'Ninni Ninni'

Author: Antoinette Borg

Publisher: Merlin Publishers / 2025

Pages: 8

The first years of life are crucial for a child's development, and experts agree that it is never too early to nurture a love for books and reading. With this in mind, Merlin Publishers are launching Ninni Ninni, the first-ever cloth book in Maltese, which combines two key elements of early childhood development: sensory exploration - through a soft book that little ones can safely handle - and a lullaby that enhances the reading experience with feelings of security and comfort.

This gentle cradle song, perfect for bedtime, has been crafted by author Antoinette Borg with simple words and a soothing rhythm that sounds sweet to tiny ears. While incorporating contemporary vocabulary that resonates with today's parents and children, the song also echoes words and phrases once common in traditional Maltese lullabies, such as ninni and orqod, ruħi, orqod.

The words are complemented by beautiful illustrations and vibrant colours that capture babies' attention, while the book itself is made from soft, durable material - ideal for small hands still learning to grasp objects. Like a rag doll or a favourite soft toy, babies can touch it, explore it and cuddle it close without fear of tearing it or hurting themselves. The book can also be washed when necessary.

But there's more. Ninni Ninni embraces a modern touch, blending tradition with today's technology. A QR code allows parents to listen to and play the lullaby, beautifully sung by professional singer Alex Vella Gregory. This feature makes bedtime a more memorable experience, strengthening the bond between parent and child through music, words and physical contact with the book.

"As a mother, I know how special bedtime is," says Borg, multiple winner of the Terramaxka Prize, most recently for her translation of Kif Issir Supereroj 2: Maskra Ħamra. "That moment at the end of the day, when you sit beside your child's bed and read them a story, is magical and precious - not just for them, but for us as parents too. That's why I was delighted to have the opportunity to create something that enriches this experience at an even earlier stage, when babies are still too young to follow a story." On writing the lullaby, Borg adds, "I felt it was important to honour those who came before us by remembering how our grandparents used to soothe babies to sleep, so I chose to include some traditional words that have comforted generations of Maltese children".

Ninni Ninni is the latest addition to Merlin Publishers' collection of innovative books for young children. The publishing house continues to strengthen its commitment to literacy among Maltese children by producing creative, high-quality resources that introduce children to reading in Maltese from birth. This dedication is evident in the variety of recent releases, including the Fittex u Sib series, Maġikarti, pop-up books, and now, the very first Maltese cloth book.

Ninni Ninni is available for purchase from major bookshops or online from www.merlinpublishers.com