A PANDAN coconut floating in Penang waters may seem an unlikely character to start a conversation about mental health.
But Constance Luk, 31, said Coco (the coconut) can help children understand that it is all right to feel sad, nervous or overwhelmed, and that asking for help is nothing to be ashamed of.
The Penang-born founder of People’s Health and Emotional Wellbeing (PHEW!) recently launched a children’s book called Coco The Floating Coconut at Gurney Plaza, George Town, marking the beginning of a 16-book journey across Malaysia.
PHEW! is a youth-led initiative which encourages conversation about mental health while bridging communities with relevant support and resources.
The series, “Little Malaysia, Big Hearts”, will feature one story from each of the country’s 13 states and three Federal Territories over the next 15 years.
Each book will draw on local places, animals, culture and experiences while helping children make sense of their emotions.
“Coco started with a simple question: how can we make talking about mental health feel less scary and more natural for children?
“We wanted to create a story that children would enjoy, while giving parents and caregivers an easy way to start conversations about feelings, asking for help and looking out for one another,” said Luk.
In the book, Coco meets a pink jellyfish, otters and white-bellied eagles while floating along Penang’s shores.
Along the way, the characters encounter rough waves but remind one another that it is “okay to not be okay” and that it is “okay to ask for help”.
For Luk, that message has come a long way.
In 2023, she had painted a butterfly on a wall in Pulau Tikus with the words “It’s okay to not be okay” to encourage conversation about mental health.
Now, the same message has been turned into a story that children can hold, read and discuss with their parents or teachers.
Luk, who has a background in auditing and finance, said she eventually realised her heart laid in working with the community.
She now works with a global education financing organisation while pursuing her passion for mental health through PHEW!.
The self-funded book is designed to make talking about mental health less intimidating.
Luk said she also wanted to bring back something simple from her own childhood – bedtime stories.
“Nowadays, we are surrounded by technology. There are iPads, television, tablets and even mini TV in cars.
“I grew up reading storybooks and I still have my baby storybooks at home. I think it is important for us to bring back that culture,” she said.
Coco The Floating Coconut includes child-friendly mental health information, affirmation stickers, colouring activities, guidance for parents and caregivers, and information on support services.
It also has conversation starters, such as asking children why Coco wished to see more of the world or what they would wish for if a star winked at them.
PHEW! also plans to bring the story directly to children through storytelling sessions at nurseries, primary schools, refugee learning centres, orphanages and underserved communities across Malaysia.
Free copies will be donated to organisations visited through the programme, with part of the proceeds from book sales channelled towards the initiative.
Luk hopes the series will help children learn that their feelings matter and that they do not have to face difficult moments alone.
The next book, planned for next year, will feature a new character from a different state and explore another aspect of mental health.
For Luk, Coco is only the beginning of a much longer journey – one story, one community and one conversation at a time.
At the launch, Befrienders Penang supported the event with wellness screening, optional face-to-face emotional support and a Human Library for parents.
Its patron Tan Lean Kee said children should be taught that asking for help was not a sign of weakness, but of courage, self-awareness and strength.
“Coco is a gentle messenger, reminding children, parents, teachers and all of us that feelings matter, kindness matters and asking for help matters.
“A kind word, a caring gesture or simply taking the time to listen can mean so much to someone who is struggling,” said Tan.
Penang youth, sports and health committee chairman Daniel Gooi said children could feel scared, lonely, angry or worried but might not have the words to express what they were going through.
He said mental health education should therefore begin early.
“Sometimes, prevention starts with something as simple as giving a child the words to describe how they feel.
“I believe this is what makes Coco The Floating Coconut meaningful.
“Through storytelling, activities and child-friendly mental health support, it makes an important conversation more familiar and approachable for children, parents and educators,” Gooi said in his recorded video message.
The book is priced at RM35.
Those who wish to purchase a copy can get in touch with the author on her social media page.
