Asian Festival of Children's Content 2021 Programme Booklet by Singapore Book Council

Programme Booklet 27–30 MAY 2021

ONLINE JUNE HOLIDAY PROGRAMMES FOR TEENS Join seasoned writers Loh Guan Liang and Melanie Lee for fun online creative writing workshops this June holidays!

Ekphrastic Writing with Loh Guan Liang Date and Time: 18 June 2021, 10am-12pm Ticket Price: $20

Imaginative Writing with Melanie Lee Date and Time: 25 June 2021, 10am-12pm Ticket Price: $20

Scan here to register today!

NOTE: We had planned AFCC 2021 to be a hybrid festival. However, due to the current rise in COVID-19 cases and stricter safety measures in place, we decided to turn the festival fully digital to ensure the safety of our attendees. All in-person sessions would be converted online now. We have updated the programmes and schedule in this booklet where possible. Please refer to the AFCC website afcc.com.sg for the latest information.

Stay safe and keep well!

Contents 3

Message from the Chairperson

Public Programmes

Message from the Executive Director

59 LASALLE GIF + Comic Cover Competition

About Singapore Book Council

60 Book Talks

SBC Board and Advisory Network

62 Reading: The Moon Princess

Support Us

63 Book Illustrators Gallery

Country of Focus

Information

10 Country of Focus: Thailand

64 Speakers

12 AFCC Co-translation Project

82 Moderators

13 Country of Focus Night

91 AFCC Ticketing

14 An Introduction to Thai Juvenile Literature

92 Sponsors & Supporters

17 Publishing in Thailand

Programmes 22 Lectures 24 Workshops 26 Masterclasses 27 Writer’s Pitch 2021 28 Media Pitch 2021 30 Calendar: 27 May (Thu) 32 Calendar: 28 May (Fri) 34 Calendar: 29 May (Sat) 36 Calendar: 30 May (Sun) 38 27 May (Thu) Sessions • Reimagine 43 28 May (Fri) Sessions • Rebuild 49 29 May (Sat) Sessions • Rebuild 54 30 May (Sun) Sessions • Reignite 2

Message from the Chairperson Welcome to the 12th edition of the Asian Festival of Children’s Content! The world has changed in both significant and minuscule ways as we are still adapting to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The theme of this year’s festival “Reimagine. Rebuild. Reignite” embodies the yearning and desire many of us have for a post-COVID world – where we would attain a sense of stability and normalcy, and recalibrate the various ways of living and working that have been upended. At AFCC this year, we invite you to join us to collectively reignite our imagination and share the rich diversity of our stories, so that we can shape the future of storytelling together. The success of 2020’s AFCC, where we held our first online festival, have stood us in good stead for the existing challenges of the pandemic. This year’s AFCC will continue to be an online festival. This will enable our audiences and speakers from different corners of the world to foster new friendships and explore collaborations across borders. This year we celebrate Thailand as our Country of Focus (COF). We are honoured to collaborate with the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand (PUBAT) on co-organising the COF programmes. We would like to thank PUBAT for the dedication, energy and experience that they bring to this partnership, which is invaluable in forging the ASEAN spirit. We are particularly excited about the co-translation project, in which

we will be translating selected children’s book titles from each country. Through this project, we hope that children and parents from both countries will be exposed to the stories and characters in the books, thus gaining deeper cross-cultural understanding of our respective histories and cultures. On behalf of the Book Council, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all our Programme Committee members, donors and supporters for your unwavering support over the years. Your generous contributions have definitely gone a long way in allowing AFCC to expand and grow in so many ways. May you all have a most enriching and meaningful experience at AFCC 2021!

Claire Chiang Chairperson Singapore Book Council 3

Message from the Executive Director Warm greetings from the Singapore Book Council! On behalf of the SBC team, I would like to welcome you to the Asian Festival of Children’s Content (AFCC) 2021! After a year of lockdowns, social distancing, wearing masks and finally some form of re-openings now, we are beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel. We are immensely grateful and happy that we are able to present AFCC this year. We are truly excited to share all the programmes with you over these four days.

As we are still recovering from the disruptions wrought by COVID, the experience has reminded us more than ever that stories are absolutely vital to our existence and to the core of our humanity. This year at AFCC, we celebrate the theme “Reimagine. Rebuild. Reignite.” We invite you to Reimagine a new exciting world of stories; to Rebuild the ties and bonds that bind us, and to Reignite our collective imagination so that we can share our stories in different languages and across different cultures with the rest of the world. Let’s harness the power of our stories so that we can face what lies ahead together with hope, courage and empathy.

reading and communities of readers; promoting mental wellbeing; pushing for more translated books; the future of audiobooks; raising eco-consciousness, and many many more. We will also feature Thailand as the Country of Focus (COF) this year, as we continue our efforts to showcase the best children’s books from Southeast Asia.

This year’s sessions will tackle many current topics, such as writing about cultural and ethnic diversity; making books inclusive and accessible; developing the joy of

William Phuan

You will still be able to catch the sessions for 30 days on Video-on-Demand after the festival is over. So take your time to experience and explore the various programmes. Thank you for joining us! Have a wonderful and enlightening time at AFCC 2021! Executive Director Singapore Book Council

About Singapore Book Council The Singapore Book Council (SBC) is an independent charity with IPC status. Established in 1968 to support Singapore authors and literature, SBC aims to Build Our Imagine-nation by developing creativity, imagination, original thought and empathy. Our programmes focus on writing, reading, illustration, translation and storytelling. We are committed to developing the literary arts sector through our festivals, training workshops and courses, as well as book awards to recognise excellence.

Lavina Chong and Shalene Phang from creative arts education company Wigglepods, performing in “Let’s Sing, Play and Move to Origami” as part of Ready for KidLit!

VISION: International recognition for quality, diverse Singapore literature. MISSION: To develop, support and advocate a multicultural literary arts sector. The Book Council grows and advocates Singapore’s books and literary arts scene by organising a variety of festivals including the annual Asian Festival of Children’s Content; grants prestigious awards such as the biennial Singapore Literature prize; supports community outreach through the #BuySingLit movement; and builds professional capability through our Academy programmes.

Storyteller Sheila Wee conducting a class for SBC Academy

Because it all starts with a story. SBC is supported by NAC under the Major Company Scheme for the period from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2022. For more information, visit bookcouncil.sg

Group photo of the winners of SLP 2020 on Zoom

SBC Board and Advisory Network SBC BOARD

SBC ADVISORY NETWORK

Claire Chiang

International Advisors

Singapore Advisors

Andrea Pasion-Flores (Philippines) Murti Bunanta (Indonesia) Nellie Dato Paduka Haji Sunny (Brunei Darussalam) Nury Vittachi (Hong Kong) Selina Lee (Malaysia) Thant Thaw Kaung (Myanmar)

Bibi Jan Md Ayyub Evelyn Wong Felicia Low-Jimenez Jennifer Yin Kiang-Koh Lai Lin Kanagalatha Leo Vincent Melvin Choo Sa’eda Buang Tan Chee Lay Tan-Ang Soo Buay Valerie Cheng Wai Yin Pryke Yeow Kai Chai

Chua Hong Koon R Ramachandran Karen Heng

Please support the Singapore Book Council! We hope all of you have been keeping safe and well during the COVID-19 pandemic. In these challenging times, books have become more essential than ever as they are our window to tales of hope, happiness and adventure. When sharing our ideas, stories, and poetry, not only do the different literary voices nourish us, they also challenge us to think critically, inspire us to take a flight of imagination and connect us through a thread of empathy. Even though our programmes, donations and funding have been adversely impacted by the pandemic, we remain resolute in our mission to support multilingual literature. Over the past year, we have quickly adapted and continued many of our programmes to support the literary community by hosting them online. However, in order to continue our work and programmes, we need your help. Please consider making a donation to SBC so that we can keep growing and empowering the literary community for now and the future. All qualifying donations will enjoy a 250% tax deduction. Cash donations will also be eligible for dollar-for-dollar matching from the Cultural Matching Fund (CMF), which means your donation doubles in value.

You may contribute on our Giving.SG donation page: www.giving.sg/singapore-book-council-limited Thank you for your generous contribution! Take care, and continue to read and stay safe! Singapore Book Council team

AFCC 2021: Reimagine. Rebuild. Reignite

AFCC is the leading festival in Asia focusing on children’s books and stories and young adult (YA) fiction. Targeted at writers, illustrators, translators, publishers, parents, educators and media producers, this unique festival offers a series of exciting panel discussions, workshops, author talks, masterclasses, pitching sessions, and networking events. AFCC promotes the creation and appreciation of quality children’s literature and YA with a focus on Asian themes. Since its establishment in 2010, AFCC has grown to become a key literary event in the region, attracting many local and international speakers, as well as thousands of delegates and participants. The Country of Focus for AFCC 2021 will be Thailand. Thai illustrator Kampanart Sangsorn, the winner of the ASEAN Illustration Contest, was commissioned by AFCC to design the key visual for 2021’s festival. The festival has spotlighted eight countries of focus in previous years: China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar and Singapore.

AFCC 2021 Key Visual, illustrated by Kampanart Sangsorn

PROGRAMME COMMITTEES Advisors-at-large: Dr Myra Garces-Bacsal Dr Theresa Lu Writers and Illustrators: Christabel Sim Christopher Guy Shaw David Liew Kim Beeman Lim Cheng Tju Loh Chin Ee Sharon Ismail Teachers and Parents: Geraldine Teo-Zuzarte (Chairperson) Angela Anthony Angela Yang Elaine Fong Norami Aliza Haron N. Kanniga Cross-Platform: Gerald Cai Jyotirmoy Saha Khim Loh Leslie Lee Stella Wee

SINGAPORE BOOK COUNCIL TEAM Executive Director: William Phuan Head of Marketing: Ethan Leong Head of Programmes: Celine Chow Senior Manager, Admin & Finance: Vasantha Devi Programme Managers: Caroline Wan Shafienas Salleh Sharon Lim Programmes Executive: Cheyenne Alexandria Phillips Consultant: Carlo B Pena Interns: Benjamin Lo Charlene Lim Honour Astill Nadia Ashura Tessa Goh Special thanks to our past colleagues: Gershayn Phua Neshma Thamil Nicole Sun Seo Qiao Ting

Country of Focus: Thailand For its 12th edition, AFCC celebrates Thailand as Country of Focus (COF).

With its rich history of children’s literature dating back as far as the 18th century, Thailand’s kidlit and YA publishing markets are constantly evolving alongside its neighbours in the region. This year, AFCC celebrates Thailand as the Country of Focus in our continuing efforts to understand, engage and showcase the best of children’s book writers and illustrators from South-East Asia.

COUNTRY OF FOCUS SESSIONS 27 May (Thu) 4:00pm – 5:00pm

Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution in the ASEAN: Obstacles and Solutions PANEL

! Andrea Pasion-Flores, Gesarin Anek, Yani Kurniawan, Mindy Pang // Moderator: Sheikh Faisal Sheikh Mansor The ASEAN region boasts a combined population of approximately 649 million people and one-third of them are potential readers aged 19 or younger. However, children and young adult books by ASEAN writers are still inaccessible to their readers. What is the cause? Publishers and distributors from the region will talk about the present obstacles and positives they experience in distributing books in the region.

29 May (Sat) 9am – 10am

PANEL

One City, One Book: Reading Initiatives in Thailand

! Thattaya Anussornrajakit, Akrapol Wattanasin // Moderator: Vasuree Pisutsinthop Adapted from a project first started by a Seattle-based librarian in 1988, “One Book, One City” has become a thriving reading initiative in Northern Thailand. The project evolved from a reading campaign into a content development programme that engages schools, state leaders and non-profits to develop their own children’s books for their reading initiatives. Discover more about this reading initiative and understand why it’s high time we win children from all over — one book and one city at a time.

Co-organised with the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand (PUBAT), COF: Thailand features key players in today’s Thai book market, as well as developing creative economies such as animation and film, and the launch of a co-translation project of selected Thai and Singapore titles, supported by The Head Foundation.

30 May (Sun) 9am – 10am

LECTURE

A Window into Children’s Literature in Thailand

! Virine Hutasangkas Understand Thai Children’s Literature in this special lecture that deep dives into its history, current developments and future trends.

30 May (Sun) 3:45pm – 4:45pm

PANEL

Promoting Creative Economies: The Thai Experience

! Auchara Kijkanjanas // Moderator: Kamolpaj Tosinthiti Fostering creative economies in industries, like animation and graphic design, opens a whole new world of opportunities for content creators, producers and audiences. What are the challenges and opportunities that building such economies from the ground up pose for industry professionals, and how should the creative community respond to such challenges and opportunities? Chat with a seasoned animation producer and learn more about the ‘soft power’ that such creative economies imbibe, in this session that looks at the animation industry through the Thai experience.

AFCC Co-translation Project To cap off the collaboration, AFCC will be translating and co-publishing selected children’s books from both Thailand and Singapore to make them available to the children in each country as part of a Co-Translation Project, in partnership with PUBAT. This project will involve the translation and publication of selected children’s books from both Thailand and Singapore, which will be made available to the children in each country. Two children’s book titles from each country will be selected and translated from Thai into English, and vice versa. The Project will be launched at AFCC, while the launch of the publications will be later in the year.

Copies of the books will be made available free to children in both countries in through their local reading initiatives. The project is exploring both printed and digital forms of the translated books to widen its reach. Through this Co-Translation Project, children and parents from both countries will be exposed to the stories and characters in the books, thus gaining better cross-cultural understanding of our respective cultures. This project is made possible with support from The Head Foundation.

Country of Focus Night 30 May (Sun) 6:30pm – 7:00pm

Celebrate the rich history and evolving literary landscapes of Thailand in this special evening event that culminates AFCC. In honour of the AFCC 2021 Country of Focus, join us for a showcase of the literary and cultural heritage in this gala event that celebrates the growing collaborations and strengthened ties between Singapore and Thailand.

An Introduction to Thai Juvenile Literature Virine Hutasangkas, PhD

Thai literature can be difficult to access for non-Thai speakers; Thai juvenile literature, with its narrower readership, can be even more inaccessible. This introduction summarises the history and development of Thai books for young people since its advent as a genre in the 18th century. Before mechanical printing, people in Siam wrote in paper folded books (Samut Khoi). Western-style bound books were introduced to Siam by European diplomats and missionaries, along with printing techniques, during the 17th century. Unfortunately, the invention of typography took a further two centuries. Moveable type for the Thai syllabary was launched in the mid-19th century by an American missionary, Dan Beach Bradley, who published the first monthly periodical in Thai, The Bangkok Recorder (1844—1845; 1865—1867). Bradley also printed the first Thai-language book, Chindamani, in 1879. Written at the end of 18th century, most specialists consider this to be the first juvenile book in Siam/Thailand.

Samut Khoi

The Thai juvenile book industry was established some 30 years after these milestones. The Government and Ministry of Education promulgated laws at the end of the 19th century to encourage the publication of juvenile books through the foundation of a state publishing house. The first publications comprised three series of academic books: Little Wai and Little Feud (1910) Chindamani

featured the adventures of two boys teaching Siamese geography; Creation of Poetry compiled extracts from Thai poems; and, Moral Tales included Buddhist Morals (1904), Moral Tales (1910), and Aesop’s Fables (1912). Like other books printed by the Ministry of Education, these three collections were distributed to schools, but not commercially available. The state-dependent publication of juvenile books in Siam slowed between the First World War (1914—1918) and the end of the Pacific War (1941—1945). However, the Ministry of Education had not forsaken its mission to educate young Thais. The first juvenile leisure books, released at the beginning of the 1940s, met with great success and went on to inspire private publishers to develop the genre following the Pacific War. The participation of private editors stimulated the juvenile literature market and marked the beginning of an era of continuous growth. Despite the rapid development of the juvenile book industry, the market has always been dominated by educational and moral books catering to intermediary adults (adults who buy books for children), such as parents, teachers, and librarians. Their priorities lie in subject matter that is not harmful to young readers. As the decision-makers for children and students in their charge, the emphasis of Thai juvenile books consequently

has been “suitable” content that promotes universal social values (kindness, generosity, honesty, etc.) and Thai social priorities (filial piety, obedience, traditional culture, etc.). Intermediary adults and the Government have always shaped conventional juvenile book publication in Thailand. In 1955, a song entitled Children’s Responsibilities was released by the Government to remind Thai youth of their post-war societal responsibilities: frugality, protection of tradition, and hard work. This illustrates how intrinsic these values are to juvenile books published during that era. These values became the criteria for “good juvenile literature” in Thailand. In pursuit of moral education, adult writers address the protection of Thai tradition through text and graphic depictions of Thai artefacts. Surprisingly, Thai juvenile books, even recent ones, rarely show images of modern Thailand; in cases where such portrayals are included, modernity and technology are invariably depicted as demonic forces threatening to destroy the beauty of Thai culture and the traditional way of life. However, young Thais in the late 20th century and early 21st century have been more exposed to translated literature, and therefore seek similar innovation in the Thai juvenile books market. Finding this nearly non-existent, they have created their own literary genre with an online distribution platform. Since the beginning

of the 21st century, the internet has become an open forum for teen and young-adult amateur writers, with nationwide household access. A new literary community has emerged, finding expression through online forums, blogs, and poetry and fiction websites. Writers can upload their work in instalments; readers follow such stories and leave comments as feedback; editors trawl such websites for interesting manuscripts. From love stories to comic strips, the popularity of online literature has soared because of its fresh, modern storylines and realistic language. Printed versions of online debuts have enjoyed enormous success in the Thai literary market. Young people are stepping into the roles of creators: they write as they want to read, filling a glaring gap in the mainstream Thai juvenile literature market. Nevertheless, online literature is still viewed askance by traditional Thai literature specialists, who disparage this new literary form and its language aesthetic. The reactionaries cling to the imprisonment of young Thais in the same safe themes and archaic writing techniques reminiscent of the period between the wars. If the role of juvenile books is to enrich young people’s knowledge and experience, the narrow vision of some adult writers indicates that Thai juvenile literature is failing in its universal mission. Thailand is denying both modernity and reality—thematically and stylistically. The restrictions of traditional

literature are tough to break. As a juvenile literature enthusiast, I would love to see the market enriched with change and variety. Death, poverty, homosexuality, psychological problems, and other pertinent topics are rarely addressed. I hope to see young people exposed to such issues through Thai juvenile books in the 21st century.

