Having been married to a British national and now raising her three sons in London, I will not be surprised to know that she has changed her citizenship from Filipino to British. This being her first novel makes me agree with one of the blurbs that she is an author to watch. It won the Crystal Kite Prize for Europe and the National Book Award in the Philippines.Ĭandy Gourlay truly loves the Philippines and it just shows in this book, Tall Story.

Her debut Tall Story was listed for 13 prizes including the Waterstones, the Blue Peter and the Branford Boase. Shine a ghost story for teens was shortlisted for the Guardian Children's Book Prize. Her picture book, Is It a Mermaid, lushly illustrated by Francesca Chessa, was nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal. Her novel Bone Talk was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and the Costa Prize in 2019 – it is set in the moment when headhunting tribes in the Philippines come face to face with American invaders. She has written a comics biography Illustrated by Tom Knight of the explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who happens to be credited with “discovering” the Philippines. Her latest book is Mike Falls Up, illustrated by Carles Ballesteros, a portal fantasy for young readers beginning to explore beyond picture books. It took her years to learn that Filipino stories too, belong in the pages of books.

Growing up, she wondered why books only featured pink-skinned children who lived in worlds that didn’t resemble her tropical home in Manila. Happy goodreading!Ĭandy Gourlay was born in the Philippines, grew up under a dictatorship and met her husband during a revolution. Hello Goodreaders! If you'd like news about me and my books, do check out my website where I blog now and then, or subscribe to my profile on Instagram.

Tall Story by Candy Gourlay