A stunning new picture book, co-created by a UQ researcher, is teaching young people about the environmental crisis and conservation.
‘Is This Love, Mama?’ follows the story of a young anemonefish – or clown fish – called Kasih, looking for the meaning of love while searching for answers to his changed home.
Marine scientist and UQ PhD candidate Harris Wei-Khang Heng said the collaborative project came together after the fourth mass coral bleaching event that occurred in 2024.
“After this catastrophic event, we realised that many young people in Malaysia, where we were based at the time, were unaware of the environmental crisis affecting our coastal ecosystems,” Mr Heng said.
“My team – including fellow researcher Sze Hoon, counsellor Siew Kee and illustrator Ze Ling – shifted our focus to craft a story that raises awareness about this crisis and showcases conservation efforts.
“We wanted to combine natural science with storytelling, highlighting local tales and culture related to marine life.
“Stories leave a lasting impact, and illustrations can convey complex messages in a simple and easily understandable way – picture books can be powerful tools.”
The team spent over a year developing the story, creating illustrations, and engaging in back-and-forth discussions with local NGOs.
“We found that it’s crucial to incorporate contemporary scientific and conservation practices into nature storytelling, enabling it to become part of cultural memory,” Mr Heng.
“This way, the modern community can connect more deeply with the story and appreciate their relationship to the actual phenomenon.
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In a time when nature degradation occurs faster than ever, a shared cultural identity is essential to help people recognise their responsibility as guardians.”
Mr Heng and the team aim to make this book widely accessible around the world for use as teaching material for environmental education and storytelling to raise awareness.
The team also wanted to creatively document one of the most catastrophic events to have affected coral reefs, where more than half of the corals in some Malaysian reefs have been wiped out.
“To achieve these goals, we welcome all types of support from the public,” Mr Heng said.
“Since we’re releasing the book for everyone to access freely, sharing news about our storybook will be the first step everyone can take.
“And, if anyone is willing to support us financially, we would gratefully appreciate funding to cover the printing costs of the physical books, which we aim to distribute to formal schools, as well as for producing another series of storybooks in the future.”
“We’re excited to be educating and inspiring young minds, and hopefully this will lead to a deeper understanding – and greater protection of – our incredible coastal and reef ecosystems.”
The book is available to read digitally online, and the team can be contacted through their website.
