The format of the book is landscape, 282 mm x 206 mm, 1 cm shorter than an A4 sheet. I found that this was a more handy and manageable size for a colouring book, than A4. Each book consists of 30 –32 pages of black and white illustrations that accompany the story. The finished effect, after reading the story and the colouring is done, is satisfying. The child will have a part in illustrating his own book. He will be free to use colour pencils, water colours and crayons, to get a mixed-media effect – or he could used colour pencils on one page and water colours on another and so on.

The Backyard Buddies hear a story from Mount Kinabalu in Sabah. Aunt Meemee takes her nephew and niece, Ants Mu and Mulu (Lu, for short), to visit Mount Kinabalu with friends from their home in Sabah, not far from the sea. The ants, and the Backyard Buddies who listen to the story, learn that our size or shape or status does not prevent us from making a difference wherever we are.

This story gives the child a vivid picture of the nature of a father’s love for his child. The child, as well as the parent is reminded of the unique quality of family relationships, the foundation of the moral stability of the child as he grows up and the foundation of of hisintegrity as an adult. Reading the story can help develop a special closeness between parents and children.

This is a book that a child will treasure as it brings back memories of intimate moments with the people he loves.

The child listens to the story being read, and only then does he draw and colour. The story influences him even in the way he draws and colours. When the situation is an unhappy one, he might use dull colours, and use bright colours to indicate the change from sorrow to joy. The pictures in this story of the sheep that was lost and finally found by the shepherd captures the imagination of the child as he draws and colours the pictures.

The pages invite the child to add his own details of stones and rocks, grass and trees, to add more sheep to the ones already present and make the pages delightfully his own.This book will remain a favourite, as a story book as the child grows up.

These READ DRAW AND COLOUR books aim to build the character of the child while he learns to read. The values of love, friendship and compassion in the individual and the influence of these values in relationships among people in families, among friends or even with people that the child may not know personally, are knit into each story.

As the child colours each page, he will remember the voice of his parent or teacher reading the story to him. The story and the pictures combine to allow the child to expand his imagination. I try to allow the child to associate activity with the pictures and the story, so that the emotions generated by the story become a part of the colouring experience. Thus the books help the child to improve his conversation and reading skills, and inculcate values that will lead to integrity as he matures.The child is free to use any type of colouring tool he chooses. The drawing paper we have chosen takes water colour and magic colour, besides the usual crayon and colour pencils. The book is suitable for any child learning to read.

The child is free to use any type of colouring tool he chooses. The drawing paper we have chosen takes water colour and magic colour, besides the usual crayon and colour pencils. The book is suitable for any child learning to read. The words are repeated, and the sentences constructed to flow of the tongue. Alliteration helps to bring enjoyment to the sound of the language. Even children who can already read, will enjoy reading the story and colouring the pictures to go with the story. The children have a part in creating the atmosphere of the story as it progresses. Older children can add details, like more characters or features to the landscape on each page.

There is plenty of space and scope for variety and experimentation, so no two books will look the same, once they are finished. I am excited at the prospect of the possibilities this tool offers for learning. It develops many skills in a child. It develops him mentally and emotionally, while it expands the child's imagination as it encourages him to create. The pictures do not limit him to a particular type of end product. I encourage parents and facilitators to read the story through with the child, before letting him have a go at it by himself. It would work well even as a bedtime story, especially after it is coloured. I pray that the values included in each story will be deposited in each child as he enjoys each book

The Stories
There are two series of stories. I have started with two titles in each series. There are the stories that stand alone, which teach children the difference between right thoughts and actions and wrong thoughts and actions. The second is the Backyard Buddies Series. The main characters are the Backyard Buddies who relate with one another and with things in the outside world.