Review by BRIGITTE ROZARIO

 

TIMELESS TALES OF MALAYSIA
Retold & Illustrated by Tutu Dutta
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish

This book is a must-have for everyone.

There are stories about princes, princesses, faeries and regular villagers. There are even a few Nenek Kebayan in the stories.

Some of the stories will sound familiar and some will be new – all are tales that are sourced from around Malaysia. And, by that we really mean Malaysia, because it has stories from the north to the south and even Sabah and Sarawak.

The stories are short with lovely illustrations. Most of them have a moral to them and all of them are entertaining.

The stories are Princess Trailing Hair-knot (Puteri Sanggul Berjurai), Princess Hidden Moon (Puteri Lindungan Bulan), The Tanjung Blossom Faerie (Puteri Bunga Tanjung), Seri Nara's Choice (Pilihan Seri Nara), The Kelumpang Tree Child (Puteri Pucuk Kelumpang), The Unnamed Princess (Puteri Tupai), Split Stone, Hollow Stone (Batu Belah, Batu Bertangkup), Sembilang of the Rice Fields (Sembilang Kuala Sawah), The Woman Who Was Cursed (Cik Siti Tanah Masyor), The Magic Urn (Jelenggai) and The Gift of the Winter Melon (Dewi Labu Kundur).

At the start of each folktale we are even told which state it originates from.

Tutu Dutta and Marshall Cavendish have outdone themselves with this beautiful book.

Being a collector of children's books, I can say that it is on par with some of the best children's books that are available today.

This is not only because of the wonderful stories and the way they are written. Reading this book is like listening to a veteran storyteller who knows how to keep you interested in the story right till the end. Such care has also gone into making sure that each time you turn the page there is a new illustration to look at.

Often with Malaysian children's books you will find the illustrations are a standard size from page to page or there aren't enough illustrations or the characters don't look Malaysian enough.

This is where Tutu Dutta and Marshall Cavendish have excelled – the characters in the drawings look very Malaysian (the stance, the features and even the gestures) and the illustrations vary in size, sometimes spilling over to the next page with the words wrapping around the drawings.

I also liked that the paper used for the book looks like old or recycled paper, adding to the charm of the old folktales.

This is a lovely book and it really is a must-have in your collection of books. It is more suited for upper primary children so if your child is too small, buy it and keep it for her/him.

If your child is in secondary school but into folktales, then buy it for them anyway.

Can you tell, I really liked this book?

* A 20% discount will be given to readers interested in purchasing this book. All you have to do is call, write in or email the order to Marshall Cavendish.

Call Michelle at 03-5628 6928, or email michelle@my.marshallcavendish.com; or call Mei Li at 03-5628 6806, or email meili@my.marshallcavendish.com.

Alternatively, write in to Michelle or Mei Li at:
Marshall Cavendish (M) Sdn Bhd
(General & Reference Publishing)
Bangunan Times Publishing
Lot 46 Subang Hi-Tech Industrial Park
Batu Tiga 40000 Shah Alam
Selangor Darul Ehsan
Malaysia.
03-5628 6933 (fax)

The discount is valid for two months from the date of this review.