Kaia Santos and her family live near the beach in California, where the fun of moviemaking surrounds them. Kaia loves playing with makeup and creating special effects, turning her friends into merfolk and other magical creatures.
This summer, Kaia and her friends are part of a creative arts camp, where they’re working on a short movie to enter in a contest. The movie is inspired by the Filipino folktales that her beloved Tatang, her great-grandfather, tells. Tatang lives with her family and is like the sparkle of her special-effects makeup. When Tatang decides that it is time to return to his homeland in the Philippines, Kaia will do anything to convince him not to go.
Kaia is a loveable character. She has a close relationship with her family and friends, especially her beloved Tatang, her great-grandfather. It is perfectly reasonable that Kaia doesn’t want him to move back to the Philippines. They have been close her whole life. Of course, she doesn’t want him to leave her. I wish I had had as close of a bond with my grandparents as a kid.
I loved learning about all the Filipino culture, traditions, superstitions, and folklore. You would think that having a Filipino dad, I would relate more to this story, but sadly, that is not the case. I’m not close with my father’s Filipino side of the family. I went to family events growing up, but less over time. They didn’t know how to socialize with me, and I wasn’t great at socializing with people in general. Anyway . . .
The story is a bit too slow-paced for my liking. The kids don’t start filming their movie until halfway through the book.
Overall, this was an enjoyable story that highlights the importance of family.