List: The World on Her Knees

Title of Picture Book: The World on Her Knees

Author: R Chandran

Illustrator: Amy Cheng

Publisher and Country (may be self-published): J J Publishing, Singapore (self-published)

Publisher’s Blurb: The story of a little girl, yet to stand and on her knees, while wondering what the view is like from way up where her parents are, is suddenly entrusted with a hero’s task.

5 Keywords (other than themes): perspective, growing up, helpfulness, observation, ants

Brief Review (in under 50 words): “Chandra has the sweet sense of humour and a gift for telling simple inspiring stories, whilst his wife, Amy has the gift of drawing. This book will be an easy and fun read for both parents and their children.” Irene Ang

Where to buy or borrow (if available): NLB, Singapore

ISBN Number (if available): 978-981-08-4962-7

Submitted by (could be your preferred name, including pen name): Moses

List: Happy Chinese New Year, Elena

Title of Picture Book: Happy Chinese New Year, Elena!

Author: Dingli Stevens

Illustrator: Liang Kun

Publisher and Country (may be self-published): Armour Publishing, Singapore

Publisher’s Blurb: Elena goes to Beijing to celebrate Chinese New Year with her grandparents. She meets a lion and talks about Chinese New Year customs and festive dishes with him. But is the lion real?

co-published with Blossom Press, China

5 Keywords (other than themes): tradition, Chinese, festival, craft, food

Brief Review (in under 50 words): A story with a lot of information about Chinese New Year and a touch of imagination. Includes instructions for creating a pop=up card.

Where to buy or borrow (if available): NLB, Singapore

ISBN Number (if available): 978-981-47-6539-8

Submitted by (could be your preferred name, including pen name): Moses

List: Harry Straw Hat

Title of Picture Book: Harry Straw Hat

Author: Serene Wee

Illustrator: Conrad Raquel

Publisher and Country (may be self-published): Scholastic Malaysia

Publisher’s Blurb: “It’s old and tatty. Shall we throw it away?”

Harry Straw Hat can hardly believe his ears. Was this his family talking – the family that once treasured him and now wants to throw him away?

Feeling unloved and unwanted, he begs Old Man Wind to whisk him away. The wind obliges, and suddenly Harry is up, sailing through the sky where he feels free!

But Old Boss Wind decides to change his mind and change the course of Harry’s life. Youngsters will delight in the gentle conclusion when Harry realises that home is where he belongs after all.

5 Keywords (other than themes): communication, love, adventure, family, rhyme

Brief Review (in under 50 words): Written in rhymes. Author is from Singapore and illustrator from the Philippines.

Where to buy or borrow (if available): NLB, Singapore

ISBN Number (if available): 978-983-9604-09-2

Submitted by (could be your preferred name, including pen name): Moses

List: Sarabelle’s Playful Puns

Title of Picture Book: Sarahbelle’s PLayful Puns

Author: Anastasia & Sarahbelle Tay

Illustrator: Elaine Loo

Publisher and Country (may be self-published): Self-published, Singapore

Publisher’s Blurb: Why is Daddy swimming in strawberry jam?
Why is mummy becoming an otter?
And why are the otters in this book wearing underwear?

Join Mummy and Sarahbelle in this heartwarming and tickling story in which the spirited girl amuses Mummy with her playful puns as they go about their day. Demonstrating that learning and speaking a language is fun and enjoyable, Sarahbelle finds out that words are powerful and can create different meanings.

5 Keywords (other than themes): word play, fun, puns, shopping, language

Brief Review (in under 50 words): A fun way to get readers into word play.

Where to buy or borrow (if available): NLB, Singapore

ISBN Number (if available): 978-981-11-1895-1

Submitted by (could be your preferred name, including pen name): Moses

List: The Great Hospital Adventure in Space

Title of Picture Book: The Great Hospital Adventure in Space

Author: Serene Ng

Illustrator: Serene Ng

Publisher and Country (may be self-published): Epigram Books, Singapore

Publisher’s Blurb: Dinoboy is scared of going to the hospital. He does not want Mum and Dad to leave. But he soon discovers there is nothing to be afraid of. In fact, an adventure awaits …

5 Keywords (other than themes): doctor, health, hospital, courage, imagination

Brief Review (in under 50 words): An imaginative tale to talk about visits to the hospital.

Where to buy or borrow (if available): NLB, Singapore

ISBN Number (if available): 979-981-17-0082-8

Submitted by (could be your preferred name, including pen name): Moses

List: David’s Story

Title of Picture Book: David’s Story

Author: Mary M

Illustrator: Karen Lesslar

Publisher and Country (may be self-published): Armour Publishing, Singapore

Publisher’s Blurb: “In a sense, David’s Story is not about death – it is about life, love and the living. The story shows us how we can lean to manage death and how one bad experience should not make us stumble. Instead, we should learn to be strong and to pick ourselves up.