Virine Hutasangkas is currently a lecturer at the Department of French, Faculty of Humanities, Chiang Mai University. She obtained her PhD in Modern Literature (Children’s literature) from Université de Tours, France. Her main interest is comparative literature (children and young adult) under various themes such as immigration, intercultural translation and multiculturalism. She loves pancake.

Publishing in Thailand Trasvin Jittidecharak

How did the people of Thailand learn to read and write before the 20th century? In feudal society, boys and young freemen entered monkhood to be taught Buddhist doctrine. They learned to read and write from text written on khoi paper made from Mulberry bark, in accordion-style folded books, or on tied and bundled palm leaves. Writing surfaces were colour-coated to encourage ink to adhere to grooves made with sharpedged styli. Texts were reproduced by scribes for safekeeping in temple libraries and royal palaces. Education, clearly, was not for everyone. In 1796, during Rama I’s reign, Catholic priest Arnoud Antoine Garnaut set up a print shop in the Santa Cruz Church, Thonburi. The metal movable typesetting system used typefaces from Calcutta (Kolkata), and later from Singapore. It was not until 1841 that Siam produced its own type. Paper was imported from Europe, as locally produced khoi paper was too rough for mechanized printing. Illustrations, though rare, were created using lithography. Photographic reproduction was not introduced until after 1900. The first Thai-owned press was established at Boworn Temple in 1843 by monk-prince, and future king, Mongkut (1804–1868). After his accession, King Mongkut (Rama IV; r. 1851–1868) ordered the Government to set up a printing press to publish the Royal Gazette (Ratkitchanubeksa), administrative papers and records (chotmaihet), Royal Gazette (Ratkitchanubeksa)

handbooks, laws, travel reports, speeches, and domestic and overseas travel books. The Buddhist community also produced books, educational materials, and Thai translations from Pali of Buddhist scriptures and commentaries. The first commercial press and publishing house were owned by Dr. Dan Beach Bradley (1804–1873), an American Presbyterian missionary and medical doctor. Bradley launched Siam’s first monthly newspaper, the Bangkok Recorder, in 1849. He paid royalties to writer Mom Rajoday, the chief interpreter of the Siamese embassy in London, to publish Nirat of London in 1861, a 95-page ballad describing the city. Subsequent publications by Bradley Press included writing and translations by Dr. Bradley himself and popular Thai stories. The writing, besides Government gazettes and newspapers, was poetic in style. When King Chulalongkorn (Rama V; r. 1868–1910) returned from his European tour in 1897, he decided to convert the royal library, formerly restricted to nobles, into a public library. His half-brother, Prince Damrong, started the tradition of “cremation volumes.” He encour-

aged the elite and affluent classes to publish biographies of their deceased relatives with supplementary text from the library manuscript collection for public distribution. This tradition is still practiced today. Literary publishing reached a high-point during the reign of King Vajiravudh (1910–1925), a prolific writer and translator who was educated at Sandhurst and Oxford. He encouraged his courtiers to write and publish, thereby increasing the contribution of prose and essays to the published corpus. In 1932, Siam became a constitutional monarchy, and in 1941 war broke out in the Asia Pacific, ending the publishing boom. The publishing industry and market revived in the late 1940s. Bangkok commanded the most significant market share (and still does to this day). However, by the late 1950s bookstores were popping up in the provinces. Newspapers and weekly magazines were flourishing. Most novelists wrote for weekly magazines to generate secondary income, as these royalties were paid as a lump sum; book publishing revenues were linked to sales and could be spread over up to 30 years. Many famous writers died in poverty. It

was not until the 1970s that publishers began to offer percentage royalties based on print-runs, with partial or full advances depending on the writer’s status. Book publishing flourished again from 1973 to 1976 due to the popular student movement. University students were hungry to read—anything. Print-runs for progressive political books went up from 3,000 to 10,000, with subsequent reruns. The 1976 military coup brought an end to this boom. During the 1980s, translations of self-help, management, business, spiritual, and childcare books, as well as illustrated educational materials, took the frontline. The 1990s brought a plethora of computing and software books. Publishing thrived at the dawn of the new millennium; at its peak in 2013, the market value of trade books was one billion Singapore dollars. The impact of digital disruption from 2012 onward saw many high-circulation magazines discontinued in the wake of declining advertising revenues. Income from daily newspapers and magazines—the bread and butter of small independent booksellers—dried up, forcing bookstores out of business, especially in the provinces. We do not have statistics for the buying and selling of translation rights. During the past ten years, Thai publishers have purchased rights to publish Thai translations of English-language business, self-help, popular science and history, and books for young adults. This

Chotmaihet

represents more than 50% of the titles in the market. Conversely, translation rights for Thai books in other languages contribute meagre income. There are, however, a few illustrated children’s books that are available in other languages. Since the 1960s and beyond, the publishing industry has rode the waves of economic growth. Thailand joined the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works from the outset and updated its Copyrights Acts in 1992 and 2018 to conform with the Marrakesh Treaty. The Thai Government supported the publishing industry with the Ministry of Education’s reading and literary promotions. The Book Development Department worked with UNESCO to initiate the National Book Week Fair, a retail book fair that has been an annual event since 1972. Incentives included book prizes and an award ceremony presided by HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. During the 1980s, the Ministry of Education handed over management of the fair to the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand (PUBAT). PUBAT was founded in 1959 with the objectives of encouraging quality publishing, promoting writing and translation, creating unity and support among its members, and building networks and relationships with the international publishing community. At present, there are around 600 publishers in Thailand; more than 70% of

which are small in size. As of April 2021, only 393 were PUBAT members, down from 544 in 2017. PUBAT also actively promotes reading culture. In addition to a semi-annual book fair in Bangkok, it hosts and participates in provincial book fairs. A member of the International Publishers Association and the ASEAN Book Publishers Association (ABPA), PUBAT led the steering committee that earned Bangkok the title of UNESCO World Book Capital City in 2013 and resulted in Bangkok hosting the 30th International Publisher Congress in 2015. Although many studies confirm that printed books bring greater benefit than other reading mediums, especially at an early age, digitisation and the COVID-19 pandemic make the future doubtful for conventional book publishing. Publishers will continue in the roles as gatekeepers of quality and champions of reading. But in light of the radical changes that we have already witnessed during the 21st century, the future is uncertain. Only time will tell…

Trasvin Jittidecharak is a Thai publisher. She founded, and has been running publishing company Silkworm Books since 1991. She served in the IPA Freedom to Publish Committee, from 2008–2021. She is now an Honorary Adviser to PUBAT (2019–21) and the Secretary-General of the ASEAN Book Publishers Association, ABPA (2020–21).

Lectures Translating the Future: Why Translated Children’s Books are Vital " 27 May (Thu) 5:30pm – 7:00pm ! Lawrence Schimel // Moderator: Lynette Morrison How can and will translation and translators play a role in shaping the next generation of children’s books and the landscape of children’s literature, particularly in a world where boundaries between countries, cultures and languages are becoming increasingly blurred? In this lecture, award-winning translator and children’s book author Lawrence Schimel will speak on the importance of translation and its increasing influence and impact in the world of publishing.

Picture Books In Our Hearts – The Components of Child Development in Picture Book Creation " 28 May (Fri) 3:00pm – 4:00pm ! Cheng Wan-Ni // Moderator:

Su Zhangkai

Between Illustration and Animation: Straddling Both Art Forms " 29 May (Sat) 12:30pm – 1:30pm ! Koji Yamamura // Moderator: Tomoko Shiga Hear from renowned illustrator and award-winning animator (Koji Yamamura) of Mount Head and A Country Doctor fame as he shares about how elements of character design and illustration styles play crucial roles in the storytelling process. Get an insight into the adaptation process, and uncover the differences in narrative flow between books and films. You may even get a glimpse at Koji’s illustrations in this lecture!

Inspiration, Memory and Writing " 29 May (Sat) 3:45pm – 4:45pm ! Hwang Sun-mi Moderator: Alicia Dong-Joo Bang An accidental encounter can lead to a lifelong passion, as it did for (Hwang Sun-mi) who discovered a classroom of books by chance, setting her on the path to becoming one of South Korea’s most beloved children’s book writers. In this lecture, hear from the acclaimed writer as she reflects on her writing journey, the tribulations faced and the sources of inspiration she draws from for her books. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session. This programme is supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea.

How to Enhance Parent-child Relationship through Picture Book Reading " 29 May (Sat) 5:00pm – 6:00pm ! Liu Hsu-Kung // Moderator:

Su Zhangkai

Explore how picture books can help nurture and cultivate the parent-child relationship in this lecture by award-winning children’s author Liu Hsu Kung). Hear from him as he shares on his approaches to conducting reading activities with his children and how that has influenced the way he creates his works.

Joy of Reading: How to Develop Communities of Readers " 30 May (Sun) 4:30pm – 5:30pm ! Teresa Cremin // Moderator: Loh Chin Ee This lecture will focus on the development of engaged communities of readers, particularly young children, who share the joy of reading. The evidence-informed talk will look at how these communities are underpinned by secure subject knowledge (of texts and of readers) and a reading for pleasure pedagogy. Teresa will also discuss how three characteristics – reciprocity, interaction, and strong reader to reader relationships – impact readers’ delight and desire. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session.

Workshops

These workshops have been converted to take place online from 3–5 June 2021. Please refer to our website afcc.com.sg for the latest information.

Being the Voice for the Forgotten: Writing For and About Kids with Disabilities ! Hidayah Amin Children’s stories should go beyond fairy tales and fantasy. Readers should be able to read stories about the “forgotten”—children with special needs who are marginalised, hidden and ignored. In turn, these “forgotten” children should be given the opportunity to read the “same” literature as their “normal” peers. Join this interactive workshop to understand, appreciate and advocate having a stronger voice for children who are often left on the sidelines, and re-examine what normalcy is.

Looking Back, Creating Forward ! Jeffrey Tan This in-person workshop is inspired by the legend of Radin Mas Ayu, a princess of the Javanese royal court in Singapore legend. Drama educator Jeffrey Tan will lead participants in a voyage to the past to create content for the future. Using various drama strategies, including Tableau, Thought Tracking, Conscience Alley, and Improvisation, the participants will dive into the shoes of the characters in the legend, while contextualising them into modern times.

Keep Playing! How to Engage Children in the Museum and at Home ! Shereen Tan, Yap Jia En Digital spaces and content are equally important in enabling creators to communicate with their target audiences. In this panel, discover how children learn from embodied experiences and muscle memory, while considering the importance of designing spaces for both structured and incidental learning experiences. Meet two Arts managers who have contributed to innovative art spaces for children’s learning in this striking in-person workshop!

Using the PEER strategy during Book Reading to Enhance Young Children’s Language Development ! Yvonne Pek, Jenny Cheok, Marie Angelie This session introduces participants to dialogic reading, which is the process of having a dialogue with students around the text they are reading. Other insightful methods shared during this programme include the use of CROWD prompts—an acronym for five different prompting methods that educators can utilise to enrich learning. You will also be introduced to the PEER strategy—a structured teaching practice that aids students in examining theirs and their classmates’ reactions to literature and books. With these activities, participants will gain confidence in choosing books, asking questions and responding effectively when reading to 2- to 5-year-old children.

Promoting Book Reading and Writing with TikTok ! Amy Ang In this workshop, local social media influencer Amy Ang will explain and guide you into the world of reading and writing on TikTok. Find out more from her about creating social media content, setting trends and going viral! You will also learn tips on how you can use social media to promote and share your own ideas about reading and writing. Join this in-person workshop to know more about #Booktok!

Masterclasses Enhance your knowledge and develop your skills by participating in our masterclass. Each masterclass session is ticketed individually. AFCC Digital Pass holders enjoy a discount of 10% - 15% off regular prices.

Creating Magic Systems " 29 May (Sat) 9:00am – 12:00pm ! Holly Black An essential part of worldbuilding, your magic system defines your world thematically and is part of the underpinnings for your story. A better understanding of your magic system can deepen your understanding of your characters and their journey. Come create a system that will be internally consistent, dynamic, with real-life parallels to our own world, and most importantly — story generative. This programme is supported by the U.S. Embassy Singapore.

Fiction Books for Children Aged 5-12: Writing and Editing Insights " 3 June (Thu) 4:00pm – 7:00pm ! Fiona Scoble What makes a good middle-grade book? What are the key points that writers, publishers and editors need to keep in mind when creating content for readers of this age range? Learn more about the world of middle-grade content and pick up useful tips and techniques in this masterclass, which will include exercises geared towards those who wish to write for this age group.

Please refer to our website afcc.com.sg for the latest information on the sessions.

Writer’s Pitch 2021 29 May (Sat) 2:00pm - 3:00pm

If you sent your unpublished manuscripts to us and hold an AFCC Festival Pass, this is the moment for you to shine! Meet up with publishing representatives Sarah Odedina from Pushkin Press, Tina Narang from HarperCollins India, Daphne Lee from Scholastic Asia and more. You will be meeting them one-on-one in a breakout room and you can schedule up to three meetings in total. All the best for your pitch!

ANI ALMARIO Vice-President for Product Development Adarna House

FRANCES ONG

DAPHNE LEE Editor Scholastic Asia

KELSEY SKEA

Managing Editor Tahanan Books

Editorial Director Two Lions / Amazon Crossing Kids

PRITI SHARMA

QUYNH LE

Associate Editor Epigram Books

Room to Read / The Asia Foundation

SARAH ODEDINA

TINA NARANG

Editor-at-Large Pushkin Press

Publisher HarperCollins India

Media Pitch 2021 29 May (Sat) 11:00am – 12:00pm

Watch the five finalists of AFCC’s Media Pitch from Singapore and abroad going head-to head with one another as they pitch their media projects to a panel of industry veterans in the kids content space for the chance of developing their concept further. Watch as experts from Nickelodeon, WarnerMedia, (Tencent) and Discovery Kids share their insights with the hopeful finalists. Expect sketches, storyboards, and lots of refreshing new ideas for children’s content.

PANELLISTS CARLENE TAN WarnerMedia

(Tencent) Media

KAREN TANG

NICHOLAS OH

Nickelodeon

Mediacorp

UTTAM PAL SINGH Discovery Kids

JAMES LIU

MENTORS ANTONY GUSSCOTT (New Zealand) Antony uses his 14 years of expertise to run a creative consultancy firm, Sprinkles on Top, that has worked with over 40 animation series worldwide. Sprinkles on Top helps clients to create: Writers Bibles, Pitching Materials, Show Bibles, Branding Guides and Pilots and aids the pre-production process of animation shows while assisting clients in pitch their series to the global market.

ROB MIDDLETON (UK) Rob’s had a hand in music television, children’s programming, movie channels to business news and hasn’t lost a finger yet. Along the way, he’s mentored more than a few of Asia’s promo kings and queens. Dirty as it sounds, you’d need three hands to count the Rocket Award winners that have passed through his system. And on top of all that, he’s Asia’s leading voice over…just ask him.

TANG CHI SIM (Singapore) Chi Sim is the founder and CEO of Omens Studios, a CG animation studio based in Singapore with offices in Malaysia, UK and China. As an Executive Producer, he works with different creative talents in the development of long and short-form content, and is also responsible for the financing, production and commercialisation of media content.

YOSHIYA AYUGAI (Singapore) Yoshiya is a Writer/Producer for kids and family content working across the Asia Pacific region. Yoshiya is originally from Japan and has held development and production executive positions in Tokyo, LA, Hong Kong and in Singapore at Disney, Cartoon Network and Netflix, working with the most dynamic animation studios in the region.

