Mango & Marmalade Stories grew from something quite personal to me as a mum.
I’m Elena, a Filipino-British mum of two living in Cheshire. As I watched my children grow up here, I started thinking about the childhood moments that stay with us. The games we played, favourite family foods, rainy afternoons, celebrations, days out and those little traditions that might seem ordinary at the time but become some of our fondest memories.
My children won’t have exactly the same childhood I had growing up in the Philippines, and that’s OK. They’re creating their own childhood here in Britain, with a little bit of both worlds along the way.
That’s where Mango & Marmalade Stories began.
Through twins Sam and Sophie, I write stories about family life, everyday adventures and discovering the people, places and traditions around us. Some are inspired by my Filipino childhood, others by life here in Britain, but at the heart of them all are those wonderfully ordinary family moments children remember.
The stories are written for children aged 4–8, whether they’re reading independently or snuggling up for a story together.
Imagined and written here in Cheshire, our stories are brought to life by illustrators in the Philippines and Italy.
Come and say hello at the market, meet Sam and Sophie, browse the books and audiobooks, take part in our map challenge and find your next family story to share.
And if you’d like to know where it all started, you can read my Positively Filipino article, The Childhood My Children Will Never Fully Know.
