Let's tuck the little otter in bed and say goodnight!
Inspired by Margaret Wise Brown's classic children's bedtime book, Goodnight Moon, this story infuses the genre with a Singaporean flavour.
For early readers and their parents, caregivers or anyone reading to young children, here is a bedtime book that celebrates Singapore icons and nostalgia. Written by Burton Ong, this ode to Singaporean childhood features illustrations by his daughter Philippa.
“I thought Goodnight Crescent Moon was merely a bedtime story, that we would simply read it and be done, but I was wrong!
It turned out to be a delightful discovery!
Each time we read it, my children excitedly search for hidden symbols and learn something new about Singapore. For example, my daughter Brayden asked about 'mamak shops', 'milo bīng', and 'koon'. Thankfully, the book has a helpful glossary page that explains these terms in a way that kids can understand.
We've had fun conversations about neighborhood provision shops, shared our love for Milo bīng, and I was amazed at how quickly my kids mastered the word 'koon' after reading Goodnight Crescent Moon!
Overall, I think Goodnight Crescent Moon is a book that keeps on giving, sparking children's curiosity and encouraging them to explore beyond the pages and understanding of their own cultural identity.”
—Debbie, mother of two
“Infused with different elements that are unique to Singapore, Goodnight Crescent Moon is a beautiful rendition of the classic tale, Goodnight Moon, by Margaret Wise Brown.
Besides featuring well-loved otters, the book includes Singapore icons and nostalgia such as snacks I used to eat as a child and other common dishes such as iced Milo (more frequently ordered using the term Milo bīng), the famous dragon tiled playground and the country's first UNESCO Heritage Site, Botanic Gardens.
It's a lovely and timely read which I used to introduce to @mrjuniorpoh some of the things my siblings and I used to do as children while reminiscing about the good old times, especially as we are approaching Singapore's National Day!”
—Lyn, mother of one
“Jie Jie is amused to see objects that are relatable to her daily life like her fave food, Milo and McDonalds happy meals, appearing inside the book!
Mummy is also delighted to see childhood snacks like hawthorn flakes! When Mummy explained what the snack was to Jie Jie, Jie Jie said that she would like try it!
It's surprising to see a tiny bit of dialect inside the book, making it so truly Singaporean and Mummy had fun explaining to Jie Jie the meaning of these words.
At the end of the book, there's an activity for the kiddos to search for the shape of Singapore island hidden throughout the book. Jie Jie had lots of fun competing with Mummy to see who could find them first!”
—Eileen, mother of two
Burton Ong is an academic lawyer who teaches at the National University of Singapore. The idea for this bedtime book was germinated by his wife, Joyce, with whom he has spent many hours reading to their two children, Sebastian and Philippa (the teenaged illustrator of this book).
