Yvette Fernandez

Fernandez's first book, Haluhalo Espesyal, was illustrated by Jill Arwen Posadas and published by Adarna House in 2006.{{cite web | url=https://adarna.com.ph/products/haluhalo-espesyal | title=Haluhalo Espesyal | website=Adarna House }} In 2012, then-Philippine President Benigno Aquino III read the book to fourth graders at the Teodora Alonzo Elementary School as part of A Day of Reading, in observance of National Reading Month.{{cite news | url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/314237/storyteller-aquino-treats-kids-to-halo-halo | title=Storyteller Aquino treats kids to 'Halo-Halo' | newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer | date=27 November 2012 }}

Aquino said he could relate to the main character, Jackie, because he was loved by his late parents and grandparents. "All of us need to be loved. We will achieve much if all of us will love and support each other," he said, according to a report in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.{{cite news | url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/314237/storyteller-aquino-treats-kids-to-halo-halo | title=Storyteller Aquino treats kids to 'Halo-Halo' | newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer | date=27 November 2012 }}

Three years later, Haluhalo Espesyal was one of the grand prize winners in the inaugural Samsung KidsTime Authors' Award (SKTAA), the first print-to-digital book awards in Southeast Asia. The results were announced during an awards ceremony at the Asian Festival of Children’s Content (AFCC) organized by the National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS).{{cite web | url=http://www.asiatoday.com/pressrelease/37-winning-entries-inaugural-samsung-kidstime-authors%E2%80%99-award-be-turned-digital-apps | title=37 winning entries of the inaugural Samsung KidsTime Authors' Award to be turned into digital apps | website=Asia Today }}

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021,Haluhalo Espesyal was used to train storytellers at 52 so-called "Book Nooks" in remote areas across the Philippines so indigenous people could have access to books.{{cite web | url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/lifestyle/artandculture/812662/52-all-pinoy-reading-storytelling-spaces-launched-to-promote-filipino-books-stories/story/| title=52 all-Pinoy reading, storytelling spaces launched to promote Filipino books, stories | website=GMA Network | date=29 November 2021 }}

The Embassy of the Philippines in Canada also gave away copies of the book to Canadian children of Filipino descent through its ABAKADA Atbp. book program in 2021, as the embassy was unable to conduct its regular summer programs due to the pandemic.{{cite web | url=https://ottawape.dfa.gov.ph/index.php/2016-04-13-06-16-59/news-from-the-embassy/2045-philippine-embassy-brings-back-abakada-atbp-book-program| title=PHILIPPINE EMBASSY BRINGS BACK ABAKADA ATBP. BOOK PROGRAM | website=Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs }}

In 2012, Fernandez wrote Big John, illustrated by Abi Goy, the first book in the imprint Dream Big Books by Summit Books, a division of Summit Media. It tells the rags-to-riches life story of billionaire John Gokongwei Jr.{{cite web | url=https://www.summitmedia.com.ph/news/life-story-of-john-gokongwei-jr-revealed-via-a-children-s-book | title=Life story of John Gokongwei Jr. revealed via children's book | website=Summit Media }}

Maia's Birthday Party, the story of an adopted child who celebrates her birthday at the orphanage where her friends still live, was illustrated by Nicole Lim and published by Adarna House in 2012.{{cite news | url=https://lifestyle.inquirer.net/229319/games-treats-also-mark-read-alongs-9th-year/| title=Games, treats also mark Read-Along's 9th year| newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer | date=21 May 2016}}

Socorro Ramos, the founder of National Book Store, the Philippines' largest book store chain, was the subject of Fernandez's second Dream Big Book, Nanay Coring, illustrated by Liza Flores. Ramos, an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awardee, was so poor as a child, she had to take on odd jobs to buy supplies for school.{{cite web | url=https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2012/10/13/859044/life-times-nbs-nanay-coring-kiddie-book | title=The life & times of NBS Nanay Coring in kiddie book | website=Philippine Star }}

The book was soon followed by Ninoy, Cory, and Noynoy, illustrated by Abi Goy, and part of the Dream Big Books series by Summit Books. It told the story of the late former Philippine senator Benigno Aquino Jr. his widow, Corazon Aquino, later the first female Philippine President, and their five children, including their only son, the late President Benigno Aquino III.{{cite web | url=https://www.smartparenting.com.ph/life/news/dream-big-books-releases-the-story-of-ninoy-cory-and-noynoy?ref=feed_1 | title=Dream Big Books Releases the Story of Ninoy, Cory, and Noynoy | website=Summit Media }}

Simply Jesse, the fourth title in Summit Books’ Dream Big Books series, is the story of Jesse Robredo, the late Secretary of Local Government of President Benigno Aquino III. It's the story of Robredo's life as a family man and public servant till he died in a plane crash. His widow, Leni Robredo, later became Vice President of the Philippines.{{cite web | url=https://www.rappler.com/life-and-style/literature/36766-simply-jesse-edsa-book-reviews/ | title=Not just for kids: 'Simply Jesse' and 'EDSA' | website=Rappler | date=19 August 2013 }}