Calendar: 27 May (Thu) WRITERS & ILLUSTRATORS 9A M

CROSS-PLATFORM

TEACHERS & PARENTS

9:00AM – 10:30AM

AFCC Keynote: Reimagine. Rebuild. Reignite 10 A M

11:00AM – 12:00PM

11A M

12P M

Streaming Content: Trends in Viewership Story City – Getting Real with Digital Narrative 12:00PM – 1:00PM

Normalising differences

12:30PM – 1:30PM

Culturally Diverse Middle Grade and YA books as the Future of Content

1P M

1:30PM – 2:30PM

The Urge of Local Dialect and Local Language Use in Children Picture Books

2P M

2:30PM – 3:30PM

3P M

3:00PM – 4:00PM

4PM

4:00PM – 5:00PM

Growing Children’s Love for Nature through a Digitally Transformed Literature Reading for Pleasure: Antidote to Digital Distraction

5:30PM – 7:00PM

6PM

Developing Language, Literacy & Mental Wellness Through a Screen-Free Environment

4:30PM – 5:30PM

Reading Seeds™: The Way Forward Promoting Early Literacy and Developmental Awareness Amongst Families via eLearning Platform

5P M Translating the Future: Why Translated Children’s Books are Vital

Memupuk Perkembangan Dwibahasa KanakKanak Melalui Buku Dwibahasa

2:00PM – 3:00PM

6:00PM – 7:00PM

Re-telling Asian Fairytales for a New Generation

COUNTRY OF FOCUS

LECTURES, WORKSHOPS, MASTERCLASS

PUBLIC

9A M

10 A M

11A M

12P M

1P M

2P M

3P M

4PM

3:15PM – 3:45PM

Book Talk: The Reading Tree

4:00PM – 5:00PM

Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution in the ASEAN: Obstacles and Solutions 5P M 5:30PM – 7:00PM

6PM

Translating the Future: Why Translated Children’s Books are Vital

5:45PM - 6:15PM

Book Talk: My BFF is an Alien: Turbulence

Calendar: 28 May (Fri) WRITERS & ILLUSTRATORS 9A M

9:00AM – 10:00AM

CROSS-PLATFORM

TEACHERS & PARENTS 9:00AM – 10:00AM

Upclose with Christina Soontornvat

How Stories With Local Wisdom Turn Into an Unexpected Lifesaver During The New Normal

10 A M 10:30AM – 11:30AM

11A M

Writing for (the) Future (of) Children: Social and Environmental Justice in Picture Books from the Philippines

10:45AM – 11:45AM

Who’s Afraid of Poetry?: Incorporating Poetry in Classrooms and Everyday Life

12P M

12:00PM – 1:00PM

Mental Health Inquiry for Children by Reading and Storytelling Online 1P M

1:00PM – 2:00PM

Saving the Environment One Book at A Time 2P M

3P M

Looking For and Using Digital Resources 1:30PM – 3:00PM

Stories of Strength: The Courage of Action

3:00PM – 4:00PM

The Future of Audiobooks 3:30PM – 4:30PM

Impacting Children and Teens Using Digital Learning and Cross-Disciplinary Programmes

4PM

5P M

5PM – 6PM

Brave New Worlds / Strange New Worlds

6PM

5PM – 6PM

5PM – 6:30PM

Crossing Borders: Children’s Books in Focus

COUNTRY OF FOCUS

LECTURES, WORKSHOPS, MASTERCLASS

PUBLIC

9A M

10 A M

11A M

12P M 12:30PM - 1:00PM

Book Talk: Are You Listening?

1P M

2P M

3P M

3:00PM – 4:00PM

4PM

5P M

6PM

Calendar: 29 May (Sat) WRITERS & ILLUSTRATORS 9A M

CROSS-PLATFORM

TEACHERS & PARENTS

9:00AM – 10:00AM

Using Podcasts to Promote Reading and Books 10 A M 10:30AM – 11:30AM

11A M

Owning Our Narratives 11:00AM – 12:00PM

Media Pitch

12P M

12:00PM – 1:00PM

12:30PM – 1:30PM

1P M

Between Illustration and Animation: Straddling Both Art Forms

How Technology Enhances the Learning Process, Production and Marketing of a Children’s Book 1:00PM – 2:00PM

Practical Approaches to Media Literacy and Combating Misinformation

1:30PM – 2:30PM

2P M

Sensitive Issues in Philippine Children’s Literature on Parental Migration and Left-behind Children

2:00PM – 3:00PM

Making Books Accessible

2:00PM – 3:00PM

Writer’s Pitch 3P M

3:00PM – 4:00PM

3:45PM – 4:45PM

4PM

Inspiration, Memory and Writing

5P M

5:00PM – 6:00PM

Menghasilkan Buku Kanak-kanak Yang Berjaya Meraih Anugerah

5:00PM – 6:00PM 5:15PM – 6:15PM

6PM

From Bookstagram to BookToks: How Gen Z is Generating Book Buzz

Building an Inclusive Classroom

COUNTRY OF FOCUS 9A M

9:00AM – 10:00AM

One City, One Book: Reading Initiatives in Thailand

LECTURES, WORKSHOPS, MASTERCLASS

PUBLIC

9:00AM – 12:00PM

Creating Magic Systems

10 A M

11A M

12P M 12:30PM – 1:30PM

1P M

Between Illustration and Animation: Straddling Both Art Forms

2P M

3P M

3:45PM – 4:45PM

4PM

5P M

Inspiration, Memory and Writing

5:00PM – 6:00PM 5:15PM - 5:45PM

Book Talk: Invigorating Classics for A New Generation Through Visual Reading 6PM

Calendar: 30 May (Sun) WRITERS & ILLUSTRATORS 9A M

CROSS-PLATFORM

TEACHERS & PARENTS

9:00AM – 10:00AM

Why I Write About Diversity

9:30AM – 11:00AM

10 A M 10:30AM – 12:00PM

11A M

The Future of Reading 11:00AM – 12:00PM

Creating Narratives Through Comics

12P M 12:30PM – 1:30PM

1P M

12:30PM – 1:30PM

Creating Books For People with Disabilities

Creating Nonfiction Books for Children

1:30PM – 2:30PM

2P M

New Voices from SEA 2:00PM – 3:00PM

Connections to Global Issues: How Teacher-Librarians are Supporting the UN SDGs and Beyond

3P M

2:30PM – 3:30PM

3:45PM – 4:45PM

Putting the “A” in STEM Education

4PM 4:30PM – 5:30PM

5P M

6PM

Mental Wellbeing of Children in the Digital Age

4:30PM – 5:30PM

Joy of Reading: How to Develop Communities of Readers

LECTURES, WORKSHOPS, MASTERCLASS

COUNTRY OF FOCUS 9A M

PUBLIC

9:00AM – 10:00AM

A Window into Children’s Literature in Thailand 10 A M 10:30AM – 12:00PM

The Future of Reading

11A M

12P M

1P M

1:45PM - 2:15PM

Book Talk: Travelling During Covid Times? Through Books, You Can!

2P M

2:30PM – 3:00PM

The Moon Princess Poem Reading 3P M

3:45PM – 4:45PM

4PM

Promoting Creative Economies: The Thai Experience 4:30PM – 5:30PM

Joy of Reading: How to Develop Communities of Readers

5P M

6PM 6:30PM – 7:00PM

Country of Focus Night

27 May (Thu) Sessions • Reimagine 9:00am – 10:30am

KEYNOTE

AFCC Keynote: Reimagine. Rebuild. Reignite

! Jason Chin, Hwang Sun-mi

, Esther Nguyen // Moderator: Colin Goh

Books are time capsules that capture moments in time and are mediums through which we can review our past, learn about the present and predict the future. As we collectively reimagine our post-pandemic children’s literature industry, what does the future hold in store? In this session, our keynote speakers will share about their relationship with books and their thoughts on the evolution of the literary scene and reading community. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session. This programme is supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and U.S. Embassy Singapore.

11:00am – 12:00pm

PANEL

Streaming Content: Trends in Viewership

! Nicholas Oh, Vivek Couto, Leslie Lee // Moderator: Ervin Han In this new age of content streaming, how have viewership trends changed along with the times and what do commissioners look out for in sourcing for new content? What devices are the most popular among video-streaming consumers? What types of content work best on streaming devices? Join our panellists from WarnerMedia, Media Partners Asia and MediaCorp as they share insights, tips and observations from the media industry! There will be a live Q&A segment during this session. PRESENTATION

Story City – Getting Real with Digital Narrative

! Dimity Powell // Moderator: Christine Chong Using her own shortlisted digital narrative The Chapel of Unlove as a living example, Dimity will divulge the exacting process of producing an immersive, interactive ‘choose-your-own-adventure’ styled locative fiction. Discover how digital narratives enable young readers to control the destiny of the protagonist, and exercise agency as they embark on adventures of their own choosing! There will be a live Q&A segment during this session.

27 MAY SESSIONS

12:00pm – 1:00pm

Normalising differences: Empowering children and teens through diverse literature PANEL

! Nurul Fateen Keisha, Aida Abdul Rahim // Moderator: Rhoda Myra Garces Bacsal Inclusive societies are pertinent to building a sustainable future for all, as the world grows more digitalised and interconnected. In this session by two experienced librarians, learn the importance of discussing diverse narratives and using accessible book formats to build empathy and self-esteem among children and teens. You will also learn how to empower young readers to become thoughtful and inclusive individuals who can affect change in their communities, by normalising differences with literature.

12:30pm – 1:30pm

PRESENTATION

of Content

Culturally Diverse Middle Grade and YA books as the Future

! Kristyn Maslog-Levis // Moderator: Kim Beeman This talk reveals author Kristyn Maslog-Levis’ experience of being a Filipino writer in Australia, and of writing about Filipino mythology and Filipino life for a non-Asian audience. She will share how her children’s books contribute to an increasing number of Filipino-Australian books, which are a scarcity despite the large migrant population in Australia. Chat with author K.M. Levis and share in the discussion on Asian representation beyond our borders in this intimate programme. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session.

1:30pm – 2:30pm

The Urge of Local Dialect and Local Language Use in Children Picture Books to Promote Tolerance and Cultural Recognition PRESENTATION

! Yulia Loekito // Moderator: Alexander Coupe When was the last time you read a children’s picture book written in its country’s local language and dialect? This session explores some examples from Indonesia. The speakers will also discuss why authors should be encouraged to write children picture books in the local language of their countries, and how to include local dialect in these stories. If you are a children’s picture book writer, this session is perfect for you, with tips for how you can enrich your narrative!

27 MAY SESSIONS

2:00pm – 3:00pm

Developing Language, Literacy and Mental Wellness Through a Screen-Free Environment TALK

! Dr Lourdes Mary Daniel, Fiona Woo, Jasmine Lee Do you shake your head in disapproval when you see children glued to screens? This session is just for you! Examine how building social relationships and utilising offline modes of learning contributes to children’s social-emotional development and mental wellbeing. You will also find out how non-digital learning strategies can complement digital learning. Discover tools for the perfect balance that your students and children need in this session. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session.

2:30pm – 3:30pm

Memupuk Perkembangan Dwibahasa Kanak-Kanak Melalui Buku Dwibahasa Nurturing Children’s Billingual Development through Billingual Books PANEL

! Norlin Samat, Mukhlis Abu Bakar // Moderator: Jumaini Ariff # This session will be conducted in Malay Mempelajari sesuatu bahasa adalah kemahiran sepanjang hayat dan ia harus bermula sejak kecil lagi. Sesi ini meneroka bagaimana buku dwibahasa serta strategi yang digunakan sewaktu proses pengkaryaan dan pengajaran buku-buku tersebut dapat membantu kanak-kanak kecil pupuk rasa cinta terhadap bahasa Melayu. Learning a language is a lifelong skill and one that should start from young. This session explores how bilingual books and the strategies employed in the creation and teaching process for these books can help young children cultivate a love for the Malay language.

27 MAY SESSIONS

3:00pm – 4:00pm

Growing Children’s Love for Nature through a Digitally Transformed Literature PRESENTATION

! Yovita Siswati // Moderator: Ow Yeong Wai Kit Environmental issues have become a growing concern in recent years. In this session, the audience will explore how these issues impact children and what authors can do to educate children and increase their awareness on environmental issues. The presentation with a children’s book writer will also reveal how one can stimulate interest for, and promote activities to nurture and preserve nature, by taking advantage of the rapidly growing digital mediums.

4:00pm – 5:00pm

Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution in the ASEAN: Obstacles and Solutions PANEL

! Andrea Pasion-Flores, Gesarin Anek, Yani Kurniawan // Moderator: Sheikh Faisal Sheikh Mansor The ASEAN region boasts a combined population of approximately 649 million people and one-third of them are potential readers aged 19 or younger. However, children and young adult books by ASEAN writers are still inaccessible to their readers. What is the cause? Publishers and distributors from the region will talk about the present obstacles and positives they experience in distributing books in the region. This session is presented as part of the Country of Focus: Thailand. PRESENTATION

Reading for Pleasure: Antidote to Digital Distraction

! Tina Walton // Moderator: Sarah Mounsey Content has never been so immediately available as it is today, and the competition for eyeballs and clicks is fierce. When mere words have to compete with tag-lines, sound-bites, memes, and TikTok videos, they have to be good to sustain interest. This talk will take audiences through the simple pleasure of reading fiction as an antidote to digital distraction, and how reading provides the additional benefit of increasing our attention span. There will be a live Q&A with the speaker as part of this session.

27 MAY SESSIONS

4:30pm – 5:30pm

Reading Seeds™: The Way Forward Promoting Early Literacy and Developmental Awareness Amongst Families via eLearning Platform PRESENTATION

! Edison Anak Ricket // Moderator: N. Kannigadevi Reading Seeds is a literacy and developmental awareness programme for families with young children. This program was first initiated for communities in Sarawak, Malaysia, and was later adopted by the National Library of Malaysia as a national reading project. The programme aims to stimulate early literacy development concurrent to the development of a baby’s physical and cognitive growth. Find out more about the results and findings of this programme by attending this session!

5:30pm – 7:00pm

Translating the Future: Why Translated Children’s Books are Vital LECTURE

! Lawrence Schimel // Moderator: Lynette Morrison How can and will translation and translators play a role in shaping the next generation of children’s books and the landscape of children’s literature, particularly in a world where boundaries between countries, cultures and languages are becoming increasingly blurred? In this lecture, award-winning translator and children’s book author Lawrence Schimel will speak on the importance of translation and its increasing influence and impact in the world of publishing. This lecture is accessible with the festival pass. If you do not possess the festival pass for the day of the lecture, you can purchase and register the ticket separately.

6:00pm – 7:00pm

PRESENTATION

Re-telling Asian Fairytales for a New Generation

! Daphne Lee Mei Lin // Moderator: Joel Donato Ching Jacob How do we keep our myths and legends fresh for young readers? Do we need to reframe and reinterpret these stories in order to ensure that Asian fairytales can continue to thrive for future generations? Why are Asian kids more familiar with European fairytales, than Asian ones? Attend this session with seasoned editor and creative writing teacher Daphne Lee to understand why we need to keep telling our own narratives to our children.

28 May (Fri) Sessions • Rebuild 9:00am – 10:00am

CONVERSATION

Upclose with Christina Soontornvat

! Christina Soontornvat // Moderator: Denise Tan You’ve sent your questions for Christina Soontornvat on our social media. Now, join the Newbery award-winning author for a conversation as she shares about her writing journey, the creative process that goes into her books and what inspires her to keep on creating impactful and meaningful stories for readers. Tune in as she answers your questions about her middle grade books, picture books and chapter books! There will be a live Q&A segment during this session. This programme is supported by the U.S. Embassy Singapore.

How Stories With Local Wisdom Turn Into an Unexpected Lifesaver During The New Normal PANEL

! Debby Lukito, Tyas Widjati // Moderator: Chatarina Trihastuti Contemporary stories with local wisdom have been written time and again. Literary activism has enabled hundreds of titles containing native stories to be distributed to libraries and schools in remote areas in the region. When Covid-19 hit last year, the education system in Indonesia was pushed to adapt quickly in order to minimize the loss of learning. In this session, discover how those stories were used as effective teaching materials to save the lives of students, teachers, and parents during the pandemic.

10:30am – 11:30am

Writing for (the) Future (of) Children: Social and Environmental Justice in Picture Books from the Philippines PRESENTATION

! Jose Monfred C. Sy // Moderator: Nor Lastrina Hamid Have you ever wondered if children’s books carry the capacity to represent the marginalised? How can children’s books cultivate a spirit of social and environmental justice in young readers? This inspiring sharing will showcase how books have the power to encourage young readers to challenge and resist systems of inequality, and remind them of their responsibility to build a better future, and leave a better world behind for the next generation.

28 MAY SESSIONS

10:45am – 11:45am

Who’s Afraid of Poetry?: Incorporating Poetry in Classrooms and Everyday Life PRESENTATION

! Mariko Nagai // Moderator: Ann Ang Join Pushcart Prize-winning poet and writer Mariko Nagai in this session and learn how you can incorporate poetry in children’s classroom and everyday life. With the use of metaphors, imagery and alliteration, this programme will equip you with techniques and tips to expand children’s imagination and creativity. Learn how to incorporate poetry, verses and rhymes into everyday routines and discover how children’s language and confidence can blossom from it. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session.

12:00pm – 1:00pm

Mental Health Inquiry for Children by Reading and Storytelling Online PRESENTATION

! Friska Titi Nova // Moderator: Joji Reynes Santos What happens when you mix reading e-books with video games and interactive elements? This presentation shares how lower and upper primary students respond, and provides insights on the effects of online and offline reading on children’s mental health. Librarian and literary activist Friska Titi Nova will provide an Indonesian perspective to this, along with recommendations and observable examples in her field of work. This session will be beneficial for parents and educators who are interested in their children and students’ holistic development with reading and storytelling.

1:00pm – 2:00pm

PANEL

Looking For and Using Digital Resources

! Siti Aisyah Binte Abdul Nasir, Wai Yin Pryke, Sarah Mounsey // Moderator: Christabel Sim What are the available digital teaching, learning and reading resources that are out there, and how can educators and parents select and use them at home and in the classroom? What are some of the strategies for using these resources judiciously? Join a librarian, a former educator, and a parent in this exciting panel discussion that showcases different unique perspectives on this topic. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session.

28 MAY SESSIONS

1:00pm – 2:00pm

PANEL

Saving the Environment One Book at A Time

! Lee Myung-ae

, Evelyn Bookless, Hwee Goh // Moderator: Melissa Low

Climate change is a global threat, and there is an increasing need to take action now. How are we highlighting this critical topic to children? Are children’s books the solution? This panel will explore how climate change and eco-activism have been tackled with illustrations in children’s books and comics, and how a universal topic can be made interesting with captivating content. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session. This programme is supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea.

1:30pm – 3:00pm

PRESENTATION

Stories of Strength: The Courage of Action

! Sunanda Verma // Moderator: Michele Newman Digital innovation has brought new avenues of expression. However, narratives that reflect the real-life experience of people overcoming adversities with their resilience, passion and action still retain their appeal. This session looks at the critical role of inspiring young minds and the need to document stories of diverse contemporary role models with the Namaste! series of books which bring diversity into school curricula around the world. The author will also share the importance of traversing boundaries to share amazing intercultural stories.

3:00pm – 4:00pm

PANEL

The Future of Audiobooks

! Eduardo García, Michele Cobb, Shalu Wasu // Moderator: Charlene Shepherdson Audiobooks have been rising in popularity and are primed to grow even further. What are the trends of listenership and the future development of audiobook publishing? Join this panel to find out more.

