Tejido’s latest picture book, Mermaid vs. Unicorn, launched this Manila International Book Fair 2025 (MIBF), a follow-up of his 2024 title with Tahanan Books, Robot vs. Dinosaur. 

The idea for Mermaid vs. Unicorn came from a more personal place—his two daughters, now aged 7 and 15. Watching them at home, he noticed a funny kind of sibling rivalry that sparked the story’s concept.

“Even though there’s a big age gap, they still compete. If I ask one to do something, the other will somehow get in the way. It was ridiculous but so real,” he recalls. “As an only child, I never experienced that. But now as a parent, I suddenly understood it—and one way I deal with it is by turning it into a book.”

Last July 15, 2025, the National Children's Books Day filled the air with imagination, hope, and powerful stories. Advocates for children's literature, storytellers, artists, and educators gathered to celebrate the importance of reading in shaping an empathetic, creative, and free-thinking generation. The annual event, held every third Tuesday of July, honors the publication of Jose Rizal's The Monkey and the Turtle—and continues to celebrate stories that help children imagine a brighter future.