Eager to publish English short stories set in Asia, a group of expatriate authors teamed up in a children’s book, Thomas Beckham Wang and Other Stories (2006, Chameleon Press, Hong Kong, 109 pages, HK$48).
With the book’s proceeds pledged to a charity, Friends Unlimited, the publisher lured Merrill Lynch, the Conrad Hotel, Casa Mia Wines, Perrier and Clifford Chance as corporate sponsors.
“There’s a real shortage of children’s books with Asian settings,” said co-author Ellen McNally, whose story “The Dragon of Harbin” delivers poetic justice for a boy misusing the gift-of-gab.
Eleven stories, ably edited by Nury Vittachi, cover a myriad of issues from the complexities of time to the pointless adulation of pop stars. Co-author Sam Jam cleverly invents a child incapable of finishing sentences. The title story, by Maxine Shaw, probes a boy’s emotional conflict as he struggles to reconcile family obligations with a passion for soccer. Perhaps the best is “Soni’s Bicycle” by Ruchita Malhotra. Other tales come from Nirmala Nagarajan, Laura Ros, Tony Lee, Christine Morgan, Eva Ng, Shane Sakhrani and Arlene Brenda Siagian.
Thomas Beckham Wang and Other Stories stands as a noble project that pleases youngsters, stimulates imaginations, showcases talented authors and supports a worthy charity. The book flirts with high marks 11 times over, but then comes a big letdown – it’s much too short. Perhaps the authors should have provided two stories each.
Approval rating: 62 per cent.
For more information: www.chameleonpress.com.
(September 23, 2006)
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