28 MAY SESSIONS

3:00pm – 4:00pm

LECTURE

Picture Books In Our Hearts – The Components of Child Development in Picture Book Creation ! Cheng Wan-Ni // Moderator: # This session will be conducted in Chinese

Su Zhangkai

Why are some discussion topics in picture books so well-loved by children? This talk will analyse the elements in picture books that young children are fond of, and how this enables picture books to captivate them. This lecture is accessible with the festival pass. If you do not possess the festival pass for the day of the lecture, you can purchase and register the ticket separately.

3:30pm – 4:30pm

Impacting Children and Teens Using Digital Learning and Cross-Disciplinary Programmes PRESENTATION

! Renu Siva // Moderator: Cheeno Marlo Sayuno Today’s generation of children and teens are highly immersed in digital environments. While there is a general acceptance of the inevitability of digital platforms, how do we wield this phenomenon as opportunities for learning, and as incentives for children to read while maintaining a balanced consumption of technology? Is there a way to utilise cross-disciplinary programmes to promote reading to children and teenagers, while getting them engaged in mother tongue language books at the same time? Find out in this presentation!

28 MAY SESSIONS

5:00pm – 6:00pm

PANEL

Seen/Unseen: Realism and Fantasy in Illustrations ! Ah Guo, Sun Hsin-Yu, # This session will be conducted in Chinese

Liu Hsu-Kung // Moderator: Charlene Lai

Pictures tell a thousand words and they can encompass multiple interpretations and narratives on their own. How do the modes of fantasy and realism play out in picture books? Hear from picture book illustrators who will share their thoughts in this panel. There will be a live Q&A Segment during this session. PANEL

Brave New Worlds / Strange New Worlds

! Rosemarie Somaiah, Alicia Dong-Joo Bang // Moderator: Jeffrey Tan How has the COVID-19 pandemic, global disruptions and technological innovation changed the nature of creating content? In an increasingly saturated online space, how do authors fight to maintain their unique stories? Join seasoned storytellers Rosemarie Somaiah and Alicia Dong-Joo Bong as they deep dive into these important questions, and how content creators can collaborate more, so that we can celebrate what it means to be writers and storytellers in these ever-changing times.

5:00pm – 6:30pm

PANEL

Crossing Borders: Children’s Books in Focus

! Avery Fischer Udagawa, Helen Wang, Lawrence Schimel, Nur-El Hudaa Jaffar, Vetri Moderator: Shelly Bryant This roundtable gathers six translators from different parts of the world, from the US to Thailand, and working in different languages, to engage in a special conversation. They will discuss ways to increase the amount of translated children’s books, how to get more people interested in reading translated works, the challenges that they face, as well as their hopes for the future of translation. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session.

29 May (Sat) Sessions • Rebuild 9:00am – 10:00am

PANEL

Using Podcasts to Promote Reading and Books

! Loh Chin Ee, Nat Amoore, Benjamin (Jamie) Salka // Moderator: Jai Zende What goes into the making of a podcast, and why should you start listening to one (if you have not already)? Hear from our panel of podcast hosts and creators on why they feel podcasts are great platforms for the promotion of books and reading. Find out how they have each used the podcasts in reaching out to their audiences. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session. PANEL

One City, One Book: Reading Initiatives in Thailand

9:00am – 12:00pm

MASTERCLASS

Creating Magic Systems

See session on page 26

10:30am – 11:30am

PANEL

Owning Our Narratives

! Sim Ee Waun, Eva Wong Nava // Moderator: Joyceline See Tully Listen to two homegrown authors as they discuss diversity in children’s literature beyond COVID-19 and what that means for Singapore. They will also share why “owning our narrative” is important in a child’s reading diet. The session also delves deeper into how reading develops a sense of identity and a memory of who we are, adding to a sense of belonging altogether. You may even discover some uniquely Singaporean books!

29 MAY SESSIONS

11:00am – 12:00pm

PITCH

Media Pitch

See session on page 28

12:00pm – 1:00pm

How Technology Enhances the Learning Process, Production and Marketing of a Children’s Book PRESENTATION

! Ngo Chew Yeh // Moderator: Kenlin Liu The session looks at the journey and birth of the augmented reality (AR) book, Prince Nila Discovers a New Kingdom, by its writer Chew Yeh. AR, which enhances real-world objects with technology, is an interactive experience that Pokémon Go! players will be familiar with. How does this play out in a children’s book? Find out how AR has been bringing literature to life, and how it can help enhance your marketing efforts for your books!

12:30pm – 1:30pm

LECTURE

Between Illustration and Animation: Straddling Both Art Forms

! Koji Yamamura

// Moderator: Tomoko Shiga

Hear from renowned illustrator and award-winning animator (Koji Yamamura) of Mount Head and A Country Doctor fame as he shares about how elements of character design and illustration styles play crucial roles in the storytelling process. Get an insight into the adaptation process, and uncover the differences in narrative flow between books and films. You may even get a glimpse at Koji’s illustrations in this lecture! This lecture is accessible with the festival pass. If you do not possess the festival pass for the day of the lecture, you can purchase and register the ticket separately.

1:00pm – 2:00pm

Practical Approaches to Media Literacy and Combating Misinformation PANEL

! Mervin Ang, Mike Caulfield, Angela Erickson // Moderator: Kim Beeman Knowing where to look for reliable information and how to trace and verify claims from unfamiliar, biased, or distorted sources is essential for students, parents, and teachers. This session will focus on practical approaches to media literacy, including a look at how educators, librarians and institutions are taking effective measures to help their stakeholders discern fake news from great news. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session.

29 MAY SESSIONS

1:30pm – 2:30pm

Sensitive Issues in Philippine Children’s Literature on Parental Migration and Left-behind Children PRESENTATION

! Glenda C. Oris // Moderator: Theodora Choy Fong Lam This presentation focuses on the psychosocial impact of parental migration on children. How are “left-behind” children in the Philippines as represented by the country’s children stories? What are some difficult issues that are addressed in children’s books? Deep dive into representation of special needs children, child abuse and maltreatment in this eye-opening programme. When children of migrants lose their parents to disability and death, how do they carry on, and are there children’s books that showcase their plight unflinchingly and accurately? Find out more in this session.

2:00pm – 3:00pm

PANEL

Making Books Accessible

! Verena Lee, Jaspreet Kaur, Monica Halil Lövblad, Magali Finet, Ming Xia Ho, Kavitha Krishnan // Moderator: Roger Jenkins How can we make books accessible to people with disabilities, and what are the various inclusive strategies in place to enable them to read? This panel stars a bharathanatyam dancer, a representative from publishing for accessible books, an arts group that supports people with disabilities and more. Find out how books provide an entry point for different disability groups to experience a more fulfilling life. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session.

2:00pm – 3:00pm

PITCH

Writer’s Pitch

See session on page 27

3:00pm – 4:00pm

Menghasilkan Buku Kanak-kanak Yang Berjaya Meraih Anugerah (Creating Award-winning Children’s Books) PANEL

! Rilla Melati Bahir, Koen Setyawan, Nor Azhar Ishak // Moderator: Shahril Samri # This session will be conducted in Malay Dengarkan perkongsian panel penulis tentang karya-karya mereka yang telah memenangi anugerah. Mereka akan membincangkan inspirasi disebalik buku-buku mereka dan bagaimana pengiktirafan yang diberikan telah meningkatkan proses kreatif mereka serta menetapkan jangkaan bagi karyakarya yang akan datang.

29 MAY SESSIONS

Hear from this panel of writers as they share about their award-winning works. They will discuss the inspiration for their books and how the awards they received have improved their creative process and set expectations for future works. Nor Azhar is unable to participate in AFCC due to unforseen circumstances, but the session he is involved will still go on.

3:45pm – 4:45pm

LECTURE

Inspiration, Memory and Writing Hwang Sun-mi// Moderator: Alicia Dong-Joo Bang

An accidental encounter can lead to a lifelong passion, as it did for (Hwang Sun-mi) who discovered a classroom of books by chance, setting her on the path to becoming one of South Korea’s most beloved children’s book writers. In this lecture, hear from the acclaimed writer as she reflects on her writing journey, the tribulations faced and the sources of inspiration she draws from for her books. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session. This programme is supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea. This lecture is accessible with the festival pass. If you do not possess the festival pass for the day of the lecture, you can purchase and register the ticket separately.

5:00pm – 6:00pm

PANEL

Building an Inclusive Classroom

! Sandy Koh, Cass Lim, Alison Choo // Moderator: Gomathey Veeramari How can early intervention practitioners, early childhood educators and parents work collaboratively in the building of inclusive classrooms? What role does Early Intervention, which refers to the services and supports that are available to babies and young children with developmental delays and disabilities and their families, play in the process of providing services, education, and support to young children with special needs? There will be a live Q&A segment during this session.

29 MAY SESSIONS

5:00pm – 6:00pm

LECTURE

How to Enhance Parent-child Relationship through Picture Book Reading ! Liu Hsu-Kung // Moderator: # This session will be conducted in Chinese

Su Zhangkai

Explore how picture books can help nurture and cultivate the parent-child relationship in this lecture by award-winning children’s author, (Liu Hsu Kung). Hear from him as he shares on his approaches to conducting reading activities with his children and how that has influenced the way he creates his works. This lecture is accessible with the festival pass. If you do not possess the festival pass for the day of the lecture, you can purchase and register the ticket separately.

5:15pm – 6:15pm

From Bookstagram to BookToks: How Gen Z is Generating Book Buzz PANEL

! Natalie Sutanto, Elizabeth Black, Mireille and Elodie Lee (@alifeofliterature) // Moderator: Mindy Pang Unsure what is a BookTok and a Bookstagram? Fret not! Let the digital natives on this panel share what these terms are with you! They will look at how the discussion and promotion of books have changed within the Gen Z era with the use of digital platforms and social media, and discuss what the future of books could look like. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session.

30 May (Sun) Sessions • Reignite 9:00am – 10:00am

PANEL

Why I Write About Diversity

! Kat Cho, Kristyn Maslog-Levis // Moderator: Daphne Lee Mei Lin Diversity and Representation are key words currently permeating the literary industry, with more writers and publishers aware of the need for books and content that reflect the different aspects and facets of the world we live in. In this session, hear from our speakers as they discuss the push for diverse writing and books in their own countries, and what are their hopes for the future of literature for young people. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session. This programme is supported by the U.S. Embassy Singapore.

9:30am – 11:00am

TALK

The Art of Picture Books with Sun Hsin-Yu ! Sun Hsin-Yu // Moderator: Quek Hong Shin # This session will be conducted in Chinese Bologna Ragazzi Award

Join Bologna Ragazzi Award illustrator (Sun Hsin-Yu) as she shares about her journey as an illustrator and the different creative devices she used in her books. She will also discuss her various bespoke projects especially her collaboration with the National Taiwan University Hospital.

10:30am – 12:00pm

WORKSHOP

The Future of Reading

! Melissa Choo # This session will be conducted in Chinese, with English subtitles.

30 MAY SESSIONS

Reading fun books in mother tongue language allow parents to introduce children to their culture and language at a young age. Speaker Melissa Choo shares why this is important in a predominantly English-language environment. Melissa, whose job encompasses choosing Chinese language book titles for public libraries in Singapore, will introduce must-read Chinese children’s collections and share practical tips in choosing fun Chinese books for parents and children to kick start their reading journey together in this online workshop.

11:00am – 12:00pm

PANEL

Creating Narratives Through Comics

! Melanie Lee, Arif Rafhan, Gavin Aung Than // Moderator: Felicia Low In this session, independent comics publisher Difference Engine will be speaking with cartoonists Arif Rafhan and Gavin Aung Than and children’s book writer Melanie Lee about how students can process complex topics with creative materials like creating comics and simple narratives. Educators will learn how to include visual storytelling in their arsenal of teaching tools after this eye-opening session, and parents will be able to cultivate a love for illustration and reading in their children. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session.

12:30pm – 1:30pm

PANEL

Creating Books For People with Disabilities

! Lawrence Schimel, Hidayah Amin // Moderator: Leigh Turina Recent years have seen a greater awareness of people with disabilities and the conversations surrounding accessibility and inclusion. A greater availability of books created for, and depicting people with disabilities has contributed to this. What does it mean to create accessible and inclusive books? Find out in this session as the speakers discuss the importance of having and reading books that promote inclusion and disability awareness. This programme is supported by the U.S. Embassy Singapore. PANEL

Creating Nonfiction Books for Children

! Hwee Goh, Scott Riley, Koen Setyawan // Moderator: Ho Lee-Ling (Stephanie) Dive into the realm of nonfiction books and explore more about how these books have engaged the attention of young readers while presenting facts and real-life accounts in informative and appealing ways. Hear from our panel of authors as they share about the creative process and considerations in writing nonfiction books for children, and how they have managed to keep this genre alluring to young readers. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session.

30 MAY SESSIONS

1:30pm – 2:30pm

PANEL

New Voices from SEA

! Joel Donato Ching Jacob, Vu Thuy Ngoc Ha // Moderator: Weng Cahiles Find out more about the new voices in the Southeast Asian children’s literary scene in this panel featuring emerging writers. Hear them share about their journey to becoming a published author. They will also share the challenges of publishing children’s books in their respective countries, and what encouraged them to push on despite the obstacles they faced. You may even be the first to find out about new upcoming books they are working on! There will be a live Q&A segment during this session.

2:00pm – 3:00pm

Connections to Global Issues: How Teacher-Librarians are Supporting the UN SDGs and Beyond PANEL

! Zakir Hossain, Nadine Bailey, Stojana Popovska // Moderator: Katie Day This session will explore how teacher-librarians in international schools are curating and delivering resources that support the exploration and understanding of global issues, e.g. the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, for students of all ages. The Sustainable Development Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.” Are booklists or Libguides the answer? Find out more in this programme!

2:30pm – 3:30pm

PANEL

Using Books to Engage Children in the Tamil Language ! Dr Sivakumaran, Suriya Rethnna // Moderator: Vijayanand Thamotharan # This session will be conducted in Tamil

30 MAY SESSIONS

How has the teaching and learning of Tamil language in Singapore developed over the past years, and how can teachers, parents and writers can inspire in the young a passion for the language? Hear from experts in the field of Tamil language and culture!

3:45pm – 4:45pm

PANEL

Putting the “A” in STEM Education

! Jedidiah Siah, Johann Annuar, Toh Yixue // Moderator: Shreya Acharya What’s the big deal about STEAM education? STEAM Education is an approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking. This panel will uncover how STEAM education can encourage students to think about the connections between the disciplines of STEM and art. Hear from practitioners in STEAM fields as they share how design thinking and creativity influences their approach to holistic problem solving. There will be a live Q&A session with the speakers in this session. PANEL

Promoting Creative Economies: The Thai Experience

Fostering creative economies in industries, like animation and graphic design, opens a whole new world of opportunities for content creators, producers and audiences. What are the challenges and opportunities that building such economies from the ground up pose for industry professionals, and how should the creative community respond to such challenges and opportunities? Chat with a seasoned animation producer and learn more about the ‘soft power’ that such creative economies imbibe, in this session that looks at the animation industry through the Thai experience. This session is presented as part of the Country of Focus: Thailand.

4:30pm – 5:30pm

PANEL

Mental Wellbeing of Children in the Digital Age

! Ong Say How, Malvina Kang, Emma Quick // Moderator: Geraldine Teo-Zuzarte In recent years, there has been an increased interest in the mental health and wellness of children. What are the initiatives in place that help children to manage their mental health, and how can children’s books be a vehicle for doing so? Join senior consultant psychiatrist Dr Ong Say How, Hom Yoga founder Malvina Kang and author Emma Quick as they discuss how to develop children’s mental health holistically with books. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session. LECTURE

Joy of Reading: How to Develop Communities of Readers

! Teresa Cremin // Moderator: Loh Chin Ee This lecture will focus on the development of engaged communities of readers, particularly young children, who share the joy of reading. The evidence-informed talk will look at how these communities are underpinned by secure subject knowledge (of texts and of readers) and a reading for pleasure pedagogy. Teresa will also discuss how three characteristics – reciprocity, interaction, and strong reader to reader relationships – impact readers’ delight and desire. There will be a live Q&A segment during this session. This lecture is accessible with the festival pass. If you do not possess the festival pass for the day of the lecture, you can purchase and register the ticket separately.

LASALLE GIF + Comic Cover Competition

Image credits from left: Aurelie Charme & Taqiyah Iman Binte Junaidi

GIF Challenge is an annual collaboration between Puttnam School of Film & Animation (LASALLE College of the Arts) and Singapore Book Council. For its second edition, participants may choose to accept EITHER the GIF Challenge OR Comic Cover Challenge. Participants had two days (20th & 21st March) to create either an Animated GIF or a Comic Cover Illustration based on a selection of short texts kindly provided by

authors featured at the Asian Festival of Children’s Content (AFCC) 2021. More than 100 entries were received. The winners were determined by an esteemed panel of judges. Prizes such as cameras and art books were generously sponsored by NIKON, APD Singapore and LASALLE College of the Arts. Five winners have been selected for this competition! More details about them will be revealed on our website. 59

Book Talks The Reading Tree Author: Illustrator: Moderator: Publisher:

Dr Khoo Kim Choo Tran Dac Trung Doretta Epigram Books

27 May, Thursday 3:15pm - 3:45pm

Join author Dr Khoo Kim Choo, for the launch of her newly released book, The Reading Tree.

My BFF is an Alien: Turbulence Author: Moderator Cover design: Publisher:

Vivian Teo Doretta Ng Min Min Epigram Books

27 May, Thursday 5:45pm - 6:15pm

Join author of the popular My BFF is an Alien series, Vivian Teo, as she launches her newest addition to the series: My BFF Is an Alien: Turbulence.

