Bare Bear Media is proud to announce the launch of
Eating the Liver of the Earth
Launching on the 25th of November 2024
For as long as there have been storytellers, and listeners sitting spellbound at their feet, there have been stories of tricksters - Anansi, Brer Rabbit, Loki. They can be powerful, even frightening; or they can be cute. And when they are little, we're rapt to hear about their adventures, because they remind us that superpowers often come in small packages.
But forget meerkats! You'll love these stories about Sang Kancil - a mischievous little mousedeer, a chevrotain, from Southeast Asia. He may be small, but he can fool a huge elephant, skip across a bridge of crocodiles, and dodge the coconuts flung down at him by monkeys - then cheekily enjoy a drink from the shells they didn't mean to split open for him.
Theresa Fuller loved to listen to her grandfather telling her these stories when she was little and now she's brought together a wonderful collection from Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines - magical places of rainforests, tigers, leopards, pythons - with words that sound like the chiming and tinkling of music, or the whispering of wind in the bamboo.
Eating the Liver of the Earth opens up a whole world of unexpected treasure!
Dr Mark MacLeod
Mark co-ordinated courses in Children's Literature and Australian Literature at Macquarie University and courses in Australian Literature and Film for Rollins College, Florida for many years before becoming Children's Publishing Director at Random House Australia. He published books for young readers and for adults under his own name imprint at Hodder Headline and was Project Manager of 'My Favourite Book' for ABCTV. Well known as a television and radio presenter, he also writes books for young readers. Mark has been president of the NSW branch of the Children's Book Council of Australia and national president in 2005-6. He has won the CBCA Lady Cutler Award and the Australian Publishers Association Pixie O'Harris Award for distinguished services to children's literature. Currently professor at Charles Sturt University, Tasmania
Luciano Fleitas is a passionate artist, dedicated to bringing stories to life through his art. With a humble approach, he crafts captivating book covers and concept art that transports readers to new worlds. A devoted father of three, Luciano balances his creative pursuits with family life, finding inspiration in the beauty of everyday moments. His artwork is a testament to his imagination and skill, showcasing a unique blend of traditional and digital media. With a heart for storytelling, Luciano continues to create art.
Luciano also feels weird to talk about himself in third person.
BESTIA MIRIAM Traditional digital artist, born in Argentina, Buenos Aires. For more than 5 years building her career and studio with Luciano Fleitas (as a teacher) and good colleagues like Lucas Panda. She excels in realistic self-portraits, character design, covers, monsters, character templates and various conceptual content. She usually adapts during her apprenticeship, new work and student experiences. She studied Visual Arts and Graphic Design.
Lucas Panda is an illustrator with years working for the book publishing industry among others. His passions are between concept art, comic and fantasy illustrations. From a very young age he has been interested in the design and creation of gadgets and clothing for characters. Always captivated by the idea of being able to create from scratch the different layers that converge to form these interesting designs. It is worth mentioning the competent help given by different teachers that he appreciated throughout his career as an illustrator. He is also the very proud father of Viggo.
Bare Bear Media is proud to announce the launch of
Gua Pi Keday or I Went to the Shops
Launching on the 4th of September 2024
'I went to the shops and bought…’ has been a popular listening game for families for hundreds of years. Besides teaching children the rules for taking turns, this traditional past-time helps with memory and can be an invaluable aid to socialization. It is certainly one of my family’s favorite go-to activities on long car trips and before bedtime, and I can testify that it brings our family closer together.
So, it was little wonder that when the time came to create the first ever Baba Malay Reader that I fell back on an old and trusty treasure.
Gua Pi Keday or I went to the Shops, is now being used to teach the Peranakan vocabulary (kata-kata) and to introduce beginners to the 22 letters that compose the Baba Malay alphabet. Fun, educational and challenging: a new tool in the introduction of our beloved Baba Malay language.
Gua pi keday is a charming reader that not only entertains but also serves as a powerful tool for revitalising an endangered language. The book is thoughtfully put together in a way that hopefully draws younger readers, who should be the main target audience of any revitalization effort. It comprises fun elements and approaches the language in an intuitive way for learners. It is one thing to recognise that a language is threatened, and another to go beyond and do something about it. Nyonya Theresa Fuller deserves high praise for her dedication in bringing this invaluable reader to life. Her commitment to preserving an endangered language through the creation of this reader is truly commendable.
Dr Nala Lee
Author of A GRAMMAR OF MODERN BABA MALAY
WHERE CRANES WEAVE AND BAMBOO SINGS
The Write Start: A Visual Narrative Workbook for Teachers and Writers
Launched in 2023
Drawing on stories from around the world, Sydney author and teacher Theresa Fuller creates an easy to follow, visually stimulating workbook on creating narrative fiction. Suitable for all new writers from 7 years and older, it is a work that can be used by schools or individuals to learn the core elements of storytelling.
Cover and illustrations by Peggy Sands
Peggy Sands is a professional artist, illustrator, graphic designer, published children’s book author / illustrator and workshop instructor. A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, her work appears in collections and public venues around the world as public art, on national TV, in newspapers, art magazines (both print and online), in galleries and in the myriad of books she has designed.
Although this workbook on the structure of narrative is initially addressed to teachers, students at all stages of their writing journey will find helpful advice here on how to begin writing imaginative stories, or how to revise and refresh their understanding of narrative structure if they already have some experience. The author's use of colour coding in the design is particularly helpful in identifying such narrative tropes as the protagonist's goal, complications, conflict and resolution. Conscious that we learn in different ways, Fuller also uses bold type and numerical checklists to make these elements accessible.
