On 8 February, in conjunction with The Peranakan Museum's Straits Sunday event, we had the first public reading of Stacey Goes to the Peranakan Museum.
I thought it would be appropriate to wear a sarong kebaya for the event, and it turned out to be a good decision, because it became a prop and was handy in explaining to the children the different elements of the traditional costume of a Nonya. My outfit was on loan to me by a friend - I'm not Peranakan actually, but I'm always happy to be adopted into its culture!
Here are some pictures from the event. Thank you to those who came, and to The Peranakan Museum for hosting me! The book is retailed at the gift shop in the museum, True Blue Shoppe as well as at Museum Label gift shops.
Photos courtesy of The Peranakan Museum and Salmon Sim.
The kids were a great audience! They had just completed the museum tour and so they could link what they had seen with the book.
This is the 'lightbulb' moment: When kids realise the story is about the very place they are in! That's when their minds start racing and they start connecting the dots.
Claire had clever questions to ask me.
This is Claire trying on a sarong kebaya. You get to do this when you visit the Peranakan Museum on Straits Sundays.
This is little Haruka. I had actually done a reading of Maxilla at her pre-school in December last year. Her mother told me she wants to read Maxilla every night! So encouraging.
Morgan and Eden's family have lived in Singapore for many years, and it heartens me to see expats getting to know our local culture.
A museum staff getting a book for his daughter.
And lastly, for those of you who have kids asking you about the character Mei, and the statue - Yes, she does exist. The sculptor of these statues is Chern Lian Shan. The scuplture highlights three generations, the old man, the little girl and a middle-aged woman (not seen here) who is on the second story of the building.