Written by Adarna House Staff
This piece is part of a series of short essays commemorating Adarna House's 45th Anniversary. This second article explores how Adarna House grew from a promising project into a publishing pioneer.
Aklat Adarna began as a theory: that is to say, it was not a guaranteed thing that producing children’s books under a mental feeding program would make the impact that we now know it has. The experiment could have produced a conclusion that publishing high-quality children’s books would not be sustainable. It’s too difficult to find good material; distribution across the archipelago is too expensive; the struggling Filipino family wants food and cash, not books.
Each decade of Adarna House’s history has entailed an experiment aiming to argue against the above presumptions. The testing and theorizing has not stopped over the past 45 years, and as a result, Adarna House has pioneered several products and practices in Philippine children’s book publishing.
This is a look back on that history of firsts and how Adarna House has always endeavored to prove that children’s book publishing can be sustainable, high-quality, and adamantly nation-first.
A Hunger For Books
Adarna House’s origins as Aklat Adarna, a project under the Nutrition Center of the Philippines (NCP)’s mental feeding program, are well-known. What’s less known is just how much of a gamble it was at the time. But the program’s originator, Louie Lagdameo (Finance Officer of the NCP), and the first Adarna editorial team of Rio, Boy, and Bimboy (or Virgilio Almario, Perfecto Martin, Jr., and Victor Peñaranda) believed in how necessary the program was. To them, it was not a matter of “can this work”, but “we must make this work”.
And so in 1980, Adarna House published its adaptation of the classic Ibong Adarna as a children's picture book and it sold over 100,000 copies. Soon after, international recognition began to trickle in. In 1983, Roberto Alonzo and Jose Tence Ruiz's Beberoca received an Honorable Mention at the Biennial of Illustration Bratislava (BIB), proudly showcasing Filipino talent on a global stage. The decade closed with Ang Kamatis ni Peles winning the first PBBY-Alcala Prize in 1985, a resounding affirmation of excellence in both storytelling and illustration.
The first experiments: a resounding success.
There Is A Market
The 1990s continued this upward trajectory. In 1995, Alamat ng Ampalaya by Augie Rivera and Kora Albano became the first PBBY-Salanga Prize-winning finalist. A year later, Papel de Liha brought home the Manila Critics Circle Award, Adarna House’s first major literary award from a national body, solidifying its place in the broader literary landscape. International recognition followed once more in 1998, as Sundalong Patpat earned Second Prize in the Noma Concours for Picture Book Illustrations, highlighting the exceptional talent of Filipino creators to global audiences.
Adarna House ventured into fresh formats and embraced new audiences. The new decade started strong with Si Ching na Takot sa Dilim winning the Gintong Aklat Award for Best Children’s Book in 2000. In 2001, Adarna House bravely ventured into young adult literature, publishing its first teen novellas, which swiftly garnered the Pilar Perez Medallion for Young Adult Literature.
This period also saw the nurturing of future storytellers and the emergence of innovative new imprints. The Barlaya Writing for Children Workshop was established in 2002, a crucial step in fostering the next generation of writers. That same year, Adarna House launched Anino Comics, its graphic novel imprint, debuting with Arnold Arre’s After Eden. A significant partnership began in 2003 with the Bright Minds Read (BMR) project alongside DepEd–NCR and Ronald McDonald House Charities, introducing 17-inch-tall "big books" designed for teachers to read aloud to classrooms.
Eventually, Adarna would also pioneer “board books” (durable books with thick pages that children can easily handle) in the Philippines. The first of these was The World Around Me (Red & Green) in 2008.
Innovation, Advocacy, and a Digital Leap
The 2010s marked a period of heightened innovation, recognition, and social impact for Adarna House. Award-winning titles like Araw sa Palengke and Just Add Dirt received honors at the First National Children's Book Awards in 2010, ushering in a new decade of literary excellence. In 2012, Adarna House made a significant contribution to literacy programs in public schools by launching WiKAHON, the first leveled readers in the Filipino language. That same year, But That Won’t Wake Me Up! garnered recognition from the Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards.
The following year brought international acclaim once more when Naku, Nakuu, Nakuuu! won the prestigious Peter Pan Prize from IBBY Sweden, cementing its place as a global favorite. In 2014, Adarna House brought its stories to life on screen with "Kuwentong Adarna," the first television series based on its books, which was broadcast on the Knowledge Channel. This was also a pivotal year for its social mission, as the Adarna Group Foundation, Inc., its non-profit arm committed to literacy advocacy, was established.
In 2015, several titles, including Ano’ng Gupit Natin Ngayon?, Haluhalo Espesyal, Diego and Marie, and Sandosenang Kuya, were recognized at the Samsung KidsTime Authors’ Awards. By 2018, Dead Balagtas Tomo 1 swept multiple awards, including the National Book Award for Best Graphic Literature, a testament to the power of visual storytelling in exploring shared history and identity
The same year, Adarna House embraced the digital age with the launch of Buribooks.com, a digital library featuring Filipino picture books, making its stories more accessible to Filipino children worldwide.
In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Adarna House diversified its offerings by launching Apop Books, an imprint for English translations of Korean self-help titles, starting with the widely loved I Decided To Live As Me. In 2022, it released the #NeverAgain book bundle, reaffirming its vital role in fostering critical thinking and historical awareness among young readers.
Sustainable, High-Quality, Nation-First
Today, as Adarna House celebrates its 45th anniversary, its story is far from over. It is a narrative of constant evolution, deeply rooted in the belief that children’s books are not just bedtime stories but powerful tools for fostering empathy, imagination, learning, and ultimately, nation-building. From its humble beginnings with pocket-sized picture books to globally recognized titles, award-winning graphic novels, digital libraries, and crucial curriculum partnerships, Adarna House has consistently moved closer to its mission: to empower Filipino children and families through stories that speak their truths and spark their dreams.
The story of Adarna House continues in upcoming essays. Like and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to catch the next release.