Fish Tales & Rhymes

⭐Putting this post together was really about educating myself more about understanding what it means to have an East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) Heritage Month recognized in Britain through the eyes of the ESEA community.

⭐Away from the UK for more than 2 decades now, I continue to listen and compare my own experience with ESEA individuals growing up in Britain.

⭐While many of these stories are relatable, what makes these stories so much more interesting is how the narrative is delivered. Compared to twenty years ago, today there is a huge sense of pride about being culturally different to their peers growing up.

⭐Individuals have managed to harness their difference to stand out from the crowd. Through sheer drive and a hard work ethic passed on from their immigrant parents along with a sense of ingenuity, the list of movers and shakers from this community continues to grow.

⭐Cultural heritage is being embraced from within the individuals themselves. To belong to two or more cultures is like wearing a badge of honour. And so they should.

⭐I am optimistic about what the future holds for my children. My journey of creating an immersive multilingual environment for my boys is a lifelong journey.

⭐Hopefully, my boys will one day see that Fish Tales & Rhymes is a testament of my commitment to this mission. ♥️

These words here couldn't be any truer. I've always been fascinated by the world's plethora of languages and their connection to culture and heritage. It also explains my decision to pursue languages through my education. While in my younger years, I felt incredibly shy about using them in real life settings, years of living overseas taught me to come out of my shell - eventually feeling less afraid of making mistakes or being conscious of what people would say.

The occasions that I have mispronounced words and phrases using slightly different tones and where my sentences have subsequently meant something entirely different and in some cases offensive are numerous. Just ask my native Mandarin speaking colleagues, friends and my sons' teachers at the time!

What I have discovered is that to speak a language to someone that you may not be native to takes courage. It breaks down any invisible barriers that may exist. It puts his guard down making him feel more ready to let you in. The feeling of being welcomed into her world couldn't feel any more gratifying.

🧟‍♀️🎃🧟‍♂️🐈‍⬛
Welcome to the Chinese equivalent of Halloween!

Someone I read put it quite nicely that planning the Hungry Ghost Festival / 中元节 / zhōng yuán jié is like throwing a party for invisible guests.

Folklore has it that on this day, the gates of hell of the afterlife are thrown open for ghosts to freely roam the earth in search of food, entertainment and mischief. Hungry ghosts represent all of our greed, which is said to be linked to to our sorrows and disappointments in life.

Depending on which Chinese community you are part of, here are some Dos and Don’ts of things to prevent hungry ghosts from causing trouble at your door:

DO:
🏮 DO have a family dinner that also welcomes ghosts.

👻 DO burn joss paper at the altar. Joss paper is the equivalent to money in the afterlife. It helps to calm the wandering spirits.

🏮 DO make or purchase a paper lantern and float it down a river on the last day of August. (You are lighting a path home for your invisible guests).

👻 DO offer ghosts at the altar food like:
-uncooked rice
- peanuts
- uncooked noodles
- unpeeled fruit
- meat that’s uncut

👻 Ghosts also get thirsty so don’t forget to offer them tea and rice wine!

DON’T:
☠️ DO NOT go swimming. (Water spirits reincarnate).
☠️ DO NOT hang your clothes out to dry
☠️ DO NOT turn your head if somebody calls your name
pick up anything off the ground!
☠️ DO NOT wear red
(or else you are drawing too much attention for spirits to come).
☠️ DO NOT stand under a tree or a bus stop.
(It's their favourite places to hang out!)
☠️ DO NOT place your chopsticks vertically in a bowl!
(Ghosts might mistake it as an offering and come your way!)
☠️ DO NOT take pictures or videos at night!
☠️ If you see, hear or smell anything strange, IGNORE it!
(It might be that the ghost is nearby and you don't want to acknowledge them!)

What superstitions do you have during the Hungry Ghost Festival? Share in the comments below!

I was fortunate enough to be invited to a Bring-Your-Own-Book (BYOB) with Kidlit South East Asia forum recently. Kidlit authors, bloggers and book enthusiasts from all over gave us a window into their childhood by selecting a book they felt had a huge impact on who they are today. We were also given the chance to share a book that we would have loved to have read as a child had it been available.

As a first time participant, it was eye opening to see the selection of kidlit literature available in the countries that respective speakers had access to.

If I had one takeaway that I went home with that day was that being British-Born Chinese schooled in London, the nation's capital sure could have done with children's literature that made children like myself feel more at ease with their cultural heritage and identity. The selection of books that fellow speakers raised in countries including Burma, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore had read as a child seemed to better culturally represent and resonate with their readers more than what I and others like myself read as a child.

Fast forward a few decades, my journey as both a bilingual musical board book creator and parent has helped me discover a growing trend of kidlit books that speak more to an audience with a south east Asian (UK) / Asian American heritage (US) - particularly in the US.

But there is still much work to be done. Now based in the UK, it would be an aspiration to see my two boys (from a third culture and of mixed heritage) one day, be able to walk into their local library, have access to a list of celebrated authors who have written books that not only speak to their interests but also contain characters that can connect to their own personal narrative culturally.

