Lakas and the Makibaka Hotel/Si Lakas at ang Makibaka Hotel (Bilingual edition: English and Tagalog) » (English and Tagalog Edition)

When Lakas strolls through his neighborhood one sunny afternoon, the last thing he expects to find is a group of tap-dancing, drum-beating, karaoke-singing new friends. But his friends face a crisis: their home, the Makibaka Hotel, is about to be sold. They must pack their belongings and leave in 30 days. But in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood, where is there to go? Their rollicking protest against eviction becomes a clarion call to the community, but is it enough to save the Makibaka? Carl Angel’s effervescent paintings vibrate with the rich urban rhythms of city life in this second collaboration with author and poet Anthony D. Robles.

Children's Literature

A young boy struggles to save an urban enclave in Lakas and the Makibaka Hotel. Based on an incident in San Francisco, this bilingual English/Tagalog picture book revolves around the loss of an apartment building in a vibrant Filipino American neighborhood. Author Anthony Robles and illustrator Carl Angel capture the energy of the multicultural community—the rhythms of traffic and language, the neon-bright colors, the details such as laundry hung out open windows to dry. With his street musician, tap dancer and karaoke-singing buddies, Lakas paints signs and marches to protest the evictions. Says one character to Lakas, "I was afraid before, but not now. We are together, no matter what happens. In this way, we have already won." Kids will appreciate the message of unity to evoke social change while enjoying the lively writing, humor and host of colorful characters.