The United States-based museum is devoted to collecting, preserving, and presenting picture books and illustrations, and it got her thinking: “Where are the Malaysian ones?”
To answer that question, she founded the Museum of Picture Book Art in Kuala Lumpur: a treasure trove filled with colourful books containing engaging stories on various topics, and beautiful illustrations that delight readers young and old.
“Picture books are important, and I always thought it was a wonderful idea to have a place dedicated to such books where children can spend their time,” Lingard, who is also the managing director, told FMT.
She said growing up reading the works of Enid Blyton books left her thinking that “a fun time involves going for a picnic and drinking ginger beer”.
“But I thought, surely our children should be exposed to books depicting Malaysian culture to build their identities. I believe picture books are a great way to do this.”
Lingard – who also runs Oyez!Books, a publishing company that specialises in children’s books – added: “I believe Malaysia is capable of producing very good picture books that tell our stories and the richness of our culture.”
The establishment, which opened in March last year, is filled with over 100 titles of children’s picture books, at least 80% of which are local. Of these, 65% are published by Oyez!Books.
Bestselling titles include “Tuty the Turtle”, written and illustrated by Nor Azhar Ishak; “The Real Elephant”, written and illustrated by Yusof Gajah; “In the Rainforest”, written by Rossiti Rashidi and illustrated by Nur Azmi Mokhtar; and “Where the Stars Come to Play”, written by Lim Lay Har and illustrated by Lim Lay Koon.
While these books and more are aimed at children aged eight and below, “their magic is that they can appeal even to adults because you end up understanding different things”, Lingard said.
And despite its name, the Museum of Picture Book Art functions as a bookstore and activity space, with most of its titles for sale. There is, however, a section that contains a museum proper, filled with old books.
“One of the oldest we have is ‘Haji’s Book of Malayan Nursery Rhymes’, published in the 1940s. But it is not for sale,” Lingard shared with a laugh, adding that she hopes to collect more of these vintage titles over time.
The venue also organises book launches, exhibitions for illustrators, art activities for children, and storytelling sessions. Patrons are a mix of both locals and foreigners.
“Many tourists love Malaysian picture books, and they find it wonderful because it’s something they can take home as a memory of our country,” Lingard added.
Embarking on this literary venture during the pandemic was not easy. In June, several months after the Museum of Picture Book Art opened, Malaysia went into another lockdown.
“The pandemic definitely had an impact on us, but we are picking up again,” she said. “And when I see the joy on the faces of the children when they are here, I feel very fulfilled. All the challenges are not without purpose.”
The past year has provided Lingard with special memories of children – and adults – poring over the books, thoroughly engaged by these works by local and foreign creators.
“There was a little boy who loved dinosaurs, and he simply refused to leave until he finished reading one of the books we had on it,” she remembered fondly.
Pointing to a book titled “The Legendary Princesses of Malaysia”, she recalled: “Once a mother heard her two daughters arguing about which princess was better. But they were not referring to western princesses such as Snow White – they were talking about local princesses from the book.”
Lingard believes it is important for parents and teachers to spend time with children and read with them. “It is a good way to bond, teach, and cultivate a love for reading. You have to start them young and they will begin to see a great world within these pages.”
As for the future, she hopes to expand the museum section and organise more talks about the history and development of Malaysian picture books.
She also hopes to work with local teachers on how they can use such books as part of their engagement with children, inspired by countries such as Taiwan and Korea, where picture books play an important part in schools.
Finally, what does she think about the role of such books at a time when technology plays an increasingly dominant role?
“In the future, it will all be digitalised and it’s something that can’t be helped,” she conceded. “But it cannot compare with the experience of a parent or a teacher bonding with a child, as they sit with them and hold a book in their hands.”
Learn more about the Museum of Picture Book Art via its Facebook and Instagram profiles.
Museum of Picture Book Art
GMBB, No 2, Jalan Robertson,
Bukit Bintang, 50150 Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: 11am-6pm daily