A review by gae
Any Day with You by Mae Respicio

emotional funny inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Kaia lives with her family near a beach in California, and she loves playing with make up and special effects, turning her friends into magical creatures of the Philippines that her great grandfather used to tell her. Her great grandfather, Tatang, has lived with Kaia and her family all her life, until he broke the news that he'd return to his homeland, the Philippines for good. Kaia thought that she would do anything to convince him to stay by making a short movie inspired by the Filipino folktales that he used to tell her. 

This is a sweet and cute book, and although I've read the synopsis that Tatang would be leaving for his homeland, the journey towards it had me bawling until the end. This is written by Mae Respicio, a Filipino-American author which explains why this book is rich in Philippine folklore, myths, and even traditions and food. Despite living in another country, Kaia and her family value the Filipino culture of extended family. This book also tackles creativity and determination to excel in what you love. I don't have any memory of my great grandparents, but this book especially Tatang reminded me of my maternal grandfather whom I called Tatay (tatang and tatay mean father in Filipino). He was a reader and a storyteller too. And he was always that grandparent who loved and found joy being around his grandchildren.