Are You Listening? Author: Dr Alaka Rajan Skinner Publisher: Affirmative Pte Ltd

28 May, Friday 12:30pm - 1:00pm

A bedtime tale for the young and young-at-heart, ‘Are You Listening?’ is a visually striking, read-aloud story in rhyme with a powerful message about sustainability, the web of life, empathy and reimagining our relationship with nature and each other. This moving story has been featured on BBC Radio as well as Greenpeace Storytelling. In a maze of tunnels in a magical forest Grandfather Squirrel tells his two grandchildren the story of the smartest animal ever to exist - human beings. When the wisdom of the adults threatens to lead to disaster and human extinction, the question is, “Can anyone save human beings from themselves?”

Invigorating Classics for A New Generation Through Visual Reading

29 May, Saturday 5:15pm - 5:45pm

Journey to the West: Chaos in Heaven Author: Low Ying Ping Illustrator: Ng Hui Fong Ramayana: The Quest to Rescue Sita Author: Mallika Naguran Illustrator: Kavita Sigh Kale The Malay Author: Illustrator: Publisher:

Annals: Attack of The Garfish and Other Adventures Hidayah Amin Eliz Ong World Scientific

In this session, Dr Jo-Ann Shek, lecturer of English Language and Literature at the National Institute of Education, will be speaking to award-winning authors, Hidayah Amin, Low Ying Ping and Mallika Naguran about their journey to adapt and re-tell classics to a new generation of children. Find out how they found creative ways to pick the best stories from long classics, played with characterisation and created a brand new series of fun popular literature for young readers. An Augmented Reality Experience

Travel the Wo r

ugh Aug thro m ld

Scan me!

WRITTEN BY

emily lim-leh

ILLUSTRATED BY

nicholas liem

Reality! ted en

Marky Polo ’ s Travels

Travelling During Covid Times? Through Books, You Can! Author: Illustrator: Moderator: Publisher:

30 May, Sunday 1:45pm - 2:15pm

Emily Lim-Leh Nicholas Liem Hwee Goh World Scientific

The pandemic has halted many travel plans, but there are still many opportunities for children to be inspired to travel and learn about new places and cultures. How do you keep children interested about other cultures through a kids’ travel book series with Augmented Reality? Why is this all the more important now with the pandemic? Find out in this session as the speakers discuss the importance of Asian settings and related Asian characters.

Reading: The Moon Princess

The Moon Princess was part of an installation by Jo Devadason, a poet with Down’s Syndrome, called Poetree — a collection of Devadason’s poems that reflect her love for books, imaginary play and self-expression. Take a step into Devadason’s world that is painted in tomato red, lemon yellow and twilight blue and where the moon princess resides. A live recitation of the poem was presented in Propose-A-Parklet 2020, and also inspired a dance by Diverse Abilities Dance Collective (DADC) in a choreography by Liz Lea (Australia) titled Moon Shadow, as part of Speaking With Hands 2019. Please check the AFCC website for the date and time of this programme.

Book Illustrators Gallery Celebrate 10 years of Asian Illustrations with BIG 2021 A key feature of the Asian Festival of Children’s Content (AFCC), the Book Illustrators Gallery (BIG) showcases diverse artwork from picture books, comics, and graphic novels by illustrators and artists from Southeast Asia, Asia, and the Asian diaspora. It offers a platform for the authors, publishers and the public to take notice of their illustrations. On its 10th edition, BIG once again invites visitors to explore new cultures and the best of picture book illustrations from around Asia and beyond, as it reopens its online galleries for 2021, featuring close to 130 illustrations by 45 illustrators from 12 countries.

Big Berm: Kind Elephant by Jitlada Sriadulphan COF THAILAND GALLERY

BIG has been a popular feature at the annual AFCC, where the exhibition is usually held at the National Library. Presented in a digital format, the exhibition was carefully curated by experts from nine organisational partners including the Association of Illustrators, Chihiro Art Museum, China Shanghai Book Fair, International Board on Books for Young People (Philippines & Indonesia), International Youth Library, Pratham Books and the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand, showcasing both open call submissions and curated illustrations from the AFCC 2021 Country of Focus, Thailand. Visit the Book Illustrators Gallery here: afcc.com.sg/2021/page/book-illustrators-gallery-2021

Lemonade Sky by Low Joo Hong OPEN SUBMISSIONS GALLERY

SPEAKERS

Speakers 阿果 (Ah Guo) (Singapore)

(Seen/ Unseen: Realism and Fantasy in Illustrations)

Aida Abdul Rahim (Singapore) Aida is the deputy head of children and teens services for public libraries in western Singapore. She devises programmes to spread the love of reading among the younger generation. Aida was a featured speaker at the American Library Association Annual Conference in 2020.

» Normalising differences: Empowering children and teens through diverse literature

Akrapol Wattanasin (Thailand) Akrapol Wattanasin received an M.A. in Communication and Cultural Studies from the University of Western Sydney. He is now a Managing Director of the joint-venture Malaysia-Thai publishing company, Pelangi Publishing. The press, which he joined 15 years ago, specialises in children’s education and child edutainment. Akrapol has written many children’s storybooks. Akrapol has also served as a Board member of the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand (PUBAT).

» One City, One Book: Reading Initiatives in Thailand

Alicia Dong-Joo Bang (South Korea) Alicia Dong-Joo Bong is a professional storyteller and passionate educator based in the Republic of Korea. She has delighted children and adults with her storytelling performances for years, and she now directs international storytelling festivals in South Korea. She is the founder of Story School, a unique storytelling school in Korea. She also founded KISA, the

Korea International Storytellers’ Association. Alicia has also competed in the Tehran International Storytelling Festival.

» Brave New Worlds / Strange New Worlds » Inspiration, Memory and Writing

Alison Choo (Singapore) Alison is a Senior Speech and Language Therapist with PAP Community Foundation (PCF), and has worked with adults and children with diverse needs and profiles within both hospital and community settings. She has a special interest in providing speech and language intervention in inclusive settings, and has successfully incorporated Key Word Sign, the use of signs and natural gestures to support communication and the language development of children, as a preschool-wide approach.

» Building an Inclusive Classroom

Amy Ang (Singapore) Amy is a content creator on Tiktok and writes during her free time. She currently studies Mass Communication in Ngee Ann Polytechnic and enjoys reading thriller, crime and mostly fictional stories. Her favourite author is Amy Harmon, and she enjoys sports such as shooting and table tennis. She intends to travel across China when she graduates.

» Promoting Book Reading and Writing with TikTok

Andrea Pasion-Flores (Philippines) Andrea Pasion-Flores is the publisher at Milflores Publishing, Inc., a general trade and textbook publishing company based in Manila. Before purchasing the company in 2020, Andrea was general manager of a large trade publisher, a literary agent, and executive director of the National Book Development Board of the Philippines. She is a member of the board of international advisors of the Singapore Book Council.

» Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution in the

ASEAN: Obstacles and Solutions

SPEAKERS

Angela Erickson (US)

Avery Fischer Udagawa (US/Thailand)

Angela Erickson is the Head of Middle School English at United World College. Before moving to Singapore, she was a Teacher Librarian at Seoul International School. She is interested in how educational leadership, curriculum design and workshop pedagogy can be integrated to create a school culture of reading, thinking and writing.

Avery Fischer Udagawa’s translations from Japanese to English include the middle grade novels Temple Alley Summer by Sachiko Kashiwaba and J-Boys: Kazuo’s World, Tokyo, 1965 by Shogo Oketani. Her short story translations have appeared in Kyoto Journal, Words Without Borders, The Best Asian Short Stories 2018, and Tomo: Friendship Through Fiction—An Anthology of Japan Teen Stories. She is the International and Japan Translator Coordinator for SCBWI.

» Practical Approaches to Media Literacy and Combating Misinformation

Ani Almario (Philippines) Ani Rosa Almario is the Vice-President for Product Development of Adarna House, the Philippines’ first and largest children’s publishing firm. She is also the Secretary-General of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) and the President of the Book Development Association of the Philippines.

» Writer’s Pitch

Arif Rafhan (Malaysia) Arif Rafhan is a visual artist from Malaysia. His work includes illustration, comic art and animation for local and international clients. His work has been featured in Gila-Gila, Lat’s collection as the colourist, and publications in Malaysia and Singapore. His latest work is a collaboration with Melanie Lee: Amazing Ash & Superhero Ah Ma.

» Creating Narratives Through Comics

Auchara Kijkanjanas (Thailand) Auchara Kijkanjanas is the founder of Big Brain Studio and one of the pioneers in the computer graphic industry in Thailand. With 20 years of experience, her expertise and works have been recognised internationally with awards for Animation Feature Film and Animation Series, including Visual Effect works. Her previous works are Khan Khuay I; Khan Khuay II and Blink Blink: the series.

» Crossing Borders: Children’s Books in Focus

Benjamin Salka (US) Benjamin (Jamie) Salka is the co-founder and CEO of Story Pirates, a media company that celebrates the words, ideas, and stories of kids. Under his leadership, Story Pirates has grown from a pilot program in a single school auditorium to an internationally respected family entertainment brand. Benjamin also co-founded Story Pirates Changemakers, the non-profit arm of Story Pirates that brings arts and literacy programs to low-income communities.

» Using Podcasts to Promote Reading and Books

Carlene Tan (Singapore) Carlene Tan is responsible for identifying new IP and producing original series for WarnerMedia’s Kids & Family brands in Asia Pacific including Cartoon Network, Boomerang and POGO, as well as the streaming service HBO GO. She oversees the region’s current state of APAC originals that include the International Emmy-nominated Lamput and Monster Beach. Prior to WarnerMedia, Carlene developed original animation with The Walt Disney Company (Southeast Asia).

» Media Pitch

» Promoting Creative Economies: The Thai Experience

SPEAKERS

Cass Lim (Singapore) Cass is an active working mother with two boys who loves swimming and outdoor sports. Her 6-year-old son was officially diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) this year. She is a big believer in early intervention, a support and educational system for very young children with developmental delays or disabilities. She is the Section Head of Physical Education Department at College East, Institute of Technical education.

» Building an Inclusive Classroom

Cheng Wan-Ni (

) (Singapore)

grade fantasy, A Wish in the Dark, which was named a 2021 Newbery Honor Book, and All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys’ Soccer Team, which has received numerous nonfiction awards and was also named a 2021 Newbery Honor Book.

» Upclose with Christina Soontornvat

Daphne Lee Mei Lin (Malaysia) Daphne Lee is the fiction editor at Scholastic Asia. As a writer, Daphne is particularly interested in Malaysian and Asian myths, legends and fairytales. She recently published Bright Landscapes, a collection of short stories inspired by local supernatural beliefs and folklore. She is currently working on her first novel.

» Re-telling Asian Fairytales for a New Generation » Why I Write About Diversity » Writer’s Pitch

Debby Lukito (Indonesia)

Dr. Cheng Wan-Ni has more than 20 years of experience in childhood development and is presently the Dean of Early Childhood Care and Education Department at the Singapore Centre for Chinese Language (SCCL). Dr. Cheng has taken a special interest in interactive games on smartphone devices and multimedia applications with a focus on marketing, consumerism and pop culture for children.

» (Picture Books In Our Hearts – The Components of Child Development in Picture Book Creation)

Christina Soontornvat (US) Christina Soontornvat is the award-winning author of over a dozen children’s books. Her picture books include The Ramble Shamble Children and Simon at the Art Museum. Her recent works include the middle

Debby Lukito Goeyardi is a children and young adult book author and a literary activist with specialty in culinary literacy. She has published several books, including a reference book titled Autograph Collector: Hobby Unik yang Jarang Dilirik which received the MURI Award in 2010. Her children’s picture book Waktunya Cepuk Terbang won the Samsung KidsTime Author’s Award in 2016.

» How Stories With Local Wisdom Turn Into an Unexpected Lifesaver During The New Normal

Dimity Powell (Australia) Dimity Powell loves filling every spare moment with words. She is the managing editor for Kids’ Book Review and writes and reviews exclusively for children with over 28 published stories including PIPPA (2019) and At the End of Holyrood Lane, winner of the 2019 SCBWI Crystal Kite Award.

» Story City – Getting Real with Digital Narrative

SPEAKERS

Dr Lourdes Mary Daniel (Singapore) Dr Lourdes Mary Daniel is the Head of Department in the Department of Child Development, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. She is a paediatrician who is trained both in Neonatology and Child Development. She has worked with high risk children in KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital from childhood to primary school ages for the last 30 years.

» Developing Language, Literacy and Mental Wellness Through a Screen-Free Environment

Dr Sivakumaran (Singapore) Associate Professor Dr A Ra Sivakumaran is the retired head of the Tamil Language and Culture Division from National Institute of Education, Singapore. He served as a consultant to the Ministry of Education for Singapore Tamil textbooks from 2006 to 2019 and is a pioneer academic researcher of Singapore Tamil Literature. He has published a total of 16 books in roles as an author and editor.

» (Using Books to Engage Children in the Tamil Language)

Edison Anak Ricket (Malaysia) Edison Ricket has worked as a librarian for 20 years and has managed state libraries, academic libraries and specialist libraries during this time. He is passionate about promoting literacy and using technology as a medium of knowledge sharing and transmission.

» Reading Seeds™: The Way Forward Promoting Early Literacy and Developmental Awareness Amongst Families via eLearning Platform

Eduardo García (Germany) Eduardo García is the co-Founder and managing director of German Wahnsinn, a recording studio and creative collective from Hamburg, Germany, focused on immersive story-telling and cross-media audio content.

Eduardo develops story-driven concepts and content for films, artists, audiobooks and a wide range of emerging technologies. He founded the audiobook label Atmende Bücher (Breathing Books) with bestselling author Cornelia Funke in 2015, exclusively producing and publishing elaborate audiobook and audio drama adaptations of the author’s work.

» The Future of Audiobooks

Elizabeth Black (US) Elizabeth is a college student residing in California with a passion for books and history. She is a content creator on TikTok, meeting book enthusiasts around the world and helping to inspire a love for storytelling among the younger generation. She hopes to continue exploring literature through travel and her studies.

» From Bookstagram to BookToks: How Gen Z is Generating Book Buzz

Emma Quick (New Zealand) Emma Quick is the founder of Calm Ahoy Kids and author of The Feelings Hotel. Over the last decade, she has worked with young people, and families in mental health and substance misuse services in the community, health and school settings. She is also a mum and is inspired to create resources for little ones to develop social-emotional skills from a young age, in a way that is fun, colourful and sparks their imagination.

» Mental Wellbeing of Children in the Digital Age

Esther Nguyen (Vietnam) Esther Nguyen is a passionate media and technology entrepreneur and the CEO of POPS Worldwide, a leading digital entertainment company in Southeast Asia. POPS has been crucial to the development of the entertainment industry in Vietnam, educating the industry on copyright potential and building an ecosystem that has allowed the industry to monetise and evolve.

» AFCC Keynote: Reimagine. Rebuild. Reignite

SPEAKERS

Eva Wong Nava (UK)

Frances Ong (Philippines)

Eva Wong Nava is an award-winning children’s book author who lives between two worlds. She reads copiously and writes voraciously. Eva creates stories that entertain, engage, and empower children. She holds degrees in Art History and English Literature and is an advocate for diversity in children’s literature.

Frances Ong is Managing Editor at Tahanan Books for Young Readers, where she has overseen the production and publication of dozens of children’s books. Among the titles she has shepherded through all phases of production are Ay Naku!, Tagu-Taguan, and Mang Andoy’s Signs — all recipients of the (Philippine) National Children’s Book Award.

» Owning Our Narratives

Evelyn Bookless (Netherlands) Evelyn Bookless grew up on a farm in the West of Ireland. She spent her time playing in the trees with her siblings and making up games and stories. Saddened by the amount of plastic waste she saw in the ocean one day, Evelyn was inspired to write Captain Green and the Plastic Scene. She hopes readers will be inspired to plant trees and help to keep our planet green.

» Saving the Environment One Book at A Time

Fiona Scoble (UK) Fiona Scoble is Senior Editor in the fiction department at Nosy Crow, a multi-award-winning, independent children’s book publisher, where she edits books for children aged 5-12. Prior to this, after studying English at the University of Cambridge, Fiona worked as a journalist and arts project manager before joining Macmillan Children’s Books in 2013, where she managed the Macmillan Prize for Illustration and worked on commercial picture books.

» Fiction Books for Children Aged 5-12: Writing and Editing Insights

Fiona Woo (Singapore) Ms Fiona Woo is a Principal Educational Therapist at the Department of Child Development, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. She is part of a team that sees a range of developmental issues in young children. Her area of work focuses on supporting 5 and 6 years old children in the areas of pre-literacy and early reading.

» Developing Language, Literacy and Mental Wellness Through a Screen-Free Environment

» Writer’s Pitch

Friska Titi Nova (Indonesia) Friska is a literacy activist and librarian. Friska, also known as Kak Peri, is currently managing the Pustakawan Mendunia website, and compiling storybooks for children. She enjoys sharing her experiences and knowledge about librarianship, storytelling and literacy. Friska has devoted herself to designing ingenious methods to encourage Papuan students to pick up reading. Friska recently moved to Batam where she has continued improving her strategies in advocating reading for children.

» Mental Health Inquiry for Children by Reading and Storytelling Online

Gavin Aung Than (Australia) Gavin Aung Than is a New York Times bestselling cartoonist and creator of Zen Pencils, a cartoon blog which adapts inspirational quotes into comic stories. He is currently working on the middle grade graphic novel series Super Sidekicks, published by Penguin Random House. After working in the corporate graphic design industry for eight years he quit his unfulfilling job and sold his house to follow his true passion: drawing comics.

