Rochee the Friendliest Cockroach

Title of Picture Book: Rochee the Friendliest Cockroach

Author: Gavin Goo

Illustrator: Gavin Goo

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

Publisher’s Blurb: Despite being the friendliest cockroach in town, Rochee finds it hard to befriend that special someone.
Can Rochee find a way to win her heart? Join him to find out.

Theme (Self, Friends, Family, Places, Celebrations, Nature, Technology, etc): Friends

5 Keywords (other than themes): Cockroach, teddy bears, insects, fear, hygiene

Brief Review (in under 50 words): A whimsical tale of an unusual friendship.

Where to buy or borrow (if available): National Library Board, Singapore

ISBN Number (if available): 978-981-4266-33-8

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

List: Morris takes a chance

Title of Picture Book: Morris Takes A Chance

Author: Amanda Teow

Illustrator: Amanda Teow

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

Publisher’s Blurb: Morris the Mouse wakes up in the night to hear strange sounds outside his little home. What could be making all that noise?

Theme (Self, Friends, Family, Places, Celebrations, Nature, Technology, etc): self

5 Keywords (other than themes): rhymes, fear, mouse, animals, cat

Brief Review (in under 50 words): There’s a series of interesting rhymes in part of the story.

Where to buy or borrow (if available): National Library Board, Singapore

ISBN Number (if available): 978-981-4266-39-0

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

List: Night in the Gardens

Title of Picture Book: Night in the Gardens

Author: J H Low

Illustrator: J H Low

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

Publisher’s Blurb: Mei was afraid of the dark and unable to sleep. To help her overcome her fear, Adventurous Andy whisked her off on a magical tour of the city at night. Children will enjoy this fun rhyming story as they discover the beauty of Singapore’s skyline after dark, together with Mei, in this beautifully illustrated book.

5 Keywords (other than themes): gardens, kingfisher, fear, bedtime, dark

Brief Review (in under 50 words): Good book to talk about fear of the dark.

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

ISBN Number (if available): 978-981-47-5142-1

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

List: Monster Day on Tabletop Hill

Title of Picture Book: Monster Day on Tabletop Hill

Author: Akiko Sueyoshi

Illustrator: David Liew

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

Publisher’s Blurb: Forky is a lively fork boy who lives on Tabletop Hill. He loves playing with his friends at Sugar Cube Park. And that’s where they are one day, when the sudden sound of clanging bells make them all freeze with fear. On no, it’s Monster Day! Forky’s friends run home, but Forky’s wide-eyed curiosity leads him to discover a whole new circle of friends, who turns out to be not so scary after all.

5 Keywords (other than themes): monster, friendship, Japanese, fear, helpful

Brief Review (in under 50 words): The English text appears to be slightly wordy.

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

ISBN Number (if available): 978-981-09-9354-2

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

List: The Bird Who Was Afraid of Heights

Title of Picture Book: The Bird Who Was Afraid of Heights

Author: Farah Bagharib-Kaltz

Illustrator: Eeshaun

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

Publisher’s Blurb: Being afraid of heights isn’t such a big deal – unless you’re a bird! Meet Eddie, a mynah who lives behind an abandoned old house with Matt the rat, his only friend. When one day Matt is captured, how can Eddie stop his whole world from crashing down?

5 Keywords (other than themes): fear, flying, birds, rats, phobia

Brief Review (in under 50 words): Simple story with bold illustrations. Mynahs in white?

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

ISBN Number (if available): 978-981-4266-01-7

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

List: Liam, the Brave

Title of Picture Book: Liam, the Brave

Author: Michael Wang

Illustrator: Simon Koay

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

Publisher’s Blurb: Liam, the Brave is a beautifully illustrated story about a boy who overcomes his greatest fear: butterflies. Liam desperately wants to become The Bravest Boy in the World, and he goes through an extraordinary journey of self-discovery to face and overcome his fear. Beyond simply being a story about a boy with an irrational fear, it is also a story about perseverance and how accolades don’t matter. What is most important is being true to oneself.

5 Keywords (not including themes): Fear, Butterfly, School, Nature, Winning

Brief Review (in under 50 words): The story deals with a topic that deserves conversations about – fear. While the story is not presented in the most exciting manner, Liam’s methodological way to overcoming his fear is interesting and would make a good talking point, as would the end of the story.

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

ISBN Number (if available): 978-981-47-5129-2