Juan and the Asuangs: A Tale of Philippine Ghosts and Spirits

by José Aruego

A young Filipino boy makes the best of a bad situation in order to rescue his village's dogs and chickens from the terrible Asuangs, or jungle spirits.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1973

About the author

Jose Aruego's books for young readers have earned the applause of critics, teachers, librarians, and parents -- as well as the affection of children everywhere. Mr. Aruego's comic animals are immediately recognizable as they cavort through clear, vibrant landscapes, carrying out the action that the simple text has set in motion. It is a style one reviewer has termed illustrative mime.

Jose Aruego was born in the Philippines, where he studied law and became a member of the Bar. But after practicing briefly, he decided to come to the United States to study graphic arts and advertising at Parsons School of Design in New York City. After graduation, he worked in adver-tising before taking up the demanding job of cartooning for The Saturday Evening Post, The New Yorker, Look, and other magazines. Every Wednesday I would go to the cartoon editor with fifteen or sixteen drawings in hand, from which he might select one for publication. The tension was terrible, because selling cartoons was how I made my living. But I learned a lot from the rejected work, so it wasn't a waste.

The sink-or-swim experience of drawing cartoons was how I learned to make the most of a small amount of space. Both abilities have helped him in his career as a children's book author and illustrator, which he began with the publication of The King and His Friends in 1969.

Although he is known for his amusing characters, Jose Aruego takes writing and drawing for children very seriously. After more than three dozen books he feels he is still learning his craft and getting to know his audience. Each project teaches me something new and makes mea better artist. Each book brings me closer to children. From the popularity and appeal of Jose Aruego's books, it is obvious that he has both the artistic skill and the imagination to reach the world of children. His work has a distinctive rhythm, and his humorous animal characters have a gaiety and playfulness that children adore.

I have found from making appearances at schools that when kids draw for themselves, most of them like to make funny pictures. So I show them how to draw an alligator. It's a simple drawing and the teachers tell me that after my visit, Aruego alligators show up all over the school.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Falling asleep on the back of his carabao one afternoon, a young Filipino boy finds himself transported into the nearby jungle in this charming picture book from Filipino-American author/artist Jose Aruego. There he must confront the asuangs—the ghosts and spirits of the Philippines—that his Lola (grandmother) had warned him about. Guided by her advice on how to conduct himself, Juan manages to safely get through encounters with a Kapre (a sort of cigar-smoking tree giant), a Tianak (a vampiric creature that disguises itself as a baby), and a group of Batibats (bamboo spirits). Eventually he finds himself confronting the fearsome Mananangal, the predatory creature that has been stealing all of the dogs and chickens in his barrio. Able to separate itself from its lower half, the Mananangal is off raiding when Juan arrives, and that clever boy (who knows to listen to his Lola!) devises a way to injure it, upon its return, and thereby save all the captive animals...

I have encountered and enjoyed Aruego's work many times before, both in the artwork he has created for other authors' picture-books—Robert Kraus' Leo the Late Bloomer , Joseph Bruchac's How Chipmunk Got His Stripes , etc—but Juan and the Asuangs is only the second of his own picture-books, after A Crocodile's Tale: A Philippine Folk Story that I have read. I am glad that I finally picked it up, as I found it quite engaging, appreciating the glimpse of various creatures from Filipino folklore, all previously unknown to me. The artwork was colorful, and had a cartoon-like style that wasn't precisely to my taste, but which worked well with the story. I finished the book wanting to read more about all of the creatures mentioned, so perhaps I need to track down a larger anthology of folklore from the Philippines. I'd also like to track down more of Aruego's books. Recommended to young folklore lovers, as well as to any picture-book readers looking for stories with a Filipino cultural background.

[Erma Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm looking for a copy of this book since this has
made a big impression on me when I was young. I hope to read it to my son.

[Lib 5030 Group 5]

E ARU

[Ashley]

Children's Fiction