» Creating Narratives Through Comics

SPEAKERS

Gesarin Anek (Thailand)

» Being the Voice for the Forgotten: Writing For and

Gesarin Anek has more than three decades of experience in retail marketing with various nationwide hypermarkets. She was the managing director at Asia Books, the largest English language chain bookstore in Thailand, from 2017–2020. Gesarin is currently an advisor for Plan for Kids publishing house and a board member of the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand (PUBAT).

» Creating Books For People with Disabilities

» Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution in the ASEAN: Obstacles and Solutions

Glenda C. Oris (Philippines) Glenda “Bong” C. Oris is an Assistant Professor at the School of Humanities of the Ateneo de Manila University, where she also completed her BS Computer Science and MA Philosophy degrees. She is an author and translator of books for children as well as a museum enthusiast.

» Sensitive Issues in Philippine Children’s Literature on Parental Migration and Left-behind Children

Helen Wang (UK) Helen Wang translates Chinese children’s books into English. In 2017 she won the Marsh Christian Award for Children’s Literature in Translation for her translation o (Bronze and Sunflower) by Cao Wenxuan, as well as the Chen Bochui Special Contribution Award for translation and increasing visibility of Chinese children’s literature.

» Crossing Borders: Children’s Books in Focus

Hidayah Amin (Singapore) Hidayah Amin had her first short story published when she was 11. It was only when she lost her childhood home that she resumed writing and published Gedung Kuning: Memories of a Malay Childhood in 2010. Hidayah has since written eight non-fiction books and published 14 children’s books including 10 books for readers with and without disabilities.

About Kids with Disabilities

Holly Black (US) Holly Black is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over thirty fantasy novels for kids and teens. She has been a finalist for an Eisner and a Lodestar Award, and the recipient of the Mythopoeic Award, a Nebula, and a Newbery Honor. Her books have been translated into 32 languages worldwide and adapted for film. She currently lives in New England with her husband and son in a house with a secret library.

» Creating Magic Systems

Hwang Sun-mi

(South Korea)

Hwang Sun-mi is a South Korean writer, who has won many awards and published more than 40 books for adults and children. She graduated from the creative writing departments at Seoul Institute of the Arts and Gwangju University. Her book, The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly has been on bestseller lists for 20 years and has also been adapted into a comic book, a play, and a musical, and has been translated into 30 languages.

» AFCC Keynote: Reimagine. Rebuild. Reignite » Inspiration, Memory and Writing

Hwee Goh (Singapore) Hwee Goh spent 16 years in TV journalism before branching into nonfiction writing for children. Each of her books latches on current topics, which she then researches and develops into a narrative arc — engaging her young readers deeply into an issue. Her latest book, The Earth Experiment, address the urgent topic of climate change. You can follow Hwee on @ hweezbooks.

» Creating Nonfiction Books for Children » Saving the Environment One Book at A Time

SPEAKERS

James Liu (China) James manages the IP acquisition for kids and international projects for (Tencent) Video. He previously served as Director of Acquisition and Investment at WeKids, a renowned media company at Hong Kong, with a concentration on the internationally awarded animated series. He has more than nine years of expertise in international rights introduction, negotiations and management in both publishing and media industry, specialising in kids content.

» Media Pitch

Jasmine Le (Singapore) Ms Jasmine Lee is a Principal Speech-Language Therapist at the Department of Child Development, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. She oversees a range of developmental issues such as gross and fine motor developmental delays, handwriting difficulties, as well as learning and behavioural problems. The department also runs community programmes, partnering with preschools, philanthropic organisations and other government ministries to bring early intervention to the classroom for children with developmental needs.

» Developing Language, Literacy and Mental Wellness Through a Screen-Free Environment

Jason Chin (US) Jason Chin is the author and illustrator of many acclaimed books, including Grand Canyon, Redwoods and Your Place in the Universe. The latest book he illustrated, Watercress, by author Andrea Wang, has garnered seven-starred reviews. Jason has received a Caldecott Honor, Sibert Honor, Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, and the NCTE Orbis Pictus award.

» AFCC Keynote: Reimagine. Rebuild. Reignite

Jaspreet Kaur (Singapore) Jaspreet is a founding member of Diverse Abilities Dance Collective (DADC), having actively participated in performances with the group such as Speaking With Hands, the Saarang Festival in Chennai and Same Same. As a dancer in Fusion Dance by Down

Syndrome Association Singapore (DSA), Jaspreet has also performed on numerous platforms such as their annual charity gala dinner, Mystique, and Purple Parade.

» Making Books Accessible

Jedidiah Siah (Singapore) Jedidiah Siah is the co-founder and director of AlterCulture Studios Pte. Ltd, which provides game design consultation, education, and promotes the usage of games across non-gaming industries. He is also an Associate Trainer at Civil Service College (Singapore) for Game Design. He has been researching and experimenting with how gaming examines social dynamics and cultures. He holds a B.A. in Game Design from DigiPen (Singapore Institute of Technology).

» Putting the “A” in STEM Education

Jeffrey Tan (Singapore) Jeffrey is an experienced Theatre Director and Drama Educator. He has taught ‘Creativity in Collaborative Learning’ and ‘Lesson Planning’ for the National institute of Education, ‘Educational Drama’ for Nanyang Technological University, ‘Children’s Theatre’ for the University of Warwick and ‘Educational Theatre’ for New York University’s Study Abroad Programme in London.

» Brave New Worlds / Strange New Worlds » Looking Back, Creating Forward

Jenny Cheok (Singapore) Jenny Cheok received her Master of Education (Early Childhood) from the University of Southern Queensland. Jenny’s passion for young children’s language and literacy learning has spurred her to take a foundation training course in Dyslexia Studies from the Dyslexia Association of Singapore, participate in Story Writing workshops, and organise poly students in conducting story-telling sessions at various NLB branches.

» Using the PEER strategy during Book Reading to Enhance Young Children’s Language Development

SPEAKERS

Jo Devadason (Singapore) Jo Devadason is a self-taught poet with Down syndrome and has strong views about the world she lives in. For the past few years, she has been creating her own poetry that gives voice to her struggles and feelings. She loves books, imaginary play and self-expression. Her poetry invites children into her imaginative world and paints a fantastical picture of the spaces in their minds.

» The Moon Princess Poem Reading

Johann Annuar (Singapore) Johann is trained as an electrical and electronics engineer and has been with Engineering Good in key roles for the past four years. He is an avid cyclist who knows no boundaries, and cycled from Turkey to New Zealand over 18 months. He was also a member of the Singapore Everest Expedition 1998 Team and was a Board member for the Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders).

» Putting the “A’ in STEM Education

Jose Monfred C. Sy (Philippines) Jose Monfred C. Sy teaches with the Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature of the University of the Philippines Diliman. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Comparative Literature from the same university. His interests include social movements, children’s literature, and political ecology. He is also a children’s book writer and a volunteer teacher for displaced Lumad Bakwit with the Save Our Schools Network.

» Writing for (the) Future (of) Children: Social and Environmental Justice in Picture Books from the Philippines

Karen Tang (Singapore) Karen Tang’s first foray into the industry came as the Vice-President at Peach Blossom Media, where she oversaw operations and animation productions. She has been developing and producing content for

digital platforms and television. Her works have been recognized with various accolades such as the Asian Academy Creative Awards, Golden Bell Awards, and the Asian Television Awards.

» Media Pitch

Kat Cho (US) Kat Cho is an international bestselling YA author who loves to incorporate her Korean heritage in her writing, especially if it involves describing food. She loves anything that encourages nerding out, including reading, K-dramas, K-pop and anime. She’s the author of Gumiho: Wicked Fox and Vicious Spirits (Putnam/ Penguin).

» Why I Write About Diversity

Katie Day (US) Katie Day is an international school teacher-librarian. An American with a masters in children’s literature from the UK and a masters in library science from Australia, she has lived in Asia since 1997, including 12 years in Singapore, where she first worked at United World College of Southeast Asia and now at Tanglin Trust School.

» Connections to Global Issues: How Teacher-Librarians are Supporting the UN SDGs and Beyond

Kavitha Krishnan (Singapore)) Kavitha is the co-founder of Maya Dance Theatre, presents inter-disciplinary-transcultural dance theatre works to shine light on social issues. In 2018, Kavitha founded Diverse Abilities Dance Collective (DADC), which consists of performers with different abilities; and they dance to communicate and connect! Kavitha is trained in the Indian dance form bharathanatyam and creates contemporary dance with Asian perspectives.

» Making Books Accessible

SPEAKERS

Kelsey Skea (US)

Kristyn Maslog-Levis (Australia)

Kelsey Skea is the editorial director of Two Lions, the Amazon Publishing imprint that produces books for readers up to age 12 and Amazon Crossing Kids, where she has worked with authors and illustrators including Alison McGhee, Hatem Aly, Anna Kang, Christopher Weyant, Mike Wu, Lindsay Ward, Jim Benton, and Lauren Castillo. Her publishing career began at HarperCollins Children’s Books; previously she was an executive editor at Disney Press/Disney Hyperion.

Kristyn M. Levis is a marketing specialist, author, ghostwriter and photographer. She worked as a TV reporter in the Philippines and a radio broadcaster with SBS in Sydney, where she still occasionally does voice-overs. Her young adult novel The Girl Between Two Worlds and The Girl Between Light and Dark were published by Anvil Publishing. The third book in this series, The Search for Adarna, is out now.

» Writer’s Pitch

» Culturally Diverse Middle Grade and YA books as the Future of Content

» Why I Write About Diversity

Koen Setyawan (Indonesia) Koen Setyawan is an award-winning children’s book writer, illustrator and graphic designer from Indonesia. He has published more than 80 books, including activity books, novels and digital books. He aims to share his passion for environmental and biodiversity issues with his readers from an Indonesian perspective with his books. Koen is also a member of KPBA or Society for the Advancement of Children’s Literature.

» Creating Nonfiction Books for Children » Menghasilkan Buku Kanak-kanak Yang Berjaya Meraih Anugerah (Creating Award-winning Children’s Books)

Koji Yamamura

(Japan)

Koji Yamamura is an animator and illustrator. His anime short film Mt. Head (2002) was nominated for an Oscar and marked a turning point in his career and propelled him to prominence. He is also known for Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor (2007) and Muybridge’s Strings (2011). His films have been awarded with more than 90 prizes and he also writes and illustrates picture books.

» Between Illustration and Animation: Straddling Both Art Forms

Lawrence Schimel (US/Spain) Lawrence Schimel (New York, 1971) lives in Madrid, Spain and writes in both Spanish and English. He’s published over 120 books in a wide range of genres. He is also a prolific literary translator. His translations into Spanish include the graphic novel They Called Us Enemy by George Takei; his translations into English include the middle grade novels The Wild Book by Juan Villoro and The Treasure of Barracuda by Llanos Campos.

» Creating Books For People with Disabilities » Crossing Borders: Children’s Books in Focus » Translating the Future: Why Translated Children’s Books are Vital

Lee Myung-ae

(South Korea)

Lee Myung-ae studied oriental painting because she loved the scent of Korean ink. Today, she embodies this scent in her picture books. She has worked on multiple books as an illustrator, and Plastic Island is the book she wrote and drew. She hopes that children will be able to communicate and sympathise with issues in environmental or other issues happening around us through her picture book. Her recent works include It Will Be Sunny Tomorrow and Flower.

» Saving the Environment One Book at A Time

SPEAKERS

Leslie Lee (Singapore)

Loh Chin Ee (Singapore)

Leslie Lee is WarnerMedia’s Head of Kids Content, overseeing Cartoon Network, Boomerang and POGO networks in Asia Pacific. His role includes the programming, operations, brand and franchise management, and content direction for the three brands. He presently sits on the programming committee at the Asian Festival of Children’s Content and is a board member of Centre 42, a non-profit arts organisation that supports playwriting in Singapore.

Loh Chin Ee is Associate Professor and Deputy Head (Research) at the English Language and Literature Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University. She is the co-editor of Little Things, Poetry Moves and co-author of Teaching Poetry to Adolescents: A Teachers’ Guide to Little Things by Ethos Books. She recently produced and co-hosted the How We Read podcast series.

» Streaming Content: Trends in Viewership

» Joy of Reading: How to develop communities of readers

» Using Podcasts to Promote Reading and Books

Le Thu Phuong Quynh (Vietnam) Le Thu Phuong Quynh has 10 years of experience in publishing. She worked in a leading nonprofit for children’s literacy and girls’ education, Room to Read, from 2011 to 2017. She was consulted for book projects in Cambodia and Myanmar with The Asia Foundation and various Vietnamese publishers. She also supports Room to Read publishing projects in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

» Writer’s Pitch

Liu Hsu-Kung

Magali Finet is the manager designate for Programmes at Very Special Arts Singapore, a local charity dedicated to using arts to providing access and opportunities for people with disabilities. A published short story writer, Magali is very excited to combine her two passions, writing and working for persons with disabilities, by developing VSA(S)’s Literary programme.

» Making Books Accessible

(Taiwan)

Liu Hsu-Kung began writing picture books in 1995. His works have clinched the Xinyi Picture Book Children’s Literature Award and Feng Zikai Chinese Children’s Picture Book Award, and were showcased at the Illustrators Exhibition. He is currently residing with his family in Taipei.

Magali Finet (Singapore)

(How to Enhance Parent-child Relationship through Picture Book Reading) » (Seen/ Unseen: Realism and Fantasy in Illustrations)

Malvina Kang (Singapore) Malvina is the founder of Hom Yoga. Hom Yoga is a yoga school and a place for self discovery, transformation and empowerment through high quality yoga teaching, set amidst a healthy and sustainable environment. She is the author of The Rainbow Hearted Boy and My Sun, My Sun, a mindfulness series for kids published by Math Paper Press.

» Mental Wellbeing of Children in the Digital Age

Marie Angelie (Singapore) Marie Angelie holds a Master of Education from the University of Adelaide, Australia. Before devoting her time to being a lecturer, she served as a Cluster Principal at a private childcare where she led a team of principals for centre operation and executing curric-

SPEAKERS

ulum. She is passionate about teaching children’s language and literacy with storytelling and story dramatisation.

» Using the PEER strategy during Book Reading to Enhance Young Children’s Language Development

Mariko Nagai (Japan) Mariko Nagai is an award-winning writer and a sought-after speaker on poetry for children. She is the recipient of the UNESCO-Ashberg Bursary for the Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center residency and the Yaddo residency among many others. She is the author of Dust of Eden (Albert Whitman 2014) and the forthcoming The Sword of Yesterday (MacMillan USA 2021). She is Professor of Japanese Literature and Creative Writing at Temple University, Japan Campus and Co-Regional Advisor of SCBWI Japan.

» Who’s Afraid of Poetry?: Incorporating Poetry in Classrooms and Everyday Life

Melanie Lee (Singapore) Melanie is the author of the middle grade graphic novel Amazing Ash & Superhero Ah Ma. She also wrote the picture book series The Adventures of Squirky the Alien and Out & About in Singapore, a travel guide for children. She is also a part-time communications lecturer at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.

» Creating Narratives Through Comics

Melissa Choo (Singapore) Melissa Choo is an Associate Librarian with the National Library Board. Her work provides her with the opportunity to keep up with the reading trends in Chinese children’s books, and it brings her much joy to be able to share these with the community at the programmes she conducts and oversees for parents and children. She presently advocates for reading, especially in the Mother Tongue, in her daily work, which she enjoys greatly.

» The Future of Reading

Mervin Ang (Singapore) Mervin is a versatile trainer and facilitator with more than five years of training experience in the National Library’s Outreach team. He has conducted numerous talks and workshops on information literacy, library databases and combating fake news to diverse audiences, and he has trained over 40,000 individuals.

» Practical Approaches to Media Literacy and Combating Misinformation

Michele Cobb (US) Michele is the executive director of The Audio Publishers Association and a partner at Forte Business Consulting, which provides Business Development and Association Management services for the publishing industry. She is also a publisher for AudioFile, an online portal that features audiobooks and podcasts in more than a dozen topics.

» The Future of Audiobooks

Mike Caulfield (US) Mike Caulfield is the director of blended and networked learning at Washington State University Vancouver. He is an early believer in the idea of civic digital literacies. His work Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers won the Merlot Award for best open learning resource in the ICT category. He was a runner up in the Rita Allen/ RTI International Misinformation Solutions Award.

» Practical Approaches to Media Literacy and Combating Misinformation

Ming Xia Ho (Singapore) Ming Xia is the Social Media Manager and Singapore Administrator at Writing Through, a charitable organisation which uses creative writing as a tool to develop thinking skills. Ming Xia strives to create impactful relationships with her interpersonal skills, experience, and knowledge. As an active advocate of education, creativity, thinking skills, and self-esteem, Ming Xia has made several guest appearances on stage as

SPEAKERS

a speaker to inspire people from all walks of life to live curiously.

» Making Books Accessible

Mireille and Elodie Lee (@alifeofliterature) (UK) @alifeofliterature is a TikTok account by Mireille and Elodie Lee with more than 250,000 followers worldwide. @alifeofliterature successfully bridges the worlds of social media and literature. Mireille and Elodie inspire people to read by creating and sharing book trailers where they combine montages of pictures that showcase books aesthetics with emotive music.

» From Bookstagram to BookToks: How Gen Z is Generating Book Buzz

Mukhlis Abu Bakar (Singapore) Mukhlis Abu Bakar is an Associate Professor at the National Institute of Education, NTU. He obtained his MA and PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Wales, Bangor, UK. His research interests lie in the fields of bilingualism, biliteracy, literacy learning, and pronunciation issues in Malay. He is Co-Editor of a forthcoming book, The Bloomsbury Handbook of Cultural Identity from Early Childhood to Early Adulthood.

