FlexiLingo
Author Tracy Badua on Filipino Folklore, Friendship, and Writing Middle Grade & YA
Dr. Elisabeth Paige welcomes middle grade and YA author Tracy Badua to Mindful Happy Kids to discuss her contemporary and contemporary fantasy books that weave in Filipino folklore, humor, mystery, and heartfelt moments. Badua explains differences between middle grade and YA, her path from legal writing to fiction, and why Filipino American voices and folklore matter, including intergenerational dynamics, identity, and community. She discusses co-writing the baking mysteries The Cookie Crumbles and Their Just Desserts with Alicia Dow, including research, representation, and themes of friendship. Tracy summarizes Thea and the Mischief Makers, Freddy vs. the Family Curse, Ghoul Summer...
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B2 · Upper-intermediate
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- 84% of the words are B1 or easier.
- 148 words a minute: a natural pace.
- 191 harder words (B2 and up) in the whole episode.
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Your books are dramatic and fun, and all kinds of adventures and
. ?
Yeah, absolutely. I'm so glad that you enjoyed them. I am Tracy Padua. I write middle grade
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Is this episode right for you?
B2 · Upper-intermediate
Comfortable if you already follow TV news
- 84% of the words are B1 or easier.
- 148 words a minute: a natural pace.
- 191 harder words (B2 and up) in the whole episode.
Transcript
The opening of the episode. The whole transcript is in the player.
harder words (B2+)
Mindful Happy Kids, created and narrated by Dr. Elizabeth Page, consists of interviews with children's authors and poets and illustrators, musicians of all types, and yoga and mindfulness practitioners. Dr. Page, who also reads from her own children's books on compassion, gratitude, mindfulness and yoga. The puppy and Dr. Page practice
meditations or pet-centered meditations, which are recorded as part of the videos. Hello, Tracy Padua. Welcome to the show. Hello, thank you for having me.
Your books are dramatic and fun, and all kinds of adventures and folklore and food and I just love them. Can you take a couple minutes to introduce yourself? Yeah, absolutely. I'm so glad that you enjoyed them. I am Tracy Padua. I write middle grade and young adults and you gave such a complimentary description of those books, but it is, I write
That was the opening. The rest of the episode (72 min) is in the player: every word clickable, with translation, saved words and flashcards.
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