Picture books arouse intense reading and learning interest among children. They are an effective tool to motivate and encourage young readers to think deeply about the messages in the story.
The following are the seven picture books specifically designed and written for our teaching and learning activities. You may visit the online bookstore grassy.com if you wish to make a purchase. We encourage children and parents to read together - every picture book has a reading guide at the end especially written for this purpose. Teachers and parents may refer to the questions in the reading guides which can lead children to discuss the story messages more deeply with you.
picture book story
Finding Lok Lok for Hei Hei
Synopsis
Lok Lok is an abandoned dog with an upbeat personality. This canine’s optimistic character has kept it from hitting the lows, even though it’s been uncared for. All Lok Lok can remember is the happy days it once had. When Lok Lok arrives at its new home, it becomes an immediate friend of its elder brother Hei Hei. The new arrival even changes the way how their owners deal with things. They used to quarrel over minor things but now they communicate calmly. When they hear people speaking in a misinformed way about mongrel dogs on the streets, they patiently explain while respecting people’s different opinions.
Therapy Dog Lily
Synopsis
The story is about a speech therapist Auntie Noel shares how she and her therapy dog Lily have overcome fear together. When Lily was first adopted she was extremely afraid of people, but Auntie Noel could understand what Lily was going through and accepted her emotions. She allowed her time to steadily overcome her obstacles. Finally, with much patience and love, Lily has now become a therapy dog. Together they make a good team in helping children find speech again!
Dedicated Pumpkin
Synopsis
Pumpkin is a loyal dog but has sadly lost its owner. He has just been adopted by the kind-hearted couple Mr. & Mrs. Chan. Pumpkin is unable to shake off its hesitation about strangers because of previous bad experiences. And he has a great fear of showers! His new friends Pudding and Lemon know the fear that Pumpkin is going through, and so they start playing with water under the rain shower before Pumpkin! They want to show Pumpkin that there’s no need to be afraid and that showers are actually a lot of fun! With the tireless support and care from Mr. & Mrs. Chan, Pudding, Lemon and Cat Jr., Pumpkin finds himself a welcomed member of the family and takes up his role as the guardian of the household.
Dam Ding is Very Calm
Synopsis
This is a story about how Pak-Man befriends the neighbour’s dog Dam Ding. Although Dam Ding has lost one eye, Pak-Man does not shy away because of this difference, and instead tries to understand Dam Ding’s feelings. He reminds himself that he should take good care of Dam Ding so that it will not be hurt again. In time, the two become good friends. Pak-Man uses some of his pocket money to buy snacks for Dam Ding, and Dam Ding accompanies Pak-Man to watch dragonflies dancing in the wild. Their friendship unveils a special unknown aspect of Dam Ding. One day, when Pak-Man is confronted by a pack of stray dogs, Dam Ding uses its leadership skills to turn away the pack of stray dogs. It is a truly special friendship that Pak-Man and Dam Ding share.
Shrimpie from Tsoi Yuen Tsuen
Synopsis
This is a story about Shrimpie who moves from a rural village to the city. It is not easy to adapt to city life, and Shrimpie keeps making mistakes. Uncle Ng, who has adopted Shrimpie, is empathetic to the difficulties it is going through, but he doesn’t know how he can help Shrimpie to change his behaviour. He decides to invite the help of a dog trainer. After learning from the trainer, Uncle Ng applies his new skills and uses games to help Shrimpie solve some of his problems! Uncle Ng is able to put himself in the shoes of Shrimpie and choose the best way to help – by seeking help from a dog trainer. This has helped Shrimpie integrate into the family life of the Ngs and has even brought everyone closer than before.
Oi Ma and Her Timid Dogs
Synopsis
This is a story about how Oi Ma faces her loss and grief after the departure of her dog Blushy. As is usual in times of loss, Oi Ma was in grief for several months and spent her time thinking about Blushy. After taking time off to deal with her grief, she decides it’s time to adopt another dog: Ah King. Together they do volunteer work and bring joy to sad and lonely people! Ah King has become an important part of Oi Ma’s life now, but to her, both Blushy and Ah King are very special dogs which can’t be replaced. She will miss Blushy but will also treasure every moment she spends with Ah King.
Doggie Transformation
Synopsis
Doggie Transformation is about a dog named Pearl Pearl, a depressed dog at a shelter who gets adopted by Debbie. Debbie is very observant, and she appreciates much of Pearl Pearl’s inner kindness. She knows that Pearl Pearl was once abused, so she becomes awkward and scared around people. In order to help Pearl Pearl, Debbie uses the “Happy Strategies” to create positive experiences for her, appreciating her with praises like “Good Girl”. Meanwhile, Debbie is very patient, letting Pearl Pearl take her time to trust and open up to people. The story ends with confident Pearl Pearl offering to help other children in need, just like how Debbie had helped Pearl Pearl.