This story is also about parenting, family bonding and how a family can grow together. Indeed, this may be a short storybook but it is big on teaching us values such as resilience, responsibility and caring for others. It has also taught me about growing up and learning to move on. David’s Story will stay with me for a long time.”
– Dr Jessica Leong

5 Keywords (other than themes): death, grief, funeral, therapy, mother

Brief Review (in under 50 words): It deals with a sensitive topic in a fairly straight forward manner.

Where to buy or borrow (if available): NLB, Singapore

ISBN Number (if available): 978-981-4668-47-7

Submitted by (could be your preferred name, including pen name): Moses

List: The Watchtower Warrior

Title of Picture Book: The Watchtower Warrior

Author: Shekinah Linn

Illustrator: Tan Seow Wei

Publisher and Country (may be self-published): Straits Times Press, Singapore

Publisher’s Blurb: Little Bud loves her father’s tales of the East and the West. Inspired by the stories, Little Bud comes up with a brilliant idea to protect her village from bandits.

A charming tale about a girl’s imagination and determination, inspired by a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

5 Keywords (other than themes): Mulan, courage, creativity, helpfulness, perseverance

Brief Review (in under 50 words): “This lively text is sensitively matched with delicate illustrations to produce a story that is both endearing and inspiring.” – Joyce Dunbar, best-selling writer

Where to buy or borrow (if available): NLB, Singapore

ISBN Number (if available): 978-981-4266-08-6

Submitted by (could be your preferred name, including pen name): Moses

List: Koko the Great

Title of Picture Book: Koko the Great

Author: Natalie Hennedige

Illustrator: Twisstii

Publisher and Country (may be self-published): National Art Gallery, Singapore

Publisher’s Blurb: Koko is a small village boy with a lively imagination, so life by the river is never dull. This adventure takes Koko further than he has ever been, to the end of the river where the river meets the sea. Does Koko take a step into the great beyond?

Koko’s story was inspired by “Life by the River”, an oil painting by one of Singapore’s first generation artist Liu Kang. The painting is in the collection of the National Heritage Board, Singapore.

5 Keywords (other than themes): imagination, art, national art gallery, painting, history

Brief Review (in under 50 words): “A wonderful story that celebrates the imagination of young children.” – Suchen Christine Lim, Singapore Literature Prizewinner

Where to buy or borrow (if available): NLB, Singapore

ISBN Number (if available): 079-981-08-8758-2

Submitted by (could be your preferred name, including pen name): Moses

List: Tiny Feet Tiny Shoes

Title of Picture Book: Tiny Feet Tiny Shoes

Author: Adeline Foo

Illustrator: Beth Parrocha

Publisher and Country (may be self-published): Scholastic Singapore

Publisher’s Blurb: Grandma was only six years old when she witnessed the planting of a silk cotton seed in a garden. Years later, she returned to bury something in the garden, where ‘X’ marked the spot “seven steps” away from the young tree which had grown in place of the seed. Many, many years later, she was back again, staring in awe at a GIANT of the cotton tree! But try as she might, she couldn’t find ‘X’. Racing against time, she searched hard, desperate to reconnect with memories of a childhood spent in China where she had gone through both pain and joy. Just what was so precious that had been buried? Would she succeed in retracing her steps to find her treasure?

5 Keywords (other than themes): memories, history, grandparent, culture, treasure hunting

Brief Review (in under 50 words): A good springboard for talking about an unusual facet of history.

Where to buy or borrow (if available): NLB, Singapore

ISBN Number (if available): 978-981-09-9112-8

Submitted by (could be your preferred name, including pen name): Moses

List: Picking Up a Penguin’s Egg Really Got Me into Trouble

Title of Picture Book: Picking Up a Penguin’s Egg Really Got Me into Trouble

Author: Neil Humphreys

Illustrator: Cheng Puay Koon

Publisher and Country (may be self-published): Marshall Cavendish, Singapore

Publisher’s Blurb: Four-year old Abbie Rose has a magic suitcase. In this book, she goes on an exciting adventure to the snowy world of the South Pole with her best friend Billy. When she arrives, she meets a funny family of Adelie Penguins. Always a curious little girl, Abbie Rose picks up a penguin’s egg which causes all sorts of problems.
The penguins chase her. the ice breaks and they head out to the deep blue sea … where a hungry leopard seal is waiting. Fortunately, an unlikely hero comes up with a really clever plan to save the day.

5 Keywords (other than themes): imagination, south pole, problem solving, environment, animals

Brief Review (in under 50 words): Imaginative tale.

Where to buy or borrow (if available): NLB, Singapore

ISBN Number (if available): 978-981-4484-18-3

Submitted by (could be your preferred name, including pen name): Moses