Lulu Sinagtala and the city of noble warriors

First Title Value for Searching:

Personal Author:

Villanueva, Gail D.

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

345 pages ; 22 cm.

Series:

Lulu Sinagtala and the Tagalog gods ; 1

Genre:

Fantasy fiction.

Summary:

"Lulu Sinagtala can’t wait for a fun Christmas break. She’s excited to hang out with her sister, Kitty, and best friend, Bart; to reenact her favorite legends from Tagalog folklore (like the amazing tale of Bernardo Carpio); and, of course, to eat as much yummy street-side inihaw as possible! But when a vicious wakwak attacks her neighborhood and kidnaps Mom, Lulu discovers the creatures and deities of Tagalog myth are real and that two additional Realms exist beyond our own. To make it worse, Lulu has superhuman strength and the ability to wield magic, meaning she's the only one powerful enough to stop the evil spirit who’s determined to rule the three Realms at all costs. No pressure, right? Lulu, Kitty, and Bart set off on a quest to rescue Mom, where they outsmart cunning enemies, battle vengeful beings, and form unlikely alliances. Soon they find themselves swept into a centuries-long fight, unraveling secrets about Lulu and her past that threaten to upend everything and throw the whole universe into chaos. Can Lulu muster the strength (superhuman or not) to find out who she really is and who she can trust to save Mom and the three Realms before it’s too late?" --publisher's website.

Subject Term:

Mothers and daughters -- Juvenile fiction

Kidnapping -- Juvenile fiction

Friendship -- Juvenile fiction

Magic -- Juvenile fiction

Animals, Mythical -- Juvenile fiction

Mythology, Philippine -- Juvenile fiction.

Imaginary wars and battles -- Juvenile fiction.

Filipinos -- Juvenile fiction.

Audience/Lexile:

Interest age level: Ages 8-12.

Interest grade level: Grades 3-7.

Publication Info:

New York, NY : Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, [2024]

Subject:

Mothers and daughters -- Juvenile fiction

Kidnapping -- Juvenile fiction

Friendship -- Juvenile fiction

Magic -- Juvenile fiction

Animals, Mythical -- Juvenile fiction

Mythology, Philippine -- Juvenile fiction.

Imaginary wars and battles -- Juvenile fiction.

Filipinos -- Juvenile fiction.

Fantasy fiction.

Filipino mythology

Mythology, Filipino

Philippine mythology

Imaginary battles

Wars and battles, Imaginary

Philippinos

Pilipinos

SAILS ISBN:

9780063255364

Available:

Library	Shelf Number	Shelf Location	Status
Searching... Mattapoisett Free Public Library	JMREAD VIL LULU #1	NEW CHILDREN BOOK	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Norfolk Public Library	JF VILL LULU V1	CHILDREN FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Plympton Public Library	JF VIL	CHILDREN FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Raynham Library	JFICTION VIL	CHILDREN FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Somerset Public Library	Y VILLANUEVA GAIL D.	CHILDREN FICTION	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Taunton Public Library	J FIC VILLANUEVA #1	NEW CHILDREN BOOK	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

In this fast-paced, thrilling middle grade fantasy rooted in Tagalog mythology, a young Filipino girl discovers realms beyond our own full of monsters and gods, a terrible evil who wants her magic, and even a talking duck! The first book in a duology from Gail D. Villanueva (My Fate According to the Butterfly) that's perfect for fans of Tristan Strong and Aru Shah.

Lulu Sinagtala can't wait for a fun Christmas break. She's excited to hang out with her sister, Kitty, and best friend, Bart; to reenact her favorite legends from Tagalog folklore (like the amazing tale of Bernardo Carpio); and, of course, to eat as much yummy street-side inihaw as possible!

But when a vicious wakwak attacks her neighborhood and kidnaps Mom, Lulu discovers the creatures and deities of Tagalog myth are real and that two additional Realms exist beyond our own. To make it worse, Lulu has superhuman strength and the ability to wield magic, meaning she's the only one powerful enough to stop the evil spirit who's determined to rule the three Realms at all costs. No pressure, right?

