On a social media post, children’s book author Carlos Cabaneros mentioned the value of culture.
“I strongly believe culture serves as a guide to the future,” the Toronto-area-based creator said.
Cabaneros was celebrating his having been featured in a Globe and Mail story about how Canadian Filipinos are striving to preserve Tagalog, a dominant native language in the Philippines.
“Looking back at history has given me a deeper appreciation of who I am and where I’m going, and I’m encouraged to share more of what I’ve learned along the way,” he said on the post.
Cabaneros is the author of a learn-Tagalog series consisting of three illustrated children’s books.
These are My Everyday Tagalog Words with Nathan & John, Learn Numbers in Tagalog: 1-100, and Learn Tagalog Phrases with Ate & Kuya.
Cabaneros published the books through his company, Kids of Today Inc.
The firm goes by the slogan, “We enrich the lives of our children around the globe by spreading love and positivity through perceptions of culture.”
The Globe and Mail piece recalled that as a kid growing up in Canada, Cabaneros was familiar only with the books written by Dr. Seuss and Robert Munsch.
He was born in Saudi Arabia to Filipino parents. English is his first language.
“But through yearly vacations to the Philippines to visit extended family, Mr. Cabaneros eventually learned to speak his heritage language, Tagalog,” the report related.
In a separate report by Philippine news agency ABS-CBN, Cabaneros indicated that Filipino kids around the world have few resources available for them to learn Tagalog.
“My main goal is to fill in that gap so kids don’t forget their roots and they always remember where they come from,” the children’s author said.
An account on the website of Kids of Today states that Cabaneros was seven when his family moved to Canada.
“Carlos has a degree in Child and Youth Care. His love for children translates into his writing and his business,” the account says.
Cabaneros works as an educational assistant at a local school.
To learn more: https://www.kidsoftoday.ca/
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