Story Time: Lost In Hong Kong (14/06/2014)
| Venue | ： | Causeway Bay Kiddyland Basement, 68 Yee Wo Street, Causeway Bay, H.K. |
| Speaker | ： | Mr. Matthew Cooper |
| Host | ： | Ms. Christa Tam |
Review
Our young members waited expectantly for our Lost in Hong Kong to start. The cover has every element young children love! A boy, a cute puppy and a balloon with a world map on it together with some vehicles on top! What would the story be? Everyone was wondering…
They were not disappointed when the author, Matt Cooper, told them the exciting adventure Tim Chan and Patch, his fury friend had from Hong Kong Park to the Peak, the city, the harbour and all the way to Saikung! It all began when Patch ran after a balloon!
What captivated the young audience most was the different modes of transport taken by Tim in his chase. They eagerly took part in answering the questions related to the vehicles, such as ranking them according to their speed.
For many children, it may have been the first encounter with an author. They were a little surprised to learn that the author decided to create a book for his children when he couldn’t find any story books with vehicles in it. Mr. Cooper delighted them and got them thinking when he talked about his choice of pet for his story; they could all imagine the hazards there would have been if he’d chosen a giraffe, a frog or rabbit instead!
Stay-at-home dads are unusual in Hong Kong and are often conceived as a bit strange; but Mr. Cooper loves his role and feels lucky that he can spend a lot of time with his kids as well as writing books in between caring for them. Contrary to expectation, he knows exactly what is best for his children, such as dressing appropriately for the weather! Apart from doing house chores he has to attend playgroups where he is the only man there but fortunately mums make him feel welcome. Having a stay-at-home dad like Matt means often means having more adventures, as he tends to 'push the boundaries' a bit more in terms of taking controlled risks (e.g. encouraging his children go down big water slides at a pool)!
We are certainly glad that Matt is staying home and writing because of the lovely book he has created for children to enjoy! We look forward to his next book!