Lulu, Kitty, and Bart set off on a quest to rescue Mom, where they outsmart cunning enemies, battle vengeful beings, and form unlikely alliances. Soon they find themselves swept into a centuries-long fight, unraveling secrets about Lulu and her past that threaten to upend everything and throw the whole universe into chaos. Can Lulu muster the strength (superhuman or not) to find out who she really is and who she can trust to save Mom and the three Realms before it's too late?

Reviews (3)

Publisher's Weekly Review

All 11-year-old Luningning Sinagtala wants is "an ordinary life" in the Philippines with her adoptive Chinese Filipina mother and sister Kitty, also 11, in this high-energy exploration of Tagalog mythology, strong relationships, and self-identity by Villanueva (Sugar and Spite). But their physical differences ("My being dark and flat-nosed means I'm not 'pretty'") and her epilepsy make her feel like the odd one out. And when strange things begin happening to Lulu that other people don't seem to remember afterward--such as her single-handedly stopping a truck from hitting her and Kitty--she feels even more at odds with her family. As enchanted creatures descend upon her community, seeming intent on finding and targeting Lulu, she realizes that the Tagalog myths she learned about in school are real, and that she's been chosen by the Anito, or the spirits, to wield their power to protect the universe. Laugh-out-loud humor and a plethora of pop-culture references add contemporary sparkle to this vividly imagined and riveting fantasy adventure starring a charming protagonist whose quick wit and loyalty, as well as love for those around her, make her easy to root for. Ages 8--12. (Jan.)

Kirkus Review

A Manila tween learns of her magical powers in this duology opener steeped in Tagalog mythology. Lulu has always known that she was adopted; the physical differences between her and her Chinese Filipina mother and sister, Kitty, are clear. Lulu's painfully aware that to the outer world, her darker skin and hair, flatter nose, and shorter stature make her "not 'pretty,' " unlike them. Still, Lulu and Kitty, both 11, are extremely close. Lulu's inner circle also includes best friend Bart and supportive adult friends. But her life is suddenly shattered by a violent earthquake, the revelation that she's a salamangkero (someone with the power to "save the universe from falling into chaos"), and the kidnapping of her mother by a wakwak, a sharp-toothed flying creature. It also emerges that Lulu's adoptive and chosen family are deities and that Bart is an aswang, or were-dog shape-shifter. They're all trying to protect her from malicious spirit Maligno, who seeks to bring chaos to all three Realms: the Upperworld, the Middleworld, and the Underworld. Lulu, while trying to make sense of everything and explore her new powers, must now rescue her mom. Readers will be completely immersed in the book's fantastical and culturally and historically rich world, which features inclusive representation; Lulu's bisexuality is naturally woven into her characterization. Villanueva deftly balances complex worldbuilding, plot twists, and moments of levity while touching on serious themes such as colonization. Rich in adventure, intrigue, and magical fun. (author's note, glossary) (Fantasy. 9-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

This latest middle-grade novel from Filipino writer Villanueva is inspired by the legends of her childhood. Eleven-year-old Lulu lives with her adoptive family in Silanganan Village, a subdivision of Manila. After an earthquake erupts, Lulu starts seeing some recognizable creatures from Philippine mythology, like the tikbalang, wakwak, and aswang. Lulu and her sister, Kitty, must rescue their mom after she is taken by a wakwak. Villanueva's fun fantasy adventure takes us on a quest through the urban landscape of metropolitan Manila and includes details of street life in Silanganan: aromatic food vendors, high-speeding bucket trucks, and sari-sari stores. Tagalog words and phrases are sprinkled throughout the book and add to the overall atmosphere and world building. There's plenty of humor in this story, and it also touches on epilepsy and adoption in mixed-race families (Chinese and Filipino). A good pick for fans of Rick Riordan--style mythological fantasies, especially those who liked Erin Entrada Kelly's Lalani of the Distant Sea (2019) or Tracy Badua's Freddie vs. the Family Curse (2022).