This project is inspired by the need to preserve the Javanese language, particularly among early childhood learners in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, who increasingly struggle to recognize vocabulary in both ngoko and krama speech levels. Employing a design-based research approach and the Design Thinking framework, the project explores how interactive picture books can support vocabulary acquisition through multisensory engagement.

The conceptual foundation integrates local cultural values, early childhood literacy principles, and visual narrative strategies. Animal characters, familiar everyday settings in Yogyakarta, and elements of local wisdom—such as traditional snacks, batik motifs, and polite greeting gestures—are incorporated to enhance relevance, emotional connection, and cultural identity. The lift-the-flap mechanism, supported by automated audio, serves as the core interactive feature, bridging tactile exploration, repetition, and correct pronunciation, enabling young learners to learn through play.

• Book size: 20 × 20 cm
• Total pages: 32 pages
• Lift-the-flap components: 49 flaps, including six types of interactive mechanisms
• Vocabulary items: 32 Javanese words (ngoko and krama)
• Research and production duration: 2020–2021

The artwork was presented during the IMDES 2025 Academic Artwork Exhibition, National Art Gallery, Langkawi, Malaysia (30 July – 3 August 2025): https://imdes.umn.ac.id/
It has also been featured on the ICON ARCCADE International Conference on Arts, Crafts, Culture, and Design, organized by Institut Teknologi Bandung (29–30 September 2021): https://icon-arccade.fsrd.itb.ac.id/icon-arccade-2021/

The project has strong potential for further development and public dissemination through educational institutions, language centers (Balai Bahasa), and cultural organizations.
The author acknowledges Universitas Multimedia Nusantara and Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) for providing institutional support, access to research resources, and an enabling environment that contributed to the completion of this creative research. Appreciation is extended for UMN & ITB’s commitment to fostering design innovation and cultural relevance in creative works.