Set in a rural kampong (‘village’ in Malay), where homes were still made of plant material and children still played in rivers, a young boy meets a stray dog. The dog is shunned by others, but the boy and the dog enjoy a pleasant companionship as they live and play in the village. Crisis occurs in the community and the boy and his family is saved by the brave dog. I like that the story doesn’t end there, the family goes on to rebuild their life together.
Besides giving children a visual insight into how people used to live (the illustrations by John Lim are wonderful and heartwarming), this book also teaches compassion and the need to look beyond superficial features- of dogs and humans alike. It’s a great springboard for lots of important (but fun!) discussions with your kids.
This story is inspired by a painting Life by the River by Liu Kang, who was born in China in 1911 but came to Singapore in 1937. Painted in 1975, Life by the River depicts life in the kampongs around Singapore at that time. The painting is reproduced at the end of the book as a reference, together with more descriptions of kampong life in Singapore.
This would make a great read for all kids, but also a thoughtful gift for animal lovers, and anyone who has given a space in their hearts and homes to a stray who became family.
The Lonely Boy and the Ugly Dog was written by Eliza Teoh, with Illustrations by John Lim. Published by Bubbly Books Pte Ltd.
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