The title, 'Where Cranes Weave and Bamboo Sings', signals the southeast Asian origin of some of the narrative examples included, which is an appealing feature of the content, and derives from the author's passionate advocacy of her own Malay ancestry and her commitment to cross-cultural inclusion. I was slightly concerned that the first traditional story cited - 'Noah and the Ark' - might indicate a more conservative selection of examples than I had hoped for, and it is true that some teachers will wish for a more adventurous and inclusive selection. But Fuller is wise to resist appropriating First Nations stories, for example. Their storytellers have that project well underway. And the range of sources here will inspire curious students and their teachers to explore further.
Fuller's explanations of the ways a story works are expressed simply and with colloquial warmth, so no teacher or student need feel intimidated by the fear that imaginative storytelling is too hard to try. And the couple of occasions when the stories chosen vacillate inconsistently between present and past tense don't disrupt her argument for long and can even be used as material for editing - a topic that is usefully included for more experienced writers.
No single work can be expected to cover the needs of all writing teachers and their students, but 'Where Cranes Weave and Bamboo Sings' is an impressive achievement and an attractive complement to popular handbooks by writers including Libby Gleeson and Mem Fox, and standard guides to scriptwriting by Syd Field and Blake Snyder. It will find a place in every school library and writing classroom.
Dr Mark Macleod, involved with children's publishing for over twenty-five years, as a lecturer, publisher, freelance editor, and President of the Children's Book Council. One of Australia's foremost gurus of Australian children's lit.
"Where Cranes Weave and Bamboo Sings" is a valuable resource for speech pathologists and teachers working with children on reading comprehension, narrative structures, and visualisation skills. The workbook's gradual progression of complexity, from simple stories to more intricate narratives, provides a tailored approach for individualized support. The incorporation of illustrations enhances engagement, making it an effective tool for diverse learning styles. Clear and concise instructions, coupled with notes for the user, make this workbook a user-friendly asset for narrative development in children.
Melanie Arthur (Speech & Language Pathologist) Sydney, Australia
“Where Cranes Weave and Bamboo sings” is a unique addition to the teaching of narrative. The very beginning writer, even the kindergarten student can follow the simple breakdown of what makes a story. The layout of beginning middle and end is explained and the young writer is led to practise and respond to multiple stories.
The text is well designed and colour and black line drawings create variation in the pages that stimulate the reader.
This is a worthwhile addition to the teaching tools available in primary classrooms and the workshop activities among older aspiring writers.
Libby Gleeson, winner of the Nan Chauncy Award, Prime Minister's Literary Award, Dromken Medal, NSW Premier's Literary Award, Member of the Order of Australia.
Bare Bear Media is proud to announce the launch of
THE BABA MALAY TODAY SERIES
Learn Baba Malay in BITE SIZED portions
Launched on the 6th of September 2022
Precious Baba Malay is about to go extinct, but you can reverse the process by learning Baba Malay in clearly defined steps. This treasured language can be a part of your life, hopefully to be revived as it is spread through sharing this didactic method.
Former assessor and examiner of the Higher School Certificate (NSW, Australia), Theresa Fuller, known fondly in the Peranakan community as Bibek Theresa, draws on her years of experience in the classroom to create the Baba Malay Today series – a range of chapter books with an easy-to-follow curriculum aimed at the beginner.
Books 1 & 2 - Interrogatory - Published 6 & 9 of September 2022
Book 3 - Conjunctions - Published 2 January 2023
Book 4 - Prepositions - Published 16 June 2023
Book 5 - Antonyms - Published 26 June 2023
Book 6 - Essence - Published 24 May 2024
Book 7 - Poetry - Coming 2025
Baba Malay Today Series.
With the rise in interest in all things Peranakan and a revival in the use of Baba Malay, Theresa Fuller has created a much-needed children's beginner book to learn Baba Malay.
Theresa Fuller is a qualified high school teacher, and former Higher School Certificate (H.S.C.) assessor and examiner (Board of Studies, New South Wales). The author draws on her years of experience in the classroom to simplify the process. Sweet and simple, if you are interested in learning Baba Malay then this is the way to go!
These chapter books provide an introduction to Baba Malay in bite-size portions!
Dr Marc Sebastian Rerceretnam
Author, A History of Immigrant Roman Catholics and Converts in Early Singapore 1832-1945
Sydney Australia
“A simple but thoughtfully put together book that will ignite interest in the learner to what is fast becoming an extinct language - Baba Malay. With its clear examples and practices,
it will take the learner on a journey to discover a unique language used by a small but vibrant community."
- Rosalind Ang (born to a lovely nonya with roots in Brunei)
Retired educator with 40 years of teaching elementary and high school students
"Linguists would classify a language as effectively dead when it is no longer the language of communication, or when only a few elderly speakers remain. When most would say, “Who cares?” Theresa who now lives in Sydney, Australia, would not just brush it off as Baba Malay is the language of her ancestors in Southeast Asia.
When a language is dead, gone are all the traditions and aspects of the culture.
Theresa has made quite a serious and tangible attempt to preserve the language of her Southeast Asian ancestors from extinction. Hence, Theresa’s series of books on Baba Malay is to be applauded!"
Dr Daud H. Soesilo, Indonesian translation coordinator. Recipient President's award for excellence in preaching, Asbury Seminary, 1980, Juris Doctor Owen prize Vanderbilt University, 1981. Chairman board directors, East Java Christian University, Malang, 1994. Member Society Biblical Literature, Indonesian Linguistic Society, Theta Phi.