Bunso Meets a Mumu

Valdez draws on Filipino folklore he learned from his own family to create a fun, mischievous tale for young readers. He works Tagalog terms into the text seamlessly, and Bunso’s narration reads in an authentically childlike voice. Valdez’s comic-style drawings are reminiscent of Cartoon Network programs but also have the sensibility of Bill Watterson’s “Calvin and Hobbes,” particularly in its depiction of the instant friendship between Bunso and misunderstood Mumu. Children struggling with fears of monsters under the bed may be comforted by Mumu’s adorableness.A fantastic entry into the kid-and-monster-friendship subgenre. – Kirkus Starred Review

Rev Valdez is a Filipino-American illustrator based in Brentwood, CA. He’s passionate about introducing readers to the myths of Filipino culture through fun, funny and visual storytelling.