» Memupuk Perkembangan Dwibahasa Kanak-Kanak Melalui Buku Dwibahasa (Nurturing Children’s Billingual Development through Billingual Books)

Nadine Bailey (South Africa/Netherlands) Nadine Bailey is a teacher-librarian and technology integrator at the Western Academy of Beijing in China. She believes in the power of diverse and multilingual books for reading communities and ensuring that books are available and accessible. She’s a founding Jury member of the Neev Children’s Book Award celebrating Indian voices.

» Connections to Global Issues: How Teacher-Librarians are Supporting the UN SDGs and Beyond

Natalie Sutanto (Singapore) Natalie (she/they) is a reading enthusiast who likes to share their favourite books with the bookish community online. They like to read mainly nonfiction books on society, feminism, queerness, the climate and local issues in Singapore. If not found poring over a book in some random corner, they are likely making content for their bookstagram/booktube over at @anattynook.

» From Bookstagram to BookToks: How Gen Z is Generating Book Buzz

Nat Amoore (Australia) Nat Amoore is an Australian kid’s writer and kidlit podcast host. Her debut novel Secrets Of A Schoolyard Millionaire had great success as both Dymocks and QBD’s ‘Kids Book Of The Month’, becoming Australia’s #1 bestselling debut Aussie children’s fiction in 2019. Nat is a host of KidLit podcast One More Page which has already had over 80K downloads and was a finalist in the ‘Best Newcomer’ category for the 2018 Australian Podcast Awards.

» Using Podcasts to Promote Reading and Books

Ngo Chew Yeh (Singapore) Madam Ngo Chew Yeh is the founder of September 21 Enterprise Pte Ltd, the region’s leading supplier of high quality Early Childhood, Special Needs & Primary teaching resources. She is an avid animal lover, a toastmaster fan and collects antique books.

» How Technology Enhances the Learning Process and Enhance the Production and Marketing of a Children’s Book

Nicholas Oh (Singapore) Nicholas is an award-winning commissioning editor with over a decade of experience in the media industry. A content enthusiast, Nicholas loves strategising content across the kids and unscripted entertainment space, developing IPs and curating content for his audience. Nicholas has experience working with

SPEAKERS

prominent networks and brands across the world, with some highlights including the MasterChef and Lil Wild IP. When he’s not working, Nicholas tries in vain to make his furkids love him.

» Media Pitch » Streaming Content: Trends in Viewership

Nor Azhar Ishak (Malaysia) Nor Azhar Ishak ialah seorang pengkarya buku kanakkanak Malaysia yang telah memenangi pelbagai anugerah. Beliau juga ialah seorang ilustrator dan pencerita antarabangsa yang gemar tentang sastera, seni dan sains. Nor Azhar juga merupakan seorang pendidik dengan pengalaman lebih 20 tahun dalam pembangunan profesionalisme guru. Nor Azhar Ishak is an award-winning children’s book writer, illustrator and international storyteller. He is also an educator with 20 years of experience in conducting professional development workshops for teachers.

» Memupuk Perkembangan Dwibahasa Kanak-Kanak Melalui Buku Dwibahasa (Nurturing Children’s Billingual Development through Billingual Books)

Norlin Samat (Singapore) Norlin Samat is a former primary school teacher with a Post-graduate Diploma in Education and an MA in Language Studies. A passionate educator with a career spanning more than 18 years in public and private education institutions, she hopes to contribute in nurturing the next generation of bilinguals. She is the writer of the bilingual children’s book series Ally’s Adventures.

» Memupuk Perkembangan Dwibahasa Kanak-Kanak Melalui Buku Dwibahasa (Nurturing Children’s Billingual Development through Billingual Books)

Nur-El Hudaa Jaffar (Singapore) Nur-El-Hudaa is an author, translator and editor. She has managed several projects, helping schools in Singapore put together stories written by teachers and students for publication. Nur-El-Hudaa Jaffar began writing fiction in 2014. Since then, she has won awards for her children’s books, short stories and poetry. She is also a volunteer storyteller at a library and believes that children’s books can be enjoyed by everyone.

» Crossing Borders: Children’s Books in Focus

Nurul Fateen Keisha (Singapore) Keisha is an associate librarian at Jurong West Public Library, curating programmes to encourage children teenagers to read.

» Normalising differences: Empowering children and teens through diverse literature

Ong Say How (Singapore) Dr Ong Say How is a senior consultant psychiatrist and Chief of the Department of Developmental Psychiatry at the Institute of Mental Health. He has used art and other creative-expressive therapies to help children and teenagers who suffer from anxiety, depression and trauma in the clinic. In his free time, Dr Ong enjoys appreciating art in all its forms in art galleries, museums, live performances, and pop-up art events.

» Mental Wellbeing of Children in the Digital Age

Renu Siva (Singapore) Renu Silva is a librarian from the Mother Tongue Language Services team at the National Library Board. Renu has over eight years of experience in library work specialising in children and young peoples’ programmes and services. She is well versed with the junior and young peoples’ collection in the libraries in both English and Tamil languages and has conducted related sharing sessions and workshops for parents, educators and children.

» Impacting Children and Teens Using Digital Learning and Cross-Disciplinary Programmes

SPEAKERS

Rilla Melati Bahir (Singapore) Rilla Melati is a two-time winner of the prestigious Malay literary award, Anugerah Persuratan. Rilla builds creative content for the classroom and television and has written more than 25 Malay and bilingual children’s books. As the founder of the educational company Mini Monsters Ltd, she hopes to reignite the love for the Malay language with materials that are relevant for today’s generation of children.

» Menghasilkan Buku Kanak-kanak Yang Berjaya Meraih Anugerah (Creating Award-winning Children’s Books)

Rosemarie Somaiah (Singapore) Rosemarie Somaiah’s stories have been translated into six languages. A storyteller, writer and artist-educator, she runs the Asian Storytelling Network from Singapore. She enjoys collaborating with artists working with all forms of stories in all media, for all ages. She has been presenting her work at international festivals and conferences since 2000.

» Brave New Worlds / Strange New Worlds

Sandy Koh (Singapore) Sandy is the principal of Singapore’s first inclusive preschool Kindle Garden and she has over three decades of experience in early childhood education. Having a keen interest in curriculum development, Sandy collaborates with teachers, early interventionists and allied health professionals to provide optimum support for the holistic development of every child at Kindle Garden. Sandy holds a Masters in Special Needs and a Bachelors in Early Childhood.

» Building an Inclusive Classroom

ature including Neil Gaiman, J. K. Rowling and Louis Sachar. Sarah also edits bi-monthly magazine Scoop for readers aged 8 to 12.

» Writer’s Pitch

Scott Riley (US) Scott Riley is an international school teacher by day and children’s book author at night. Scott has spent 30 years teaching in the US, Indonesia, Czech Republic, and Singapore. Inspired by his travels, Scott writes about remarkable people and places. His book The Floating Field is one of those stories.

» Creating Nonfiction Books for Children

Shalu Wasu (Singapore) Shalu has over 20 years of media, tech, advertising and start-up experience in Asia Pacific. He is presently the country manager for Storytel, one of the world’s leading audiobook platforms. Storytel has over 1.5 million paying subscribers around the world and offers over 250,000 books in its Singapore catalog for users to listen and read.

» The Future of Audiobooks

Shereen Tan (Singapore) Shereen is the Outreach & Education Manager at the Malay Heritage Centre under the National Heritage Board. She oversees the educational programmes, volunteer management and outreach initiatives at the Centre. She previously worked in outreach for the National Parks Board.

» Keep playing! How to Engage Children in the Museum and at Home

Sarah Odedina (UK) Sarah is Editor-at-Large for Pushkin Press where she is responsible for acquiring middle grade and teen titles. She has worked in publishing for some time and has worked with some of the greats of children’s liter-

SPEAKERS

Sim Ee Waun (Singapore) Sim Ee Waun is the author of children’s books The Little Singapore Book, The House on Palmer Road, and its sequel The House on Silat Road. A veteran food writer, she was editor of numerous magazines including Wine & Dine and Appetite. She lives in Singapore and is passionate about local history.

lator of more than 15 books from Hindi to English language.

» Stories of Strength: The Courage of Action

Sun Hsin-Yu (

(Taiwan)

Bologna Ragazzi Award

» Owning Our Narratives

FB @joycesun.shystudio

Siti Aisyah Binte Abdul Nasir (Singapore) Aisyah leads a team of librarians in the strategic planning, development and implementation of Children and Teens programmes, across all Singapore public libraries. She has presented at various platforms for MOE educators on topics such as collection development, digital trends and inclusive reads. Aisyah enjoys reading graphic novels for all ages and children’s picture books – she finds the combination of pictures and words truly magical.

» Looking For and Using Digital Resources

Stojana Popovska (Republic of North

Macedonia)

Stojana Popovska is a teacher-librarian at the Canadian International School in Singapore. She is a strong advocate for the role of picture books in children’s social-emotional learning, the process of developing the self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills that are vital for school, work, and life success. Her passion for picture books inspired her to pursue writing and to illustrate her own children’s books.

» Connections to Global Issues: How Teacher-Librarians are Supporting the UN SDGs and Beyond

Sunanda Verma (India) Born in Sofia, raised in New Delhi & Fiji, and nurtured in Singapore and Johannesburg; Sunanda Verma is a writer-journalist. In a previous avatar, she was a TV News Producer. She is the author of the Namaste! Series of books, co-author of the bestselling Hindi-English Thematic Visual Dictionary and a trans-

Sun Hsin-Yu was the first Taiwanese picture book writer to win the Bologna Ragazzi Award. She has rendered stamps, explored the origin of the Yangtze River, and embarked on an Antarctica adventure.

(The Art of Picture Books with Sun Hsin-Yu)

(Seen/ Unseen: Realism and Fantasy in Illustrations)

Suriya Rethnna (Singapore) Suriya is recognised as Singapore’s first female Tamil novelist and is an award-winning writer and former teacher. She has written short stories, novels, curriculum content, and children’s fiction in a wide array of genres. Her varied career has also seen her involved in translation and scriptwriting. Aram is Suriya’s latest short story collection.

» (Using Books to Engage Children in the Tamil Language)

Teresa Cremin (UK) Teresa Cremin is Professor of Education at The Open University. An ex-teacher and pre-service lecturer, her research focuses on volitional reading and writing, teachers’ literate identities and creative pedagogies. Teresa is passionate about developing readers for life and works with the profession to ensure research-informed practice in reading for pleasure.

» Joy of Reading: How to develop communities of readers

SPEAKERS

Thattaya Anussornrajakit (Thailand)

Tyas Widjati (Indonesia)

Thattaya Anussornrajakit graduated from the Faculty of Education, Silpakorn University. She was the editor of several magazines before she moved to Chiang Mai in 1999 to work as a freelancer. She wrote and published 30 books under several pseudonyms. She managed the reading promotion culture projects Chiang Mai Read; and One City, One Book Project, Chiang Rai.

Tyas Widjati’s writes so that she can read her own stories to her daughters. She has been part of an author residency organised by the Indonesia National Book Committee, where she spent a month in Ireland learning about Irish myth and folklore. She presently lives in a warm little city with her two daughters.

» One City, One Book: Reading Initiatives in Thailand

Tina Narang (India) Tina Narang is the Children’s Publisher at HarperCollins India, where she launched the children’s imprint, HarperCollins Children’s Books in 2017. Prior to HarperCollins, Tina was with Scholastic India from 2005-17.

» Writer’s Pitch

Tina Walton (US) Tina Jimin Walton is a Korean-American writer based in Singapore. She received her Master of Fine Arts in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2016. A life-long learner who writes children’s and young adult fiction, she teaches English and writing to teens. Last Days of the Morning Calm is her first novel and it was short-listed for the 2018 Scholastic Asian Book Award.

» Reading for Pleasure: Antidote to Digital Distraction

Toh Yixue (Singapore) Toh Yixue is an educator and artist from technology and education company TinkerTanker. He is experienced in both software and classical animation training, as well as motion graphics and animation production. He is passionate in programming, 3D production, interactive media and design and strongly believes that having a wide range of interests makes him a better artist and collaborator.

» Putting the “A” in STEM Education

» How Stories With Local Wisdom Turn Into an Unexpected Lifesaver During The New Normal

Uttam Pal Singh (India) Uttam has been working in the children’s content and animation industry for almost 20 years. He now heads a kids entertainment channel, Discovery Kids. Uttam is the creative vision behind the rise of Discovery Kids. He developed and adapted Big Bollywood IPs for Kids TV and successfully launched Hindi language TV programmes Little Singham and Fukrey Boyzez which are now streaming on Netflix.

» Media Pitch

Verena Lee (Singapore) Verena Lee is an Assistant Director at the National Library Board, Singapore. Verena and her team are presently involved in improving Singapore’s library spaces and services for the disability community. She also manages Woodlands Regional Library, which offers programmes and services for persons with disabilities, including a sensory-friendly space for children with autism.

» Making Books Accessible

Vetri (India) Vetri is a Tamil writer and translator whose writings and translations have appeared in many Tamil literary magazines. He is currently working with the non-profit children’s books publisher Pratham Books as Assistant Editor for Tamil language books. Vetri believes that translators enable readers to see stories in a new light.

» Crossing Borders: Children’s Books in Focus

SPEAKERS

Virine Hutasangkas (Thailand)

Yani Kurniawan (Indonesia)

Virine Hutasangkas is a lecturer at the Department of French, Faculty of Humanities, at Chiang Mai University. She obtained her PhD in Modern Literature (Children’s literature) from Université de Tours, France. Her main interest is comparative literature (children and young adult) under various themes such as immigration, intercultural translation and multiculturalism. She loves pancake.

Yani Kurniawan is the founder of Literasia, a literary cum creative agency based in Jakarta, Indonesia. He is also the production manager at 17000 Pulau Imaji Foundation, which bridges and facilitates the collaboration between publishing industry stakeholders like writers, illustrators and creative content creators. He was previously part of the Indonesian National Book Committee.

» A Window into Children’s Literature in Thailand

» Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution in the ASEAN: Obstacles and Solutions

Vivek Couto (Singapore) Vivek Couto is the Executive Director and Co-founder of Media Partners Asia (MPA) and he has 20 years of experience in media and telecoms Vivek is also on the Board of Directors at Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA). At MPA, Vivek leads teams to offer clients market research, various advisory services, M& A-related due diligence and research firms. MPA also hosts the leading annual summit APOS, Asia’s premier event for the TMT industry with global impact.

» Streaming Content: Trends in Viewership

Vu Thuy Ngoc Ha (Vietnam) Vu Thuy Ngoc Ha (a.k.a Dom Dom) is a freelance illustrator and comic artist living in Vietnam, with a special interest in illustrating for children. Her illustrations are inspired by a fantasy world that resides in her mind, folktales told by her mother, and the folk culture of Vietnam. Her work, The Girl on the Roof & the Boy on the Beach won the Scholastic Picture Book Award.

» New Voices from SEA

Wai Yin Pryke (Singapore) Mrs Wai Yin Pryke has been an educator for over 30 years, before becoming the Director of the National Library Singapore for three years. She is currently Director of Education and Community Outreach at the National Heritage Board. Wai Yin is passionate about making learning meaningful and accessible to all.

» Looking For and Using Digital Resources

Yap Jia En (Singapore) Jia En is a Visual Design and Exhibitions Manager at The Artground, a Children’s Art Centre which provides positive arts experiences across a variety of art forms. She works with creatives to design and develop arts spaces that welcome children from every community.

» Keep playing! How to Engage Children in the Museum and at Home

Yovita Siswati (Indonesia) Following the birth of her daughters, Yovita Siswati rediscovered her love for children’s literature. Her first picture book, Serial Koko dan Kiki was published in 2011 and her debut children’s novel Misteri Kota Tua was published in 2014. Yovita has written more than 50 picture books and 10 children’s novels since. Misteri Kota Tua has been included on the International Board on Book for Young People (IBBY) Honor List in 2016.

» Growing Children’s Love for Nature through a Digitally Transformed Literature

SPEAKERS

Yulia Loekito (Indonesia) Yulia is a mother of two who lives in Yogyakarta-Indonesia. Reading and teaching have been her favourite pastimes since she was a little girl. Her passion for teaching children emerged at the age of 19 when she was teaching children with special needs. She also runs an alternative learning community and a printing and publishing house.

» The Urge of Local Dialect and Local Language Use in Children Picture Books to Promote Tolerance and Cultural Recognition

Yvonne Pek (Singapore) Yvonne Pek is presently a lecturer at the NIEC – TP campus. Yvonne received her PhD, specializing in Language and Literacy, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her Masters of Arts (Literacy Specialist) at Teachers College, Columbia University. Yvonne is passionate about supporting the literacy learning of young children from less privileged backgrounds. She has taught at a variety of preschool settings and developed curriculum for a large childcare network.

» Using the PEER strategy during Book Reading to Enhance Young Children’s Language Development

Zakir Hossain (Bangladesh/Switzerland) Zakir is a teacher-librarian, spirited researcher and an advocate of school librarianship. He enjoys research, networking and sharing experiences about school librarianship on social media. Currently, Zakir is based in Switzerland at the Inter-Community School in Zurich, but he calls Bangladesh home. He has been named for several professional awards and grants as a result of his research and dedication to the broader community.

» Connections to Global Issues: How Teacher-Librarians are Supporting the UN SDGs and Beyond

Moderators Alexander Coupe (Singapore)

Charlene Lai (Taiwan)

Alexander (Alec) Coupe is a field linguist and the author of numerous research papers and books on the languages of Northeast India, where he has worked with tribal communities for over two decades. He has been a faculty member of NTU’s Linguistics and Multilingual Studies since 2009, where he teaches and trains students in language documentation and grammatical description.

Charlene Lai has been a picture book blogger since 2006. She has previously curated an exhibition, The Craft of Picture Books, and everything she does is affiliated with picture books reading and picture book art. In 2017, Charlene was honoured by Scholastic Asia as a Picture Book Ambassador.

