BCCJ MEMBER
SOUND ASLEEP Tokyo-based Scot pens children’s book BY MEGAN CASSON
F
or parents—particularly new ones— children’s bedtime can be a source of stress. Younger children sometimes struggle, not wanting to be left alone in their room or simply unable to fall asleep. For Rachel Ferguson, this was the case with her daughter. As she refused to doze off, Ferguson looked for different ways to try and gently lull her to sleep at night. Then, an idea hit her, after she had exhausted many options. Gugu and Penfin Sleep Reading is a time-tested way to help a child fall asleep. However, reading a single book once some times isn’t enough. After trying several different books, Ferguson found a few stories that, when read in soothing tones many times in a row, would finally see her daughter off to a peaceful sleep.
The book is named after the two main characters and relates their adventures. “Every parent knows that children love repeti tion”, said Ferguson. “I had just finished putting my daughter to bed, and had been reading her a book. I thought to myself ‘I’m pretty sure I can write a more effective one myself’”. With that, the manuscript for Gugu and Penfin Sleep was born. The book is named after the two main characters and relates their imaginary adventures. It comes with an audio file—accessible via QR code on the back of the book—of Ferguson reading the story to soothing background sounds. “The idea is that you read the book to your child a couple of times, and they familiarise themselves with the story. Then you can try and exit the room by putting on the audio file and, because they’ve been reading the book with you, in a way, you’re leaving a part of yourself—your presence—in the room”, she explained.
Ryozan Park So, how did the project start? A few days after writing the manuscript, Ferguson got an email from talented Japanese illustrator–designer duo, Pompette. They asked if Ferguson required any branding for the preschool at Ryozan Park, the firm that she co-founded with her husband, Nori Takezawa. Ryozan Park is a British Chamber of Commerce in Japan member firm that owns and runs co-working spaces, private offices, a gallery, event spaces, and an English preschool—all of which are in the Tokyo neighbourhoods of Sugamo or Otsuka. The firm started in 2011 and has been growing and succeeding ever since. “I was brought up in a small village in Scotland, with a population of fewer than 2,000 people. I never imagined I would be raising kids in a city, especially one as big as Tokyo. Carving out a village-style existence for our family was really important to me”. Ferguson’s husband came back from living in the US shortly after the 2011 tsunami, which was when the initial need to start Ryozan Park began. “There was a real desire for human connection. And my husband’s family has been in the Sugamo neighbourhood and involved in the local commu nity for more than 100 years. So it was about reviving our community, which is now buzzing with entre preneurs, young professionals and small businesses”. Communal influence Ferguson emphasised the importance of helping the local communities and the role of family-style networks, adding that the traditional nuclear
Ferguson with her husband Nori Takezawa in Sugamo
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