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, The Takeout, and her YA novel This Is Not a Personal Statement, covering topics like popularity, anxiety, cultural pressure, and belonging. She shares advice for aspiring authors to find writing community.You can find information about Dr. Elisabeth Paige at www.mindfulhappykids.com.