THE Philippine Board of Books for Young People (PBBY) will officially recognize the best work by children’s book authors, illustrators and publishers at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) on July 16 in celebration of the 36th National Children’s Book Day, which has “Mundong Payapa para sa Kabataang Malaya” (A Peaceful World for Free Children) as its theme.

The celebration will begin at the CCP Little Theater (LT) Lobby at 9 a.m. with the awarding of the 2019 PBBY-Salanga Prize to Gabriela Lee for her creative nonfiction piece A Delicate Strength: The Story and Art of Araceli Limcaco Dans, which focuses on the young Dans’ first encounter with art and how it eventually helped her family and country in a time of war; the 2019 PBBY-Alcala Prize to graphic designer Adrian C. Panadero for his illustrations of Lee’s work; and the 2019 PBBY Wordless Book Prize to graphic artist and illustrator Nina Patricia C. Martinez for Ang Mga Sikreto ng Langit at Dagat (The Secrets of the Sky and Sea).