Two interesting books about Macau: Choose your gift books as the year draws to a close
Today, I'd like to introduce two delightful books about Macau. If you're looking for a book to help friends and family abroad learn about Macau, or if you're traveling long-haul with kids and want a fun alternative to screen time, these two books are perfect choices.
"The Little Explorer: Discovering the Small City," a new book by Portuguese illustrator Catarina, who lives in Macau, is a game book written in Chinese, English, and Portuguese. It guides readers to discover World Heritage sites like the Guia Lighthouse and A-Ma Temple, and also delves into the everyday lives of ordinary Macanese, such as "yum cha" at a tea house, making the book's content more three-dimensional and diverse.
Each scene is accompanied by image-based mini-games, making reading and playing a joyful experience. What's commendable is that, as a game book primarily for children, the illustrations are vibrant yet not garish, and the unique design allows readers to gain knowledge and language, as well as an appreciation for aesthetics, through reading and play.
The other book is the locally published and consistently best-selling pop-up picture book "Macau Pops Up." This beautifully produced book, a collaboration between the Macao Cultural Affairs Bureau and Guangxi Education Press, features intricate pop-up paper sculptures of Macau's historic buildings that spring to life with incredible detail as you turn the pages. I particularly love the page depicting the Coloane Pier, with its bright yellow Portuguese pier and a charming green shack nearby – it's both realistic and exquisitely delightful.
Other World Heritage buildings are equally spectacular; for instance, next to the "Ruins of St. Paul's" is a complete view of the church before the fire, and the Dom Pedro V Theatre not only showcases its exterior architectural details but also its interior theater scene. It's an excellent choice for a general understanding of Macau's architecture and history.