Princess Lea, the story of Tony Award-winning actor Lea Salonga, written by Fernandez and illustrated by Nicole Lim was launched in 2013, as another Dream Big book. It tells Salonga's story starting from when she auditioned for a role in "The King and I" at six years old.{{cite web | url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/11/18/13/leas-life-story-turned-childrens-book | title=Lea's life story turned into a children's book | website=abs-cbn.com }} It won the Filipino Readers Choice Award for Children's Picture Books in 2014.{{cite web | url=https://www.goodreads.com/award/show/11235-filipino-readers-choice-awards | title=Filipino Readers' Choice Awards Winners | website=Good Reads }}

Fernandez's next Dream Big book released in 2015 was What's Ap? The Story of apl.de.ap the story of Filipino-American member of the group, the Black Eyed Peas. Illustrated by Ray Sunga, the book started singer’s humble beginnings in Angeles, Pampanga.{{cite web | url=https://r3.rappler.com/entertainment/news/116200-apl-de-ap-book-the-voice-black-eyed-peas | title=Apl de ap on new book, Christmas in PH, Black Eyed Peas comeback | website=Rappler | date=18 December 2015 }}

In June 2018, Fernandez and illustrator Isabel Roxas discussed their children's book Life Is Good: A Tale of Two Elephants published by Anvil Publishing at the AsiaStore of the Asia Society in New York.{{cite web | url=https://asiasociety.org/new-york/events/life-good-yvette-fernandez-and-isabel-roxas| title=Life Is Good With Yvette Fernandez and Isabel Roxas | website=Asia Society }}

In August 2018, Fernandez launched the same book at the Writers' Bar of the Raffles Hotel Makati.{{cite web | url=https://mb.com.ph/2018/08/20/a-tale-of-two-sisters/ | title=A Tale of Two Sisters | website=Manila Bulletin }}

The Manila Bulletin described the book as "the story two elephant sisters, one a stuffed toy and the other a glass display, both belonging to a little boy. Naturally, because of how different these two elephants are, the little boy doesn’t play with them in the same way. The stuffed toy elephant gets to go places, while the glass elephant just stays in place, on a table inside the little boy’s playroom. Though different, both are still elephants, and that’s why they consider themselves sisters."{{cite web | url=https://mb.com.ph/2018/08/20/a-tale-of-two-sisters/ | title=A Tale of Two Sisters | website=Manila Bulletin }}

In 2019, Anvil Publishing released Good Morning, Manila! and Good Night, Manila!, a pair of books illustrated by Nicole Lim, that take the readers around the City of Manila.{{cite web | url=https://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/the-latest-news-features/80338/good-night-manila-good-morning-manila-yvette-fernandez-books-a4362-20191224 | title=These Children's Books Are Here to Remind You That Manila Is A Beautiful Place | website=spot.ph }}

"I'd like to think that these books will resonate with Filipinos all over the world who have happy memories about Manila. I want these books to be a source of nostalgia and pride for them," Fernandez told spot.ph.{{cite web | url=https://www.spot.ph/newsfeatures/the-latest-news-features/80338/good-night-manila-good-morning-manila-yvette-fernandez-books-a4362-20191224 | title=These Children's Books Are Here to Remind You That Manila Is A Beautiful Place | website=spot.ph }}

Yorme! The Life Story of Isko Moreno, written by Fernandez and illustrated by Ray Sunga, was published by Summit Books in 2021. It tells the story of how a garbage scavenger from Tondo went against all odds to become the Mayor of the City of Manila.{{cite web | url=https://politics.com.ph/2021/09/19/mayor-isko-delighted-with-brisk-sales-of-yorme-book/ | title=Mayor Isko delighted with brisk sales of 'Yorme' book | website=Politiko | date=19 September 2021 }}

In 2021, Adarna House released Dancing Waters: The Story of Leni Robredo, a book on then-Vice President of the Philippines Leni Robredo, written by Fernandez and illustrated by Abi Goy. Half of the sales went to the Office of the Vice President's community learning hubs, launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to support students and shifts during the shift to distance learning.{{cite news | url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1598100/neveragain-bundle-still-on-sale-book-on-leni-too#ixzz7f416q79e | title=#NeverAgain bundle still on sale; book on Leni too| newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer | date=16 May 2022}}

The Christmas Toys, written by Fernandez, and illustrated by Aldy Aguirre, was published in 2022, 33 years after the story was written. {{cite web | url=https://www.bworldonline.com/arts-and-leisure/2022/12/21/494218/a-33-year-process-to-see-print/ | title=A 33-year process to see print| website=Businessworld | date=20 December 2022}}

"Sometimes in the busyness of life, people forget what the first Christmas was [all about] and hopefully people remember that," Fernandez told Businessworld.

It was one of the books displayed at the Philippines booth at Frankfurter Buchmesse in 2023, the world's largest festival for books, and the London Book Fair in 2024. {{cite web | url=https://www.londonbookfair.co.uk/en-gb/exhibitor-details.national%20book%20development%20board%20nbdb.org-ed25fce2-1f5b-4f9b-a92c-e27b0f122306.html#/ | title=National Book Development Board| website=London Book Fair | date=March 2024}}

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Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Filipino women writers

Category:Filipino children's writers

Category:Writers from Manila

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)