Monkey Tales from Bali by Maggie Dunkel

I have been involved with children and their books all my adult life; as parent, writer, bookseller, and especially as children’s librarian, where over many years I helped hundreds of young people find the books they wanted. Books they would enjoy trying to read. Moving to Bali, I was shocked to discover that Balinese children have no books they can call their own – no books with large print and many pictures set in their own lovely island, with familiar scenery, familiar
faces, familiar life experiences. So I decided to do something about it. I and my publisher, Saritaksu Editions, created the ‘Clean Bali’ Series of large format, full colour, bilingual picture books which focus on the problems of pollution – especially plastic – and what children can do about it. Penyu dan LumbaLumba (Turtles and Dolphins) and Burung Camar dan Kokokan (Seagull and Heron) are available through bookshops and nearly six thousand copies have been donated to schools across the island. A third title will be published later this year. Now we have embarked on a new project; books specially written for young beginning readers. The series Ayo Mahir Dwibahasa! (Let’s be bilingual!) will be affordable paperbacks in a smaller, more easily handled format, with large print and lively illustrations at every opening, and a bilingual (Indonesian/English) text. They will be suitable for young people learning to read either English or Bahasa Indonesia. And about living in Bali. We expect to launch the first title, Cerita Monyet dari Bali (Monkey Tales from Bali), some time later this month. Watch out for it! And for the many more lively stories jostling each other to be next!

About the Author and Illustrator:
Asroel
Born on 7 June 1979 in Jember, east Java, Muhammad Asroel came into this world with only one limb and right foot.  At a very young age he started to use his right foot to carry out his daily activities, as well as to paint. After finishing school, he decided to move to Yogyakarta in 1998, to earn a living by painting portraits and writing Islamic Calligraphy. He is now married to Anna, and they have two children, Mandala and Bintang. Asroel was accepted as a student of AMFPA, the worldwide Association of Foot and Mouth Painting Artists, in March 2008, and it has taken him only three years to become an Associate member.

Tanggal 7 Juni, 1979 di Jember, Jawa Timur, Muhammad Asroel dilahirkan dengan hanya satu anggota badan, kaki kanan. Pada waktu masih kecil dia memulai menggunakan kaki satu-satunya untuk melakukan segala kegiatan, termasuk melukis. Setelah tamat sekolah, dia pindah ke Yogyakarta tahun 1998, untuk bekerja sebagai pelukis potret dan penulis kaligrafi. Sekarang dia telah menikah pada Anna, dan mereka telah dikarunai dua anak, Mandala dan Bintang. Asroel dapat diterima sebagai pelajar di AMFPA, organisasi dunia Pelukis Kaki dan Tangan, pada bulan Maret 2008, dan kini telah menjadi Anggota.

Maggie Dunkle

Maggie Dunkle is an award-winning Australian children's author now living in Bali. She believes that young Balinese children should have access to books that are attractively illustrated, easy to read, and reflect their own culture and environment. She is the author of the "Clean Bali" series of picture books. "Monkey Tales" is the first book in the new Nature Series of illustrated, bilingual, (English-Indonesian) stories for beginning readers.

Maggie Dunkle adalah sesorang penulis buku anak-anak yang telah meraih penghargaan di Australi dan sekarang tinggal di Bali. Dia percaya bahwa anak-anak di Bali seharusnya muda dapat buku yang cantik, mudah dibaca, yang mencerminkan kebudayan dan lingkungan mereka. Dia menulis Seri buku ilustrasi warna"Clean Bali". "Monkey Tales" adalah buku pertama di Seri Alam, suatu seri buku terilustrasi dan dwibahasa (Indonesia-Inggeris) untuk bacaan anak-anak yang baru mulai membaca.