Teresa Jade LeYung here saying “Thank you, Kim McMilllon,  Ph.D., for having children’s book author Maria Kawah Leung on your show “Writers On Writing”.  You both are Heroines / Heroes!”

To watch the 39-minute interview  https://youtu.be/p-YMEPfwp2Q

Maria Kawah Leung https://mariakawah.com/ is the author of the delightfully illustrated book

LITTLE HEROES OF BAY STREET:  And How They Stay Strong In An Unhappy Home

which is endorsed by Hannah Yeoh who is a Member of Parliament in Malaysia.

The main characters in LITTLE HEROES OF BAY STREET are Mia (a little girl) and her Happy Dog (who is much much more than a stuffed animal)

Happy Dog and Mia are the Little Heroes of Bay Street

children's_book_author_Maria_Kawah_Leung_and_Happy_Dog

Kim McMillon asks: “Maria, why did you write your book?”

At the first words, Maria Kawah Leung shows courage …

Maria: “Kim, I’m very much honored… because I am a behind-the-scenes kind of person, but, because of my book Little Heroes of Bay Street, it’s important for me to get the message out there… about domestic violence.”

Maria: “Happy Dog has been my best friend since I was 6 years old. He helped me survived watching my father abuse my mother. When I was little, and this was happening, I thought that my family was the only one in the entire world that this was happening to. So, it was very scary. And I felt very lonely. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I found out that other families had the same situation….”

Maria:  “I wanted to de-stigmatize this issue [domestic violence], so that people don’t think it’s something that happens ‘to those kinds of people’.  It happens everywhere, all cultures, all social economic statuses.  I want to raise awareness. Especially for the children. And the mothers. That’s why I wrote a children’s book.  Whereas my sister [ Teresa Jade LeYung] wrote an adult novel Love Made Of Heart.”

Kim: “The books you and your sister write help community, families, helping people understand just how prevalent and how dangerous domestic violence is.”

Maria: “I wish I had a book like this when I was little. That’s why I wrote it. For the children. For the teachers to be aware.  No teacher was ever aware that I was going through all this pain. I didn’t act out in school.  It’s not like I brought attention to myself.”

Maria: “I’m hoping that through my book… that every teacher would get a copy… and school counselors… nurses… so that they can be aware, and, look out for signs, and reach out to these children.”

Maria:  “It’s NOT an easy thing. It’s NOT an easy thing for a teacher to approach the parents. Because of feeling ashamed. I felt ashamed when I was abused. I thought people were going to say ‘She must be stupid or uneducated’ or ‘ she brought it onto herself’.  You have to be brave and confront the parents so that they can seek help.’

Kim asks Maria about Happy Dog …

Maria:  I was 6 years old, my brother Vitus was 10.  My brother had asked our parents to get Happy Dog for me…. At the store, my brother saw him [Happy Dog] on the top shelf. One of a kind. No tags.  Nothing. I think he’s an alien from somewhere. There he was, already kind of tattered… people must have played with him. His arm already needed sewing.”

(please watch/listen to the interview to find out who Happy Dog is a successor of)

To watch the 39-minute interview  https://youtu.be/p-YMEPfwp2Q

Maria: “A few years ago, artist Chandra Garsson,  a dear friend of my sister Teresa’s, gave him [Happy Dog] … would you say botox? New lips altogether. Thanks to Chandra, he looks brand new.” 

Maria: “Maybe I didn’t publish the book until now… because I wrote it ten years ago… because I felt ashamed that I grew up in a family with violence and that I also experienced it myself [when I was an adult] … that people might think I’m childish because I still cherish my childhood toy. Now I’m old enough to realize I don’t care what other people think. It’s a healthy thing for children to have somebody or some thing to make them feel safe… to go to their happy place.”

Maria Kawah Leung's children's_book_LITTLE_HEROES_OF_BAY_STREET_Mia_and_Happy_Dog

Kim: “I remember your mother. She was extraordinary beautiful. [ Rita ]  I had great admiration for her.”

Maria:  (holds up photo of herself and Happy Dog with her mother) “My mother was dying of metastasized breast cancer in 1999… Yes, she’s beautiful. Powerful. And she’s a powerful guardian angel now.”

Maria: “I’m not trying to tell happy children in happy homes that they should know about all these horrible things that happen in the world. But if it’s a friend in the classroom… you want to help that friend.”

