SQUALO & MAGE VS. THE RAGE OF THE BAKUNAWA

A magical child and her shark friend set out on an adventure to find the sea serpent known as the Bakunawa.

In the fictional land of Mundo, Mage lives a happy life with her sorcerer father and her friend Squalo, a talking shark, until the night when they’re attacked by a tikbalang, or part-human, part-horse creature. Papa explains that the tikbalang was sent by Ventrolio, an evil being who seeks to destroy all the Kawayan people, of whom Mage is among the last. Just before sacrificing his own life to protect her, Papa instructs Mage to find the Bakunawa, a sea serpent from Filipino folklore, who will become her guide. As Mage and Squalo seek the Bakunawa, they face more of Ventrolio’s minions and soon learn that Mundo is in danger—and that the threat is the sea serpent herself. The narrative is rich with Filipino mythology, providing enough contextual clues for readers unfamiliar with the culture to follow the story. Though the storyline occasionally touches upon serious topics, debut author-illustrator Bodegón-Hikino successfully maintains a fun, upbeat adventure with Squalo and Mage’s friendship at the heart of the story. The soft pastel color palette adds a whimsical touch to the cartoon-style artwork, and video game–inspired elements interspersed throughout offer additional appeal. Young readers will be eager for the second volume.

A delightful, fantastical duology opener infused with Filipino folklore.