IMPACTING the lives of the young has been something dear to her heart when author and publisher Datin Josephine Yoong wrote her first book, ‘Timmy Tapir Learns to Do What’s Right,’ in 2012.
At the core of this children’s book lies a powerful message about integrity, and the importance of cultivating the right values in children.
“What I really want children to learn is that integrity is doing what is right even if nobody is looking.
“My heart is basically to see the next generation of leaders arise with integrity to serve the nation.
“Somehow, I was led to delve into nation-building through this book,” Yoong told Buletin Mutiara in a recent interview at Precious Pages, her bookshop located at 19b, Codrington Avenue in Pulau Tikus.
The book has also been translated into Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese.
The choice of a tapir, a black and white endangered Malaysian animal, as the central character in the book, is particularly fitting as it has no grey areas, or compromise when it comes to matters of integrity.
In the book, Timmy, the tapir, embarks on a journey to meet different animals and seeks their perspective of what it means to do what is right.
“When he meets the different animals, Timmy discusses a range of values. These include doing to others what you want others to do to you, showing respect to teachers, honouring parents, speaking the truth, giving one’s best effort, and serving the poor.
“Of the values discussed, my favourite is the concept of loving and serving the nation. In the end, all the characters in the book spell out the word ‘INTEGRITY,’” she said.
How did she become an author?
One evening, Yoong experienced a profound calling to write her own children’s book on integrity which is close to her heart.
At that time, she was in the process of editing a book for a Singaporean author for publication by her company when that calling to write her own narrative for younger children strongly came upon her. The Singapore author’s book was aimed at pre-teens, emphasising good moral values.
Yoong did not set out to be an author or publisher when she moved from Kuala Lumpur to Penang following her marriage to a cardiologist from Sabah in 1997. Four years earlier, she had graduated from the University of Melbourne, obtained her CPA while working at KPMG and successfully completed her MBA with the University of Hull.
Her primary focus then was and still is on educational toys after the birth of her first child 25 years ago.
“When I had my first child, I was very interested in educational toys for children. I read about brain stimulation using flashcards and all that.
“Then, I got connected with an individual in the toy business. Later, her partner left the country, so she was stuck with all these toys.
“I really love playing toys with my children. Then, when I assisted in selling the toys, the response was overwhelming. Mothers were delighted and we sold out everything.
“From there, I realised this is my current interest because of my children, and the shared enthusiasm of other parents for educational toys.
“So, I began to import other educational toys and sell them from home. Collaborating with other parents, we also started baby groups, mother-toddler groups and all that. Then, in 2006, I felt I wanted to have a shop for educational toys.
“I have always had an interest in business, that is why I did my MBA. What I was passionate about then was educational toys.
“It was also a good way to meet other mothers and for my child to play with other children because I was new to Penang at that time,” said Yoong, whose mother hails from Hong Kong.
Yoong’s toy business flourished, and mothers began to inquire about parenting books. So, she began to bring in parenting books, followed by some children’s books, leadership books, Christian books and general books.
After operating her shop in Lorong Selamat in 2006 for some years, she decided to relocate to the current venue at Codrington Avenue about three years ago.
“We know we cannot compete with all the big bookshops, so we focus on Penang books, and publications by local authors.
“I think in this shop we may have books by about at least 60 different local authors. I feel a lot of bookshops don’t highlight the local authors.
“I want to highlight local authors because I believe many have come up with wonderful works. I believe in telling local stories because there is so much richness in our heritage and culture,” Yoong explained.
Among the showcased books are works by renowned Penang-born Tan Twan Eng, Malaysian billionaire Robert Kuok, Hannah Yeoh, Youth and Sports Minister; and Yeo Bee Yin, former Minister of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change, and by local authors on Penang Hill and Peranakan culture.
Yoong expressed her eager anticipation for the arrival of Kuching-born Nadia Mikail’s debut young adult novel ‘The Cats We Meet Along The Way.’ The novel has catapulted her to literary stardom after winning the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2023.
“Through my son, I got the chance to meet her and I congratulated her. I told her I was so proud that she won an international award, and it was her first time writing a novel,” Yoong said.