Maria: (showing audience pages from her book; pages 22 and 23 where Ms. Chavez tells Mia that it is not Mia’s job to make her parents happy. )

Maria talks about the illustration on page 22 – about the pictures of the two people on the classroom wall.  “… my real life fourth grade teacher, I loved her, but she didn’t see any signs that I needed help. But she was a wonderful teacher. And that’s my friend Mayhar A. Amouzegar, provost at University of New Orleans. He has published several novels. And he writes nonfiction for his work.  All these inspirational people in my life.”

Kim: “I found your book so inspirational. I love it. It’s so important. I felt it was healing for you, pouring out that experience, that it could help another person. I thought that was beautiful.”

Maria: “If I can reach as many children as possible and help them heal … when children witness violence at a young age….”

Kim: “When I saw your book was out, I was so proud of you, Maria. I just adore you and I’m so happy that you’re doing so great for the world.  I do believe helping people to overcome issues is one of the greatest things, in service to others, so, thank you for so much service to others.”

Maria: “During lockdown of this pandemic, domestic violence has skyrocketed….  Please reach out to people because it’s scary for everybody, this pandemic. There’s fear, there’s hatred, it’s a scary time. Help the families out there now.”

https://mariakawah.com/ has resources for families in USA and Malaysia

To watch the 39-minute interview  https://youtu.be/p-YMEPfwp2Q

Please help LITTLE HEROES OF BAY STREET get into all branches of public libraries  https://www.worldcat.org/

Where to purchase Maria’s  book:   LITTLE HEROES OF BAY STREET:  And How They Stay Strong In An Unhappy Home

The book is available in 3 formats -  Hard cover; paperback; ebook – written in 2 languages – English and Chinese (simplified characters).

Soon the book will also be available in Spanish and Bahasa Malaysia.

Amazon  Paperback edition https://www.amazon.com/Little-Heroes-Bay-Street-Simplified/dp/1543759815/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1610550303&sr=8-1

Amazon E-Book edition https://www.amazon.com/Little-Heroes-Bay-Street-Simplified-ebook/dp/B08L6224B1/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1652110887&sr=1-1

BookDepository Paperback https://www.bookdepository.com/Little-Heroes-Bay-Street-Maria-Kawah-Leung/9781543759815?ref=grid-view&qid=1656449469019&sr=1-2

BookDepository  Hardcover  https://www.bookdepository.com/Little-Heroes-Bay-Street-Maria-Kawah-Leung/9781543759839#

Barnes & Noble  Paperback  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/little-heroes-of-bay-street-maria-kawah-leung/1137780986?ean=9781543759815

Barnes & Noble  NOOK e-book  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/little-heroes-of-bay-street-maria-kawah-leung/1137780986?ean=9781543759822

children's book author Maria_Kawah_Leung_inscribes_Litttle_Heroes_of_Bay_Street_to_her_sister_Teresa

 To watch the 39-minute interview  https://youtu.be/p-YMEPfwp2Q

https://mariakawah.com/

Educator, children’s book author, children’s advocate Maria Kawah Leung says:

“Creating my book LITTLE HEROES OF BAY STREET to help children feel that they are not alone has been a life-long goal. Empowering children to overcome obstacles is my passion.”

Dr. Kim McMillon, thank you again for having Maria Kawah Leung and Happy Dog on your show.

Maria, Happy Dog and Mia, thank you for being so brave. YOU are all beautiful and mighty Heroes!

Everyone, thank you for reading my blog post:

“Educator, children’s book author, children’s advocate Maria Kawah Leung says “Domestic Violence Awareness is about Helping the Families”

I wish you peace and wellness always!

Teresa_Jade_LeYung_photo_by_Nan_and_MEK

Teresa Jade LeYung

Proud sister of Maria Kawah Leung and proud auntie of Happy Dog

Story Theme Consultant / Photo Historian / Author / Public Library and Public School Advocate

http://www.OurBeautifulBrains.com goes to Teresa Jade LeYung’s Blog

Writing Coach Teresa Jade LeYung says: “I love helping writers identify the themes in their manuscripts to hook readers, and, build and fortify their platforms before and after publication. Reach out, not stress out.”

Love Made Of Heart ®

“MIT new study – Time spent indoors increases risk of COVID at 6 feet or 60 feet…”
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/23/mit-researchers-say-youre-no-safer-from-covid-indoors-at-6-feet-or-60-feet-in-new-study.html