❤️ Thank you .bookclub for inviting me to an engaging discussion. The passionate and authentic voices heard made the event so much more meaningful. There was definitely something therapeutic about being able to share and listen to everyone's experience on a subject that brought us together.

😂 I'm always amused by how sounds of animals differ between countries.

🐷 I picked a few animals out based on entertainment value but also to give you a sneak peak of some of our animal illustrations that are featured in our bilingual board books of nursery rhymes in Mandarin.

Do you have an animal sound that always made yourself laugh?

Don't forget to pre-order your copy of the Fish Tales & Rhymes bilingual board books in Mandarin TODAY!

⭐ Enjoy 8 songs in each book as you listen to each of the rhymes with our built in sound bar.
⭐ Books are designed for non-native Mandarin speakers. They provide pinyin, Chinese and English to follow along with your little one.
⭐ Reminisce your childhood with these classic nursery rhymes and poems.

Pre order from our website: www.fishtalesandrhymes.com

Have you ever wondered what your zodiac animal symbolizes in Chinese culture? Even animals that didn’t make it to the race down the river in the hope they would earn a place in the zodiac system also represent a virtue that we often would like to be associated with.

Fish Tales & Rhymes’ bilingual musical board book of Nursery Rhymes About Animals feature eight adorable songs in Mandarin. These songs are sung by children not only to learn Chinese but also to bring joy into their pre-school classrooms and build a special bond between family and child.

A built-in sound bar for your little one to push and listen to as they enjoy the book, these interactive books also provide Chinese, English and pinyin so that non-native Mandarin speakers can follow along with their little one.

What is your child’s favourite animal and what does it symbolize in Chinese culture?

Pre-order your copy today: www.fishtalesandrhymes.com
Illustrations by Lisa He
Vocal artist by Elim Hung
Created by Angelina Wong-Jardin

for kids

I love that my eldest picked out this book at the local Cambridge library earlier this week. Not only was it bilingual in Mandarin and English, but I was impressed that he recognised the Berenstain Bears immediately as one of the first stories about a family who he remembers as uniquely American in his eyes. A classic family of bears who deal with topics relevant to both children and parents, there was something that clearly drew Gabriel in. Perhaps, he misses his life back in Texas. Whatever emotions that he is experiencing during this transitional time, I hope that like any other parent, we will continue to uplift our children, support their strengths and weaknesses and empower them to be successful.

Looking for books about family? Pre order a copy of Fish Tales & Rhymes’ Nursery Rhymes About Family today. A bilingual musical board book of catchy songs in Mandarin dedicated to family, sing along with your loved ones. Enjoy eight songs accompanied with cute illustrations that includes fun cultural references. Pinyin, Chinese and English translations are provided so that even non-native Mandarin speakers can follow along too.

When was the last time you took the time out with your little one and really spent quality time with them? Here's to a day dedicated to making time and really listening to those around you. What better time to do it than over bedtime stories. Perhaps over a book where you can both enjoy a favourite nursery rhyme in Mandarin together.

When was the last time you took the time out with your little one and really spent quality time with them? Here's to a day dedicated to making time and really listening to those around you. What better time to do it than over bedtime stories. Perhaps over a book where you can both enjoy a favourite nursery rhyme in Mandarin together.

Happy World Listening Day. ❤️❤️❤️

As we re-adapt our lives in this new chapter of our journey, I'm super excited about finding activities not only to keep my two active boys entertained but also have them connected with their heritage cultures and languages. I have still yet to explore what Cambridge has to fully offer over the next few weeks. Whatever the outcome, I’m optimistic that with the city’s energy along with the social and cultural activities it boasts, our summer will be yet another fun adventure to come.

The opportunity to celebrate the act of giving something away, couldn’t be more fitting in my life right now.

Having spent the past month or so preparing for our departure from the US back to the UK, we were able to use this time to declutter. The process also made us realise the many impulsive decisions we made over the years purchasing material things that only ended up at the back of cupboards or had been forgotten that we had it in the first place.

I think we may all be guilty of contributing to the world’s carbon footprint thanks to our consumerist tendencies to some degree.

📚 (Purchasing books however, don’t count. There is something virtuous about accumulating books but that’s a discussion for another day!)

❤️People who say that the act of giving is better than to receive is on point. It’s the comfort of knowing that items I did a miserable job of utilizing can now serve someone else better.

🫂 Aside from giving things away, I also wanted to acknowledge Giving Away Something Day for the friends who I have met throughout my life. The simplest acts of kindness are what really defines, friendship and love - at least in my eyes.

🦃 An invitation to the home of a friend who we only just met to celebrate our first ever Thanksgiving in Texas.

🤒 Dropping off jars of home flu remedies (Elderberry and Congee) on our doorstep when myself or my children were sick

💐 Taking my kids for a night so the husband and I could enjoy a date night that we’ve not had in years

👩🏻‍🏫 Receiving guidance and sharing experiences from a community of other KidLit authors

I think the overall “can-do” and “I believe” attitude in life are just some of the acts of kindness that has a left deep impression on me during my Dallas chapter. To have friendships like these and to be part of a community that cares is an incredible feeling like no other.

Although a little late in posting this since the occasion took place on July 15th, Happy Giving Away Something Day!