'Super Maya': Children’s book series shines a light on the lives of hard of hearing kids and the power of inclusion

Filipino author and hard of hearing advocate Bambi Rodriguez empowers children with hearing loss through her bilingual Super Maya book series in English and Filipino.

Filipino author and hard of hearing advocate Bambi Rodriguez empowers children with hearing loss through her bilingual Super Maya book series in English and Filipino. Credit: Lourdes School Mandaluyong as supplied by Bambi Rodriguez

Award-winning Filipino author Bambi Rodriguez is taking her empowering Super Maya series beyond the Philippines, with a recent stop in Sydney. The books aim to champion inclusion, especially for hard of hearing (HOH) children, by sharing relatable stories that celebrate diversity and bravery.


Key Points
  • Filipino author Bambi Rodriguez is among the recipients of the 2024 Kids’ Choice Award at National Children’s Book Awards for her 'Super Maya' children’s book series.
  • The book follows 4-year-old Maya, who is hard of hearing (HOH), as she navigates her new school and learns to make friends along the way.
  • Rodriguez aims to empower children with hearing loss through her bilingual Super Maya book series in English and Filipino.
  • In her recent visit to Sydney, she donated few copies of her book series at the Max Webber Library in Blacktown NSW.
Rodriguez is proudly taking her book series beyond the Philippines, recently visiting Australia and New Zealand, aiming to inspire and connect with audiences around the world.
Rodriguez is proudly taking her book series beyond the Philippines, recently visiting Australia and New Zealand, aiming to inspire and connect with audiences around the world. Credit: SBS Filipino and supplied by Bambi Rodriguez
A special education teacher by profession, the Manila-based author draw from her personal experiences as a person with hard of hearing (HOH) since childhood.
A limited copies of Super Maya series are now available at the Max Webber Library in Blacktown City, adding to their Filipino collection within the Multicultural section.
A limited copies of Super Maya series are now available at the Max Webber Library in Blacktown City, adding to their Filipino collection within the Multicultural section. Credit: Blacktown City Libraries (Facebook)
I’ve been hard of hearing since childhood, but I never talked about it—I just learned to live with it. As I got older, hearing became harder, and I realized it was also affecting the people around me. Many don’t understand that being HOH isn’t just about turning up the volume—it’s more complex than that.
Bambi Rodriguez, book author

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'Super Maya': Children’s book series shines a light on the lives of hard of hearing kids and the power of inclusion | SBS Filipino