MARIKIT AND THE OCEAN OF STARS

A girl embarks on a journey in a magical land of Filipino deities and monsters.

Ever since Marikit Lakandula’s father and brother were lost at sea 3 years ago, her seamstress mother has only been able to give her hand-me-down clothes. All she wants for her 10th birthday is a blue dress that makes her look like a Diwata, or fairy, so the other children won’t tease her anymore. Hating the patchwork birthday dress that her mother presents her with instead, Marikit runs away and hides. When she eventually returns home, an evil shadow follows her, revealing a magical secret: Her mother is a Diwata, and Marikit is a Halfling. She must go to the land of Engkantos to find the other half of her magic. With the help of new friends, Marikit explores Engkantos in hopes of saving herself from the shadow god. Thrust into a world of powerful gods, goddesses, nightmares, and spirits, she uses the dress her mother made, whose patterns form a map, to find the place marked by an X. Inspired by Filipino folklore and legends, this is an exciting quest full of heart. Through her choices and mistakes, Marikit finds courage and power, learns what is truly valuable, and comes to understand real sacrifice. There are many Filipino (mostly Tagalog) words woven into the text, with each chapter starting with a definition of a different term.

A captivating tale of family, love, loss, and magic.