Must-Read | BLEAGH! A Book about Values

Recently, I got reacquainted with my childhood friend, Leana Doray. We went to the same primary school together, before she left to pursue her studies overseas. I always remembered her as someone who was brilliant with English and humanities, and I somehow thought she would write a book one day. Lo and behold, that one day DID come because she just released her first book, BLEAGH! A book about values. Seriously, maybe I should change jobs and be a fortune-teller haha

BLEAGH! A book about values is a beautiful introduction to a series of 6 titles with full colour illustrations by a local children's illustrator, Little Pink Pebble. It was born from almost a decade of educating {and being educated} by curious young minds. I was very intrigued by Bleagh, the protagonist of the story, and ask Leana for her inspiration behind the book and monster character. She said that the impetus for writing the books stemmed from the fact that when she was teaching, she was unable to find a children's book that discussed the values she wanted to highlight to the students. Leana wanted to have a piece of literature that she could use as a starting point for discussion about values such as emphathy, tolerance and integrity because to her, educating a child means helping to shape caring and responsible global citizens.

A monster was chosen as a main character because they are more visually appealing. She also wanted to set him apart from the rest of the human students to reinforce the idea of what it is like to be unique, as it is something many children can relate to now that families move around the world so often.

Indeed, Bleagh captured Lil Pumpkin's attention very well as she does like weird and unusual characters :P I like that the book highlights that it's ok to be different, it's ok to be unique because life values such as emphathy, tolerance, cooperation, appreciation and integrity are more important than outward appearances. These values are all introduced in the book in a fun, easy-to-understand manner against visually stimulating backgrounds. When reading with Lil Pumpkin, I related the scenarios back to her own experiences in preschool and at social gatherings. She's already familiar with the concepts of the values, as we've been instilling them in her since young, but now I feel that it's reinforced even more each time we read the book. It is still too difficult for her to read the book on her own as a 4 years old, but I think it's more enriching when we read together anyways.

These values are important not just to a kid, but to any adult as well. To be kind, respectful and considerate. If more adults remembered these simple values, we won't be facing so much troubles on our MRT trains and our poor mascot for Singapore Kindness Movement, Singa, won't have to resign... agree?

I'm very proud of my friend Leanna, and can't wait for the other books in the series to be out. The other 5 books will be released over the next 14 months {last one will be in June 2014}, and the second book is currently being illustrated. BLEAGH! A book about values is definitely a must-have in your home library if not for your kid who's going to make a difference in this world, but for yourself.

The book is currently available at Kinokuniya and Times bookstores, priced at S$12. It will soon be available as an eBook through Amazon, Barnes and Noble and the iBookstore. Do check the book's Facebook page or website for updates. You can even download a book study there filled with questions and activities for before, during and after reading BLEAGH! A book about values.

* Disclosure: Leana Doray provided Bleah! A book about values  for review. No monetary compensation was received, and all opinions are my own.

Tweet

Pin It