Summer is supposed to be my time to relax, and I have loads of ideas and books to share with you, but the last few weeks are just crazy. Today I am finally focusing enough to share a new book with you. This book shares about het life of Maria Orosa, who was a Filipino heroine. The book is Maria Orosa Freedom Fighter, Scientist and Inventor from the Philippines by Norma Olizon-Chikiamco and illustrated by Mark Salvatus. It is recommended for ages 9 to 14.
From the Publisher:
"As a food scientist, she sought to reduce the Philippines' dependence on imported food, pioneering new ways to use local products. And that was before she became a war hero." --New York TimesThis delightful children's book follows the life of Maria Orosa--a pioneering woman scientist who studied food science in the United States then returned to a war-torn Philippines and created super-nutritious foods to help her nation in a time of crisis.
A champion of native products from her homeland, Orosa is celebrated for her daring war exploits as well as her scientific inventions. Today she is honored and remembered for:
- Sneaking food into World War II internment camps concealed in hollow tubes of bamboo
- Working as an undercover agent in the underground forces fighting the Japanese occupation
- Developing new ways to preserve seasonal products in a time of grave food shortages, including making vinegar from pineapples, flour from cassava and ketchup from bananas-- all now staples on Filipino tables
- Transforming vitamin-rich rice bran, previously a waste product, into tasty disease-preventing desserts
- Organizing rural-improvement clubs, inventing the palayok or clay oven and developing delicious recipes for coconuts, soybeans and a range of native plants, vegetables and herbs
From Me:
Now I will admit I had never heard about Maria Orosa before this book. Maria Orosa is someone to admire. The book takes us from her birth, November 29, 1893 to her death in 1945 as well as her gravestone in 2020. She was buried in a mass grave with other war victims. Her love of science brought her to study in the United States. Her hard work got her a job as the assistant to the state's food inspector who was also the dean of the College of Pharmacy. She earned two degrees in food science and pharmacy. She went on to get her master's degree in in pharmacy as well. After college, she returns home. Her focus was food. She taught women to cook and about nutrition. She taught how to preserve and can food. She also came up with new ways to use local food including making flour out of cassava and vinegar out of pineapples. She and her girls came up with all sorts of new recipes to help feed the country. Maria even helped pass along secret messages when the Japanese invaded in 1941.
I love how this story shares the life of Maria Orosa with a focus on the good she did for her own country using her scientific brain. It is a wonderful story of STEM in action as well as a strong woman who made a difference for the world. She truly cared about the Filipino people and even risked her own life (and sacrificed her life) for them during World War II. However, she is a hero to her country. She put her life's work first and made sure the people of the Philippines were fed nutritionally. This book does a wonderful job explaining her life and her work. It even shares a recipe for the cookies she made to feed prisoners of war. She fed a starving country and taught them how to eat nutritionally with the local foods. Her recipes, inventions and teachings helped her country survive and fight. It is no wonder the Philippines have honored her with awards, a street named after her and more.
This book is perfect for learning about a different part of the world and history. It is perfect for a unit on the Philippines, World War II, women's history, or food science. I love how it shares the story of an amazing woman many of have probably not heard about yet. I hope you will check it out!
