Toxicology Meets Tales: PRN and DBP Collaborate to Launch 17 Children’s Books on Toxicology and Poisoning

In an effort to translate complex information regarding toxicology and poisoning into a format easily understood by the younger generation, PRN has successfully organized a Children's Book Manuscript and Storyboard Development Workshop. The two-day workshop, which concluded on 5th May 2026, is the result of a strategic initiative and collaboration with publishing experts from Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP).

Held at the PRN Meeting Room, this intensive workshop gathered 17 staff members and writers from PRN, along with two talented illustrators. The group of writers presented a series of draft manuscripts focusing on four critical contemporary themes: Antibiotic Resistance, Household Chemical Safety, the Dangers of E-cigarettes, and Laboratory Safety.

This collaboration showcased a high level of commitment from DBP, which dispatched a delegation of three experts to mentor the PRN writers. The delegation was led by the Head Editor of DBP’s Children’s and Young Adult Books Division, Puan Hajah Noriyani binti Yusoff, assisted by Senior Editor Puan Hajah Azihani binti Md Mizan, and Editor Puan Nurul Amira binti Abd Talib. Throughout the two-day event, each writer was given the opportunity to present their work and storyboards. These works were then critically reviewed by the DBP editorial team. Mentorship focused on using appropriate language registers for children, strengthening story structures to be more engaging, and ensuring the suitability of illustrations—all without compromising the factual accuracy of toxicology and poisoning. The presence of illustrators during the workshop significantly helped writers visualize the translation of scientific ideas into appealing visuals for children.

In addition to the presentation sessions, which were divided into four series, the workshop included technical briefings on storyboard writing and hands-on refinement sessions with the editors. Participants were also briefed on behind-the-scenes processes and technical publishing specifications in preparation for the printing phase. The workshop drew to a close this afternoon with all 17 manuscripts achieving a 100% review rate. Following the comprehensive feedback received, PRN writers are now actively conducting final refinements in line with national children's book publishing guidelines. This noble effort between toxicology figures from PRN and language experts from DBP is expected to produce high-quality educational materials. These books will serve as vital teaching tools in fostering poisoning prevention awareness among children across the country in the near future.