Earlier in 2006, Yoong, alongside her friend, Krista Goon, co-founded WomenBizSENSE to nurture and grow women entrepreneurs in Penang. Starting with just a few members, the organisation has grown to over 130 strong. They meet regularly for networking and educational learning related to business, as well as building friendships amongst like-minded women and doing community impact projects together.
In June 2022, Yoong, Goon, together with Emi Yamazaki, a long-time Japanese resident in Penang, launched a book, titled ‘Step-In.’ This collaborative effort, supported by the state government through the Penang Women’s Development Corporation, showcases the stories of 24 notable women in the state.
In the toy section of the bookshop, Yoong features works from about 10 different local inventors, many of them women.
“During the pandemic, a lot of the businesswomen lacked platforms to showcase their products. So, we made a space here, where we promote their products ranging from coconut powder, coffee, essential oils, Penang tea towels to ginger products and chocolates,” Yoong said.
Among the unique items are those crafted by an autistic boy who painted them, with his mother aiding in transforming them into attractive products, like umbrellas. Additionally, the shop highlights products from a South African woman living in Penang, showcasing her creativity through vibrantly painted seashells.
Furthermore, Yoong’s shop serves as a venue for various speakers from all around the world, including business leaders.
Last year, the shop hosted the International Women’s Day talk, featuring Datuk Judy Cheng Hopkins, a Penang woman who held one of the highest-ranking positions among Asian women in the United Nations. During the event, some young girls were recognised and awarded for their outstanding performances in a coding competition.
Yoong presently manages three companies: Precious Ones, focusing on educational resources such as toys and educational tool, including smartboards; Precious Pages, specialising in books, gifts and publishing; and Precious Star, an education company with partners in KL where they recently produced their first comic book, titled ‘Fintegrity.’
“Through this book, we teach students finance and character. We have developed our own FINTEGRITY board game to teach them budgeting, entrepreneurship, passive and active income, and the importance of sharing with the poor. We don’t sell the board games, we run board game workshops,” Yoong added.
According to Yoong, Precious Pages has to date published over 30 books for various authors, 80 per cent of whom are locals.
“Publication is a tedious process, but what I appreciate is that whatever is bursting in these authors, we are helping them to give birth so that their message can go to a wider audience. That, to me, is the essence of publication,” she said.
One of her joys in publishing, Yoong told a gathering at TEDx talk before, involved a book featuring drawings of an autistic boy accompanied by poems written by his sister.
“Angelina grew up with an autistic brother. She composed poems that gave insight into the inner world of an autistic person. When I saw his drawings, I was just captivated. They were not only precise but they conveyed all the emotions expressed in his sister’s poems. She loves him so much and I felt compelled to publish it for them.
“Our creative team came up with this concept. The word, AUTISTIC, seems like a handicap, a weakness, but with one stroke of a letter (change), it becomes (ARTISTIC) a gifting, a strength. So, when Frankie held that book in his hand when it was printed with sheer joy on his face, it was all worth it,” Yoong shared with the audience.
Precious Pages has also been the publisher for books authored by Roger Cowdrey, known as August Moon, an international consultant and children’s author.
This week, Cowdrey is in Penang to narrate the tale of his fourth book in the Malaysian Squirrel series, titled ‘The Mission of the Malaysian Squirrel: To Stop the Taman Negara Feud’, to students of a few schools in Penang.
He will give talks at Stonyhurst International School today, ESOL Learning Centre tomorrow, and Dalat International School on March 7.
While Precious Pages does publish ebooks, Yoong says there is nothing like parents snuggling up together with their children and reading a physical book together.
She firmly believes words have the power to change lives, and all of us have the power to influence the young.
In a world where integrity seems increasingly rare in business, politics or the marketplace, Yoong stresses that teaching children to do the right thing can make a significant difference.
“Let’s plant the seed of integrity in their hearts. I believe we will see game-changers. I desire to see a generation of future leaders who will do what is right,” Yoong concluded.
Her shop is open daily from 10.30am to 6.30pm, except on Sundays.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Siew Chia En