Frank U. Candaso Jr. has created a whole world of work from his new children’s book “The Sihek and the Thing that was Different.”
Not only did Frank pen and illustrate a Guam kingfisher’s transformative travels in the jungle, he also created a free activity book for Mes CHamoru (CHamoru month) and a song based on his book.
“This is a story that follows the journey of a sihek never exposed to other types or ways of life. The sihek encounters ‘things’ and begins to understands differences that can be found all around, mostly in appearance and that it’s okay to look different from one another. ” Frank said. “The sihek finds value in this understanding and hopes to spread a message of positivity and embracing differences within its community.”
Frank, who is from Guam, said the story was inspired by some personal experience, but mostly through his observations. At home and in other parts of the world, he saw how people treated other people differently based on how others looked.
“Although the message of the story seems like a small concept and being different can be vague, the intent is to spread a message of kindness that hopefully has a major and positive impact,” he said.
“The Sihek and the Thing that was Different” was published in December 2020 and is a project supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, Guam Council on the Arts & Humanities Agency, the Government of Guam, and the Office of the Governor.
Frank said it felt surreal to hold the physical copy of his book for the first time and that feeling hasn’t gone away.
“I think a lot of it has to do with COVID-19 limitations and the ability to go out and promote it. Holding it for the first time was overwhelming with a sense of, ‘Hey, I did that.’ But I’m still in awe when I hear the good feedback that has come from those who have read it so far,” he said. 1
Fans of the sihek should be on the look out for more of Frank’s work. He said he hopes to do spin-offs, writing more about the other characters in “The Sihek and the Thing that was Different.”
“I just want to be sure the message of each story is something that is relevant and readers can really identify with. There are so many options to choose from but the approach is what matters most,” he said.
Frank added that he hopes readers of all ages, especially kids, gain a desire to make the world a better, safer place.
“Even the smallest of gestures can make someone’s day improve greatly, and this kindness should take place not based on how someone looks, but how someone can benefit from it,” he said.
Buy “The Sihek and the Thing that was Different” online at discoverthesihek.com. Folks on Guam can also buy a copy at the SIFA Charter School in Tiyan. It comes in hard cover, paperback and digital copies.
Follow The Sihek on Facebook and Instagram @discoverthesihek. And listen to the song on YouTube! Also follow Frank’s channel. He said he plans on doing a series about the animals in his story.
Thank you Frank for making time to answer my questions!
I enjoy “The Sihek” and I really like that Frank’s website also has facts about the animals. It’s a great resource and not just a promotional tool.
I also asked Frank what other authors he recommends people follow and read. He said:
I grew up on the series by K.A Applegate called Animorphs. Fiction/science-fiction are my favorite genres, especially Marvel comics, but reading anything and everything is great, especially for young readers. This helps with fluency, prosody,2 and really seeing the different writing styles/illustrations that are out there. Hopefully they’ll be inspired by just one.
Check out discoverthesihek.com and follow @discoverthesihek on all the socials. Buy the book!!! Also, there’s sihek-themed has, clothes and mugs for sale on the website.
Thanks again, Frank.
And thank you for reading. Write to you again soon.
Cheers,
Jasmine
I have a copy of Frank’s book. It’s really great quality. I ordered online, used my own money, did not tell Frank that I’d be purchasing anything. The ordering process was easy. My niece also likes it and she learned what an exclamation point was from it.
WOW. He’s a wordsmith! Prosody!