Children’s Books from Southeast Asia
My Night in the Planetarium
Innosanto Nagara
From the author/illustrator of the bestseller A is for Activist comes My Night in the Planetarium, a high-adventure, true story from his childhood in Indonesia. The thrill of spending the night in a museum is the capstone to a story ultimately about free speech, political progress, and artistic defiance. Featuring Inno’s gorgeous art style recognizable from A is for Activist, Counting on Community, and his joyous activism, My Night in the Planetarium cleverly and humorously combines history, geography, politics, and activism in an adventure story of childhood wonder, political resistance, and familial connection.
Seven year-old Innosanto’s father, a famous Indonesian playwright, is in trouble with the government for his newest play’s unfavorable portrayal of governmental power and corruption. After a rousing performance at a large theater complex which also houses the Jakarta Planetarium, Innosanto’s father manages to sneak out of town to avoid arrest while Innosanto and his mother spend an exciting night sleeping under the stars in the Jakarta Planetarium.
A beautiful introduction to the history and culture of Indonesia, My Night at the Planetarium is an engaging, thought-provoking starting point for a discussion of colonialism, political corruption, and artistic resistance.
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Am I small? ໂຕຂ້ອຍນ້ອຍບໍ?: Children’s Picture Book English-Lao/Laotian
Philip Winterberg (Author), Nadja Wichmann (Illustrator), Bouakeo Sivilay (Translator)
Bilingual Edition English-Lao/Laotian
“Am I small?” – Tamia is not sure and keeps asking various animals that she meets on her journey. Eventually she finds the surprising answer…
Malaysian Children’s Favourite Stories
Kay Lyons (Author) and Martin Loh (Illustrator)
Malaysian Children’s Favourite Stories is collection of folk tales drawn from the rich treasure trove of legends and historical stories in the lush Southeast Asian nation of Malaysia. This story book contains a fascinating collection of tales of brash animals, brave villagers and of course handsome princes and beautiful princesses, all set in strange and exotic locations. These stories are widely retold and much beloved by children and adults throughout Malaysia to this day.
Retold for the first time here for an international audience, the beautifully illustrated tales in this story book will give children insights into the traditional culture and rich natural environment of Malaysia.
Norma Olizon-Chikiamco (Author) and Mark Salvatus (Illustrator)
**Winner of the Carlos Palance Memorial Award for Literature**
A heart-warming story of a young Filipino girl who builds self-confidence after spending a day with her classmates, Pan de Sal Saves the Day: A Filipino Children’s Story is an award-winning inspiring tale for young children everywhere. It’s the story of a young girl named Pan de Sal who lives in the Philippines and thinks she’s the unluckiest girl in the whole world. Aside from not liking her own name and finding her appearance strange, she doesn’t have all the fancy things her classmates have. She can’t even muster the courage to try out for the Glee Club, even though she has a beautiful voice.Things change suddenly when an unexpected event forces her into the limelight. With her innate talent and resourcefulness, Pan de Sal wins admiration of her classmates and finds the confidence she needs to fulfill her dreams.
For anyone who has ever felt like an outsider or experienced adversity, Pan de Sal Saves the Day teaches children to see the unique qualities in everything and everyone, even themselves.
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