world. You guys deserved all the love.FUN FACT:When I finished the book, I had the time to chat with Erin since I defffff love this and I want to be a Sanlagitan. I asked her who is her inspiration in naming one of the Whenbos in Isa, Sai, and she confirmed that it's me because I met her last year when she's still finishing this book and I absolutely panicked and hell yeah, send a lot of hugs to her. Waaaaaah!RATING: 5 astonishing pahaalusk shells

Jail for everyone who claimed that this was like Moana. Jail for 1000 years.

Actual rating: 3.5 starsFor those of you who are about to read this expecting a light and feel-good adventure for you and your middle-grade kids, here's my warning: BRACE YOURSELF. If you are not sure about your kid's emotional maturity, then it would be a good idea to buddy-read this so you can guide him/her through the darker and sadder parts. "Lalani of the Distant Sea" had many heartbreaking moments. There were also times that I wanted to punch a bully, especially those jerks who got away with their cruelty. With that said, I do like dark middle grade books like this one. The way I see it, if a kid's emotionally mature enough to face the harsh realities of life, then he/she would be better equipped to overcome those problems after learning important lessons from books.My second point involves a more sensitive issue. I am truly happy for my fellow Filipino readers who consider "Lalani of the Distant Sea" a great #ownvoices novel. I know about the joy and pride that comes with the feeling of being seen and represented. If this book made you feel all those wonderful things, that's awesome! Let me emphasize that what I'm about to say is just a personal opinion. I wish this book was more uniquely Filipino. I will explain:1. Most of the names like Maddux, Cade, Lo Yuzi, and Hetsbi do not even sound Filipino. I found them jarring. Lo Yuzi's an old woman character who told the children stories. We Filipinos tend to call older women "Lola" or "La" (for short) as a sign of respect, so La Yuzi would have been a better fit even though Yuzi itself is not a Filipino sounding name.2. I did appreciate the creative reimaginings of Filipino folklore in this book because I acknowledge the time and effort that required. However, I do not really see the point of making up terms and reimagining creatures when we already have so many existing terms and creatures from our myths and folklore that would have served beautifully in this magical tale. I would be more understanding and accepting of reimaginings if we already have so many popular and bestselling books about Filipino myths and folklore in the international market. Regretfully, we haven't reached that point yet. Look at it this way. You're an international reader who read and loved this book. You excitedly tell your Filipino reader friend (who hasn't read this) about the bai, wallecta, mindoren, and the pahaalusk hoping she would feel excited that you learned more about her culture. Well, don't be surprised if she acts confused and asks you what those creatures are. It's NOT because she does not know her myths and folklore. It's because these are made up terms about reimagined creatures that she hasn't encountered yet. Note a: We call them nuno sa punso, not nunso mounds. Note b: Diwata is not a made-up term. I was so thrilled when I saw this in the book because it's a word that I actually recognized! It's the Filipino term for fairy. Even though I would hesitate before recommending "Lalani of the Distant Sea" as a source for those who want to learn about Filipino mythology, I still consider it a lovely, enjoyable, and empowering read. 1. As I mentioned above, I like that the author did not shy away from darker topics like abuse, revenge, and tyranny. Reading this book would be a good way to start educating kids about important lessons revolving around those themes.2. Lalani was a kind, brave, and determined underdog heroine. Despite all the pain she suffered in life, she never gave up and was compassionate to the creatures who needed it. I admired her for that. 3. My favorite supporting characters were Veyda, Cade, and Taiting because they were honorable characters who consistently fought for what's right. It was painful to read Hetsbi's POV chapters at first, but he grew on me because of his good character development.4. “Never trust someone who wields power through fear.” LOUDER FOR THOSE AT THE BACK, PLEASE. Thank you for this timely political commentary.5. The storytelling style was captivating. It's the type of book that you can read it one sitting.

Inspired by Filipino folklore Erin Entrada Kelly's new book Lalani of The Distant Sea will keep you reading late into the night - kids get your flashlights ready! This is a middle grade fantasy novel which follows the life and adventures of Lalani Sarita, a 12 year old girl, who may seem quite ordinary but when faced with danger she bravely goes on a quest that takes her to a legendary Island where she finds the courage and the tenacity to persevere. Kelly has a wonderful way of writing about marginalized kids and aligning them into remarkable friendships. You will love them, root for them and worry about them but their acts of kindness and quite strength will win your heart.

Lalani of the Distant Sea is a beautiful medley of folklore and fable. It is wonderfully written, and I found myself devouring page after page at every opportunity. The book is darker than I thought it would be, which is in no way a bad thing. There is violence. There is death. But there is also a happy ending (don't worry; it's not overly cheesy). There is one character who got on my last nerve at points, but by the end of the book, he had redeemed himself enough to be deserving of a second chance. Kelly's writing style is addictive, and I loved the unique way in which she structured the narrative. The book's art perfectly complements each hypothetical "Imagine you are . . ." chapter. I couldn't get enough. A+

The digital arc of this book was kindly provided by the publisher via Edelweiss+ website in exchange for an honest review. I loved the other two novels I've read by Erin Entrada Kelly but this one is probably my least favorite one so far. I still really enjoyed it though, I was simply not a fan of the way it was structured and the fantasy elements were quite confusing, in my opinion. It was still a great story with an uplifting message and a rich cultural background.

A beautiful blend of Moana, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, a hiiiint of City of Ember, and Kelly's distinct take on Filipino culture and mythology. If I'd read this when I was twelve, I can imagine it easily becoming my favorite book. Reading it now, I still adored Lalani, Sangalita, and Kelly's world-building but the ending felt too rushed to actually be satisfying. Still loved everything leading up to the end though!4/5 stars

A million stars to this gorgeous, heartfelt completely wonderful middle-grade. Erin Entrada Kelly is such an incredible author and her debut fantasy is a must-read for all middle grade readers. Lalani's story is inspiring and beautiful and fantastically woven with myth and hope.

Where The Mountain Meets the Moon + Moana.