What a Noise!

Title of Picture Book: What a Noise!

Author: Nur Humaira Suleman and Nur Linda Halek

Illustrator: Nur Azmi Mokhtar

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

Publisher’s Blurb: Jojo likes his new home but his neighbours are just too noisy.

English translation from Malay by Huda Mukhlis

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

5 Keywords (other than themes): quiet, neighbours, animal sounds, gratefulness, helpful

Brief Review (in under 50 words): A simple tale about being good neighbours.

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

ISBN Number (if available): 978-9971-77-782-1

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

List: Karang Guni Boy

Title of Picture Book: Karang Guni Boy

Author: Lorraine Tan

Illustrator: Eric Wong

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

Publisher’s Blurb: Ming loves to make things. But he doesn’t have any money to help him create his inventions. One day, hearing the ‘beep, beep, beep’ of the Karung Guni man’s car horn, he is inspired to make something out of the unwanted things he collects. So he asks his neighbours, who are only too happy to help. With a plan in mind and tools in hand, Ming surprises everyone with a wonderful creation that they can also use!

The Karang Guni man is a rag-and-bone man. “Karang Guni” is a Malay phrase for gunny sack. The practice of Karang Guni was common in Singapore but is a dying trade now.

5 Keywords (other than themes): maker, traditional job, recycling, problem solving, neighbours

Brief Review (in under 50 words): Eric’s illustration included interesting objects made from corrugated board – an inspiration in themselves.

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

ISBN Number (if available): 978-981-4615-83-9

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

List: A Blue Cat’s Tale

Title of Picture Book: A Blue Cat’s Tale

Author: Sangeetha Madhavan

Illustrator: Michelle Chang

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

Publisher’s Blurb: Mas has just moved to a new home, but all the other cats are farid of him because he’s blue! Follow Max around his new neighbourhood as he tried to find a friend.

5 Keywords (other than themes): friendship, cats, neighbours, travel, imagination

Brief Review (in under 50 words): A story of friendship with unique illustrations.

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

ISBN Number (if available): 978-981-4266-04-8

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

List: Maddie Makes Friends

Title of Picture Book: Maddie Makes Friends

Author: Ho Lee-Ling

Illustrator: Patrick Yee

Publisher and Country (may be self-published): Housing and Development Board, Singapore

Publisher’s Blurb: Maddie lived in a world of her own and was always listening to her headphones. She never smiled and hardly had friends. During Maddie’s stay with him during the school holidays, Grandfather Moon showed Maddie how to reach out and make friends in the neighbourhood.

5 Keywords (other than themes): neighbours, neighbourliness, consideration, helpfulness, grandparent

Brief Review (in under 50 words): Simple story about neighbourliness and also shows racial harmony.

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

ISBN Number (if available): 978-981-09-0309-1

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