Bedtime stories turned into children’s books by Hong Kong mother who found diverse representation lacking in kids’ literature
- When the pandemic meant Conny Wong could not go on holidays with her family, she decided to write a book instead and take them on imaginary trips through Asia
- Wong’s books also tackle what she considers to be a lack of diversity and Asian representation in mainstream children’s literature today
Conny Wong had big adventures planned for her little family. Then the pandemic took hold. But shattered itineraries haven’t stopped Hong Kong-based Wong and her children – Nathaniel, four, and two-year-old Charlotte – from travelling the world a little differently.
“The kids hop on my bed and we take imaginary trips across Asia,” she says. “One day we’ll be weaving through Bangkok’s bustling traffic on a tuk-tuk, the next on a bike exploring Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temples.”
Other days, she says, are spent flying a magic carpet over India’s Taj Mahal or trekking through the jungles of Borneo.
The storytelling ritual became the inspiration for Wong’s children’s book, Mama’s Bedtime Tales and the Wonders of Asia, which was released this month.
“It’s the perfect pandemic book about family love and childhood imagination,” says Wong, adding she also wanted to showcase the region’s cultural and natural landmarks.
Wong’s journey into children’s literature began by chance, the pandemic having opened up a learning experience that inspired her to dip her foot into the world of publishing.
The books helping kids cope with Covid-19 and natural disasters
Before that she was immersed in Pepper & Mint, a children’s label she founded in 2018 that features shoes and blankets handcrafted by artisans in Indonesia.
The brand was on a roll, boosted in 2020 by the inclusion of its handmade shoes in the decadent swag bags given to guests at the Academy Awards.
“After the Oscars, orders came flooding in,” says Wong. But a few months later Covid-19 swept the globe, disrupting the production and supply chain. “I was dealing with a whole new level of stress and anxiety.”
As a coping mechanism, she channelled a childhood dream to write and last year released I Love You, Little Dumpling, the first book published under the series “Mini Love Tales”. “It’s an extension of a poem that pays homage to my children. When they were young I called them Little Dumplings – and of course we love eating dumplings!”
But the book has a powerful message that transcends sentimentality. “There’s a lack of diversity in the characters and authors behind most mainstream children’s literature, so I wanted to celebrate Asian representation in literature,” she says.
In June, the book was selected as a read-aloud by Britain’s Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, the first time a Hong Kong-based author has been featured on the royal’s YouTube channel, “Storytime with Fergie and Friends.”
The timing was crucial.
“Anti-Asian violence was at an all-time high so I hope more parents pick diverse stories to tell their children to foster greater cultural empathy and acceptance,” Wong says. “Telling stories about diverse families, written by diverse authors, broadens the horizons of children and families all over the world.”
Wong’s third book, I Love You, Little Boba, a heartwarming love poem celebrating Asian culture, was this month launched on crowdfunding platform Kickstarter.
