★★★☆☆ Book Review: The Elephant and the Tree by Jin Pyn Lee

Heartbreaking children’s book about conservation. Children’s books don’t always have to showcase the most groundbreaking art to leave an impact. Most of the time, that comes from the power of the story within the book, and with The Elephant and the Tree, Jin Pyn Lee’s tale of an enslaved elephant is likely to haunt you after turning the last page. Dedicated to ‘the voiceless’, The … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Book Review: The Elephant and the Tree by Jin Pyn Lee

★★★☆☆ Book Review: The Womps – Chick Bee’s Charming Cha-Cha by John Lim and Samantha Han

Learning to stay true to oneself, with the help of these furry friends. Following their introduction to the world in Pinto’s Pinky Promises, The Womps are back to navigate the ups and downs of life and friendship, where readers stand to learn a thing or two along the way! This time around, our Womp of focus is Chick Bee (the blue Cheeto-looking one), who’s learnt … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Book Review: The Womps – Chick Bee’s Charming Cha-Cha by John Lim and Samantha Han

★★☆☆☆ Book Review: Save Me From Chloe by Kang Jing

Fledgling comic strip needs time to work on its writing and world-building. Living with a younger sibling can be one of the most frustrating, or rewarding experiences of your life (and often, both at the same time). In Save Me From Chloe, Kang Jing’s self-published collection of comic strips, the artist chronicles the ups and downs of a pair of siblings daily lives in Singapore, … Continue reading ★★☆☆☆ Book Review: Save Me From Chloe by Kang Jing

Golden Point Award 2021 now open for submissions

Ever wanted to put your writing skills to the test? The Golden Point Award is Singapore’s premier creative writing competition and will be launching its 15th edition this year. Participants can choose to submit their works under the Short Story and Poetry categories, in the nation’s four official languages: English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil.  Organised by Arts House Limited and supported by the National Arts Council, the Golden … Continue reading Golden Point Award 2021 now open for submissions

★★★☆☆ Book Review: The Years of Forgetting by Sofia Abdullah

It takes many moons before one can finally move on. There’s an article I was reading the other day about how a woman who was sexually abused as a child continued to carry this intense trauma inside her into her adulthood. Triggered by seeing her abuser lead a relatively happy life, with no visible guilt, that trauma manifested as an intense desire to kill not … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Book Review: The Years of Forgetting by Sofia Abdullah

Viddsee original documentary series Memories on a Plate launched for Singapore HeritageFest

Food has always held a strong place in our hearts. Why? Because it’s never just about the taste; it’s about the memories and people associated with it. All this and more is captured in the new Viddsee original documentary series Memories On A Plate, celebrating local cuisine as it brings people together and provides a way to understand the world around us. Directed by Ng … Continue reading Viddsee original documentary series Memories on a Plate launched for Singapore HeritageFest

Tusitala ‘delivers’ food and poetry with Local Flavours

Feeling hungry for some poetry? Local digital storytelling studio Tusitala is here to satisfy your cravings, with their new website Local Flavours. Launched as part of Singapore HeritageFest 2021, the interactive site gathers 15 Singapore-based illustrators and 15 local poets, as they each contribute an illustration or poem inspired by some of our favourite hawker foods. Curated by poet and critic Daryl Lim, the inspiration … Continue reading Tusitala ‘delivers’ food and poetry with Local Flavours

By The Book: First hybrid edition of Asian Festival of Children’s Content to take place this May

AFCC 2021 key visual by Kampanart Sangsorn After a year of disruptions and social distancing, the annual Asian Festival of Children’s Content (AFCC) will be returning for its 12th edition from 27th to 30th May 2021 in a new hybrid format. The festival will roll out a blended format of online sessions and select in-person programmes, featuring more than 50 local and international speakers.  The … Continue reading By The Book: First hybrid edition of Asian Festival of Children’s Content to take place this May

★★★☆☆ Book Review: Chronicles of a Circuit Breaker by Joseph Chiang

An on-the-nose digest of comics adding a dose of humour to Singapore’s circuit breaker.  Thanks to the pandemic and our very own circuit breaker measures, 2020 has been a truly strange year for everyone. From masking up whenever we step outside, to working from home, or simply the heightened paranoia of unhygienic practices, the new normal seems to have firmly entrenched itself into our lives, … Continue reading ★★★☆☆ Book Review: Chronicles of a Circuit Breaker by Joseph Chiang

By The Book: Hamed Ismail receives Tun Seri Lanang Award at Anugerah Persuratan (Malay Literary Awards) 2020/21

Five outstanding Singapore Malay writers will receive the Anugerah Persuratan (AP) Award at the 14th awards ceremony on Saturday, 10 April 2021. Mr Hamed Ismail is named the recipient of the Tun Seri Lanang Award at the AP 2020/2021 edition, the highest recognition for his achievements. He is also the oldest literary writer to receive the award. Aged 73, he has been writing for over … Continue reading By The Book: Hamed Ismail receives Tun Seri Lanang Award at Anugerah Persuratan (Malay Literary Awards) 2020/21