Author and journalist KRISTYN MASLOG-LEVIS bonds with her daughter through storytelling.
The need to write my first children’s picture book, The Dragon and the Lizard, didn’t arise until my daughter was old enough to appreciate books.
I started to think about old songs, old rhymes and old stories my parents used to tell us as kids so I could pass it on to her. Then I remembered this one story Mama used to tell us over and over again.
Like most people in the Philippines, we grew up with very little money. So Mama had to be resourceful and tell story after story from memory. The Dragon and the Lizard was one of our favourites and by the time we grew up, we’ve memorised how it went.
I initially planned to create the book just for my family, so I can keep that one story alive for my daughter. But after some consideration, I decided to try and expand the plans especially after I found out about the various ways you can self-publish your books these days.
So I wrote the book the way I remembered it, asking my parents and siblings every now and then for confirmation on some of the things I’ve forgotten. After the first book was released, I wanted to do another one. This time, I wanted something that showed a real picture of my childhood.
We Have It All is a true story based on our childhood in the Philippines. The premise is that no matter how little you have, no matter what kind of hardships you’re going through, there is always a brighter side to things.
It is about our childhood years without TV, computer games, books, and toys. It is about our childhood living in a house with only half a roof and half a floor. It is about how happy our childhood was and how we need these reminders to see the good things about our lives today.
Through these books I found a way to pass my heritage through to the next generation.
Kristyn Maslog-Levis is a freelance journalist/writer, blogger and photographer based in Sydney. She previously worked as a TV reporter and radio broadcaster before delving into IT journalism. She self-published two children’s books (available on Amazon) in the last two years and is working on two novels. You can follow her on Twitter @KMLevis.