Not local author-illustrator Beatrice Oh.
After eating the familiar yellow fruit one day, she was struck by how “limp” and “frustrated” its discarded skin looked. Somehow, it reminded her of a sad octopus.
And this made the wheels in Oh’s head start to turn. Before long, an idea for a children’s picture book began to well, take fruit.
“Most people love bananas. They can be enjoyed on their own or made into bread or cake or smoothies. The peel though, it’s just used to cover the fruit, and then is thrown away or made into compost,” Oh told FMT Lifestyle recently.
“And I think a lot of people are like that. They’re unsure of their place in the world. They think they have less value, when in reality they are just as, or even more valuable, than everyone else!”
Oh’s second picture book, “Peel” tells the story of Peel, who feels unloved. Unhappy with always being in Banana’s shadow, he decides to go out and find his place in the world.
The book is a whimsical reminder that even in a fast-paced world which constantly hounds one to seek their purpose and destiny, it is sometimes good to just enjoy life on one’s own terms.
The Kuala Lumpur-born author and illustrator has always been a fan of picture books, having been enchanted by their striking stories and pictures since she was a child.
Most of the picture books she read, however, were set in the West, and Oh dreamed of one day creating a story with Malaysian or Asian characters.
That dream, however, was put on hiatus for several years, until the days of the pandemic. Oh, a graphic designer at the time, found herself with little to do due to various projects getting cancelled.
Oh decided to experiment with visuals and writing, and the result was her first children’s book, “Dumpling the Tiger.” This tale of an unlikely friendship was well-received, with her first run selling out in two weeks.
Creating “Peel” came with its unique set of challenges: a major one being having a story centred around a banana peel.
“Banana peels are easy to draw, not so easy to make a compelling character from them! With the first book, it wasn’t hard to sell the concept of a tiger character. But a banana peel, not so much,” Oh said with a laugh.
It took some time, but Oh eventually managed to bring Peel to life in a manner she was satisfied with, without well, going bananas!
Her book is created from a myriad of artistic mediums, including gouache paint, water colours, colour pencils, acrylic and even collage.
“I enjoy these mediums because they feel very human and handmade. And you can really feel and enjoy the textures,” the artist and illustrator said.
“Peel” was written with children aged four and up in mind: according to Oh, however, many grown-up readers have told her that they have found enjoyment from the book too. The adventures of her misfit fruit have certainly ap-peel-ed to a wide audience.
A last question for the author, before she had to split (haha): what does she hope her readers will take back from her stories?
Oh said she wanted her readers to remember their childhoods, when their fathers or mothers would pick them up and swing them in the air.
“It was a fun time. Sometimes scary, quite thrilling, but you also knew you were safe. And that’s how I’d like people to feel when they read my books, adults or kids,” Oh said.
“Like we’re going on an adventure. And who knows where you’ll end up in the end!”
‘Peel’ is available in local bookstores, including Beatrice Oh’s website here. Also follow her on Facebook and Instagram.