The Serpent Rider by Yxavel Magno Dino
Bloomsbury Children’s Books
With roots in Filipino folklore, The Serpent Rider by Yxavel Magno Dino is an original and intriguing middle-fiction fantasy. Yxavel is now based in Sydney and has written a discerning piece about her novel below.
Please note that The Serpent Rider is published in Australia on 7th January 2025.
Thank you for speaking to Joy in Books at PaperbarkWords blog, Yxavel.
Guest author post about The Serpent Rider by Yxavel Magno Dino
Even before I knew how to read, I was always surrounded by stories. I was born in the Philippines, a country which according to legend is home to all sorts of fantastical creatures. My family loved to tell me magical tales whether they were heartwarming or downright terrifying. One of the more memorable stories was about the looming mountain behind our village, where my great-great-grandfather once slayed a monster—as family tradition goes. I always enjoyed hearing about Filipino myths and legends. Cultural stories are so important because, more than just being entertaining, they help us understand how the world works. And perhaps more importantly, our place within it.
When my family left the Philippines to move to Sydney, I left those monsters behind—or so I thought. In Sydney, I quickly discovered I had to face battles that were just as scary as monsters. I was in a completely new country, about to start at a brand-new primary school, where I knew absolutely no one in my class. My family’s stories had prepared me to fight Filipino ghosts and vampires, but how was I supposed to get through this?
I’ve heard some people say that they don’t like reading fantasy adventure because it’s unrealistic. After all, there’s a slim chance that a fire-breathing dragon will suddenly appear at your doorstep. But that’s the exact reason why fantasy has always been my favourite genre to read. Because even though the heroes lived in magical worlds, they also faced problems that were very similar to mine. And if they could defeat dragons, then that meant I could win my own battles too.
When I finally tried my hand at writing books, I wanted to create a story that combined the fantastical and the real. A story where the characters fought deadly monsters as well as the most difficult battle of all: finding out who you really are and who you’re meant to be.
The Serpent Rider is an epic fantasy adventure about Tani, a young warrior who’ll do anything to become the hero of her village, which means slaying the fearsome sea serpent that swallowed six of the world’s seven moons. But when she makes a big mistake that leads to her little sister getting kidnapped, Tani has to fight her way through a dangerous land inspired by Filipino folklore to save her—and discover who she truly is along the way.
Like Tani, we all have our own journeys to embark on, and all of us make mistakes whether big or small. My hope is that The Serpent Rider will inspire young readers to not only want to learn more about Filipino culture, but also inspire them to become the heroes of their own stories and find their own ways to make their marks on the world.
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