» The Urge of Local Dialect and Local Language Use in Children Picture Books to Promote Tolerance and Cultural Recognition

Ann Ang (Singapore) Ann Ang is a literature educator best known as the author of Bang My Car. She is the co-editor of Poetry Moves and Food Republic, and also the coordinating editor of PR&TA. Ann is currently reading for a PhD in English at Oxford and is a lecturer at the National Institute of Education.

» Who’s Afraid of Poetry?: Incorporating Poetry in Classrooms and Everyday Life

Antony Gusscott (New Zealand/

South Korea)

Antony uses his 14 years of expertise to run a creative consultancy firm, Sprinkles on Top, that has worked with over 40 animation series worldwide. Sprinkles on Top helps clients to create: Writers Bibles, Pitching Materials, Show Bibles, Branding Guides and Pilots and aids the pre-production process of animation shows while assisting clients in pitch their series to the global market.

» Media Pitch

(Seen/ Unseen: Realism and Fantasy in Illustrations)

Charlene Shepherdson (Singapore) Charlene Shepherdson is a Singaporean poet and community organiser focused on language in written, performative and visual forms. She is interested in heritage, technology and creative education. Her poems have been published in From Walden to Woodlands and UnFree Verse, A Luxury We Cannot Afford, SingPoWriMo 2014: The Anthology.

» The Future of Audiobooks

Chatarina Trihastuti (Indonesia) Chatarina Trihastuti has been involved in various programs and activities in the field of education as the Program Manager at ProVisi Education. Together with Room to Read, an NGO from San Francisco, she has assisted in the development of more than 200 children’s storybooks and 240 child-friendly libraries in Indonesia.

» How Stories With Local Wisdom Turn Into an Unexpected Lifesaver During The New Normal

Cheeno Marlo Sayuno (Philippines) Cheeno Marlo Sayuno is an Assistant Professor of Communication and Children’s Literature at the University of Philippines Los Baños. He won in the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature from the Philippine Board on Books for Young People in 2013 and 2017. He has published storybooks in the

MODERATORS SPEAKERS

Philippines and was a writing participant at the AFCC Writers and Illustrators Retreat in 2015. He specialises in writing children’s storybooks and analysing transmedia engagements of children.

» Impacting Children and Teens Using Digital Learning and Cross-Disciplinary Programmes

Christabel Sim (Singapore) Christabel joined the National Library Board, Singapore as an outreach librarian and has worked very closely with children and youths between 7-17. She has also advised school libraries on their revamp process, and selected books for children and young adults’ reading collection. She is now presently based at library@harbourfront, the largest shopping mall public library in Singapore.

» Looking For and Using Digital Resources

Christine Chong (Singapore) Christine is the head of Tusitala Books, a digital storytelling studio that reimagines the future of reading. She previously worked in academic publishing and arts management and has an MA in English Literature from the National University of Singapore, a certificate in editing from the Graham School at the University of Chicago and attended the Summer Publishing Institute at New York University.

» Story City – Getting Real with Digital Narrative

Colin Goh (Singapore) Colin Goh is a writer/cartoonist whose work includes the international bestseller Search Inside Yourself. He created the Dim Sum Warriors series of graphic novels with his wife Woo Yen Yen. Dim Sum Warriors has expanded into a musical that toured 25 cities in China, children’s books, and an international patent-pending learning system that combines hilarious multilingual comics, livestream drawing sessions and an app with reading evaluation tech.

» AFCC Keynote: Reimagine. Rebuild. Reignite

Denise Tan (Singapore) Denise started Closetful of Books after six years of working with children’s literature. With Closetful of Books, she shares her love for reading with specially-tailored workshops with authors and illustrators and super-duper fun bookfairs in local and international schools. Denise also puts her studies in Mass Communications and English Literature to good use by spending all her time reading.

» Upclose with Christina Soontornvat

Ervin Han (Singapore) Ervin Han is the co-founder of Robot Playground Media, an animation studio based in Singapore. He is a seasoned animation producer and director who has created and worked on projects for Disney, WarnerMedia and Mediacorp. He is also a passionate storyteller who hopes to see more Asian stories brought to life through animation.

» Streaming Content: Trends in Viewership

Felicia Low (Singapore) Felicia has worked in bookselling and publishing for over a decade. She is one half of AJ Low, the writing team behind the best-selling Sherlock Sam series and she is a publisher at Difference Engine, an independent comics publisher. She believes that stories have the power to change the world.

» Creating Narratives Through Comics

Geraldine Teo-Zuzarte (Singapore) Geraldine Teo-Zuzarte holds a PhD in Early Childhood Education and is passionate about the development of children, especially those in their early years. Her doctoral research on early childhood curriculum focused on infants and toddlers and in teacher education. Geraldine was appointed into the first batch of Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) Fellows and has been in the field of Early Childhood Education for 30 years.

» Mental Wellbeing of Children in the Digital Age

MODERATORS SPEAKERS

Gomathey Veeramari (Singapore)

Joji Reynes Santos (Philippines)

Gomathey is an educator who has worked in Early Childhood & Special Education for more than 30 years in a number of capacities including in Special Schools, Therapy Centres, and as a Classroom Specialist. A firm believer of lifelong learning, Ms Gomy completed her Master of Arts in Special Educational Needs (MA SEN) with University of South Wales, UK. She enjoys attending various courses in her field of specialty.

Joji Reynes Santos is a teacher and a learner who loves to read and tries hard to write stories. She works with a diverse group of learners, and in the process learns both wonderful and dreadful things about the world. Her book, Inside Daniel’s Head, is an attempt to give readers a unique understanding of children with autism.

» Building an Inclusive Classroom

Storytelling Online

Ho Lee-Ling (Singapore)

Joyceline See Tully (Singapore)

Ho Lee-Ling is local historian and children’s book author. She is a partner in The History Workroom LLP, a Singapore-based research and writing consultancy with a focus on Singapore history. Lee Ling researches and creates history-related content for exhibitions, workshops and publications. Her latest book, Habibah: Story of an island girl, is YA novel inspired by Singapore/Southeast Asian history.

Joyceline See Tully has worked in publishing for the past 20 years. She is the author of Tiger Tales: Almost True Animal Stories from Old Singapore. She is also the co-author of The Little Singapore Book, Tricks & Treats... and Other Childhood Tales, and Heritage Feasts. She also wrote Attack at the Mall and The Runaway Car for SGSecure’s outreach programme for primary schools in Singapore.

» Creating Nonfiction Books for Children

» Owning Our Narratives

Jai Zende (India/Singapore)

Jumaini Arif (Singapore)

Jai is the former Head of Content at Audible India, where he led their audiobook, podcast and scripted content strategy and creation. Originally a banker, Jai entered the spoken-word space in 2010 with his venture booksTALK audiobooks, which was India’s first major audiobook business in multiple Indian languages. Jai is currently embarking on new endeavours in the audio/media industry.

Jumaini Ariff ialah seorang pencerita profesional dan juga penulis buku cerita kanak-kanak seperti Siri Ariff Ingin Tahu dan lain-lain lagi. Beliau dikenali menerusi watak unik; Nek Selampit dan kerap terlibat dalam kempen-kempen bahasa dan budaya di peringkat nasional serta festival-festival penceritaan tempatan.

» Using Podcasts to Promote Reading and Books

Jumaini Ariff is professional storyteller and author. She is known by her storytelling persona; ‘Nek Selampit’. She has participated in storytelling festivals as well as national language and cultural campaigns.

Joel Donato Ching Jacob (Philippines)

» Memupuk Perkembangan Dwibahasa Kanak-Kanak

Joel Donato Ching Jacob, or Cupkeyk to friends, is the 2018 Scholastic Asian Book Awardee for Wing of the Locust; Editor’s Choice, Best Asian Short Stories 2019 for Artifacts from the Parent; and co-editor for Be Me: LGBTQIA+ Stories of Belonging from Southeast Asia.

» New Voices from SEA » Re-telling Asian Fairytales for a New Generation

» Mental Health Inquiry for Children by Reading and

Melalui Buku Dwibahasa (Nurturing Children’s Billingual Development through Billingual Books)

MODERATORS SPEAKERS

Kamolpaj Tosinthiti (Thailand)

Leigh Turina (Canada)

Kamolpaj Tosinthiti is a third generation bookseller. Like her parents, she was raised among books, playing hide-n-seek with her siblings and a few dogs between the bookshelves. She has a BA in French literature and is the managing director at publisher Silkworm Books. She also serves as a vice-president of international affairs at the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand (PUBAT).

Leigh Turina is a Lead Librarian with the IBBY Collection for Young People with Disabilities located at the North York Public Library branch, Toronto Public Library. The collection of books range from silent wordless books to books with dyslexic font. She worked in the field of therapeutic recreation in hospitals and rehabilitation centres before becoming a children’s librarian over 30 years ago.

» Promoting Creative Economies: The Thai Experience

» Creating Books For People with Disabilities

Kenlin Liu (Singapore)

Lynette Morrison (Singapore)

Kenlin is the Chief Operating Officer at September 21 Enterprise Pte Ltd which provides educational resources for parents and teachers. He has designed, developed and implemented training lessons and programmes for various multi-national companies and also for the military in England and Singapore. He believes that chess is an enabler in empowered children and helping them to be more strategically minded when dealing with schoolwork.

Lynette Morrison née Tan Yuen Ling is a published poet and the author of The Pittodrie Pirates series. She is Director of Studies, Associate Director of Student Life, as well as Residential Fellow at Residential College 4, National University of Singapore. An award-winning senior lecturer at NUS, Lynette teaches Systems Thinking at RC4.

» How Technology Enhances the Learning Process, Production and Marketing of a Children’s Book

» Translating the Future: Why Translated Children’s Books are Vital

Melissa Low (Singapore)

Kim Beeman is Head of the Senior Library at Tanglin Trust School in Singapore. She has previously worked as a teacher-librarian at independent schools in Bangkok and New York City, and was a cookbook librarian in New York City for many years. Kim has a Masters of Library and Information Science from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Melissa Low is a Research Fellow at the Energy Studies Institute, NUS. She has participated in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP) for over a decade. Melissa provides policy analyses and conducts workshops for various stakeholders to improve understanding of the implications of the Paris Agreement. Her current research focus is on transparency of climate action and reporting in Southeast Asia.

» Culturally Diverse Middle Grade and YA books as the

» Saving the Environment One Book at A Time

Kim Beeman (Singapore)

Future of Content » Practical Approaches to Media Literacy and Combating Misinformation

MODERATORS SPEAKERS

Michele Newman (Australia/South Korea)

Nor Lastrina Hamid (Singapore)

Michele Newman is originally from Melbourne Australia. Over the past 10 years, she has worked in China and Singapore and is currently the Dean of Teaching and Learning at Dwight School Seoul in South Korea. As an experienced English language teacher, she is most passionate about sharing a love for literacy and reading, as well as supporting school interdisciplinary and experiential learning initiatives that encourage authentic student agency.

Nor Lastrina Hamid is the co-Founder of Singapore Youth for Climate Action (SYCA). She has organised community events and has worked with youths and volunteer groups for the past 10 years, building an interest in climate issues and how people respond to climate impact. Her commentary about climate change has been published on CNA.

» Stories of Strength: The Courage of Action

Environmental Justice in Picture Books from the Philippines

Mindy Pang (Singapore)

Ow Yeong Wai Kit (Singapore)

Mindy Pang has more than a decade of experience as an editor and marketing manager at Marshall Cavendish International (Asia). She was the driving force behind key publications as a senior editor and currently develops marketing strategies to help the publishing house remain a leading publisher in Asia and beyond.

Ow Yeong Wai Kit is an educator and writer who has edited four poetry anthologies. He holds a Master’s degree in English literature from University College London. In 2019, he was presented with the Outstanding Youth in Education Award by the Ministry of Education, Singapore. His writings have been featured in The Straits Times, TODAY, QLRS and more.

» Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution in the

» Growing Children’s Love for Nature through a Digi-

ASEAN: Obstacles and Solutions » From Bookstagram to BookToks: How Gen Z is Generating Book Buzz

tally Transformed Literature

Priti Sharma Devata (Singapore)

Ms N. Kannigadevi has worked in the Early Childhood field for over 30 years in several roles; including specialist teacher, curriculum developer, special needs mentor and a certified trainer at Presbyterian Community Services (PCS), a Social Service Agency. Currently, she is the Assistant Director for Capability Support and Special Needs Mentor at PCS, and is also an Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) Fellow.

Priti Sharma Devata is an associate editor of children’s books at Epigram where she publishes both fiction and non-fiction picture books in early reader and middle grade categories. She is also an associate lecturer at the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) where she teaches children’s literature and Singaporean literature. Priti has more than 21 years of experience in teaching and developing language and literary courses for online and classroom environments for both college and university.

» Reading Seeds™: The Way Forward Promoting Early

» Writer’s Pitch

N. Kannigadevi (Singapore)

Literacy and Developmental Awareness Amongst Families via eLearning Platform

» Writing for (the) Future (of) Children: Social and

MODERATORS SPEAKERS

Quek Hong Shin (Singapore)

Quek Hong Shin is a Singaporean picture book author and illustrator. He has illustrated several picture books and his work has been shortlisted twice for The Hedwig Anuar Children’s Book Award. His book The Incredible Basket, published by Epigram Books, was the winner of Best Children’s Book at the 2019 Singapore Book Awards.

(The Art of Picture Books with Sun Hsin-Yu)

Rhoda Myra Garces Bacsal (UAE)

Sarah Mounsey (Singapore) Sarah Mounsey is Director of Libraries at Dulwich College (Singapore). A book (and chocolate!) obsessed teacher librarian and author, she spends her days juggling three sons, hundreds of students and thousands of books. She is the author of the award-winning Paw Prints series of books, which have been published in Singapore.

» Looking For and Using Digital Resources » Reading for Pleasure: Antidote to Digital Distraction

Shahril Samri (Singapore) Shahril Samri adalah seorang guru di prasekolah PCF Sparkletots yang mengajar Bahasa Melayu serta Inggeris. Beliau adalah pengasas Pantunism, sebuah kelab bertujuan untuk menyegarkan kembali seni pantun. Harapannya ialah untuk menyampai kepentingan bahasa Melayu,budaya dan identiti kepada generasi muda.

Dr Myra Garces-Bacsal is the Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate Studies at the College of Education at the United Arab Emirates University. She was selected by the International Youth Library in Munich as an International Fellow in 2016 and 2017. She served as Chair of the Programme Committee for the Asian Festival of Children’s Content (AFCC) from 2011-2019 and presently serves as the International Advisor-at-Large for the AFCC.

Shahril Samri is an educator at PCF Sparkletots Preschool where he teaches Malay. He is the founder of Pantunism, a Pantun (Malay Poetry) enthusiast, and loves imparting the importance of the Malay language to children.

» Normalising differences: Empowering children and

» Menghasilkan Buku Kanak-kanak Yang Berjaya

teens through diverse literature

Roger Jenkins (Singapore) Roger Jenkins has been a professional storyteller since 1998. He organised the Story Carnival@Enabling Village with Story Connection Ltd. He founded Hi! Theatre of the Deaf in 1984 and was its Director for 10 years. He is a founding member of the Access Arts Hub, which seeks to promote access to live arts events for people with disabilities. He is also a trained audio describer and has described nine productions, mainly by SRT and Wild Rice!

» Making Books Accessible

Meraih Anugerah (Creating Award-winning Children’s Books)

Sheikh Faisal Sheikh Mansor (“Shake”) (Malaysia) Shake is the Honorary Secretary of the Malaysian Book Publishers Association (MABOPA). He runs Shake Book Projects Sdn. Bhd, which offers publishing and consultancy services. With 20 years of experience in the book industry, Shake has written, published and sold children’s books locally and overseas to more than 50 countries around the world.

» Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution in the ASEAN: Obstacles and Solutions

MODERATORS SPEAKERS

Shelly Bryant (Singapore)

Theodora Choy Fong Lam (Singapore)

Shelly Bryant is a translator, poet and writer. She has translated work from the Chinese for Penguin Books, Amazon Crossing, Epigram Publishing, the National Library Board in Singapore, Giramondo Books, HSRC, Rinchen Books, and Maclehose Press. Her translation of Sheng Keyi’s Northern Girls was long-listed for the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2012, and her translation of You Jin’s In Time, Out of Place was shortlisted for the Singapore Literature Prize in 2016.

Theodora Lam is a Research Fellow at the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore (NUS). She obtained her PhD in Geography from NUS and her dissertation focused on understanding changing gender subjectivities, web of care and relationships within the family in the wake of transnational labour migration. Her research highlights the voices of return migrants as well as carers and children who have remained in their home countries.

» Crossing Borders: Children’s Books in Focus

» Sensitive Issues in Philippine Children’s Literature on Parental Migration and Left-behind Children

Shreya Acharya (Singapore)

Tomoko Shiga (Japan/Singapore)

Shreya Acharya is the Assistant Editor at Difference Engine, and has worked on editing comics, as well as literary fiction and non-fiction publications. Her writing has appeared in The Epigram Books Collection of Best New Singaporean Short Stories (Vol 4) and Mahogany Journal. She has also held editorial positions at Math Paper Press and at Asian Geographic Magazines Pte Ltd. She never leaves home without a book in tow.

Tomoko Shiga is a translator and interpretor. She is proficient in English to Japanese and Japanese to English translation, and has been engaged for business negotiations with C-level executives. She has interpreted for famous Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto and Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike, and has translated legal documents for Panasonic and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

» Putting the “A” in STEM Education

» Between Illustration and Animation: Straddling Both Art Forms

Su Zhangkai

(Singapore)

Su Zhangkai was formerly a part-time lecturer with the Department of Chinese Studies at the National University of Singapore and a secondary school teacher. He was conferred the 2013 Fellow of Academy of Singapore Teachers in recognition for his outstanding contribution towards professional development. He believes reading is the foundation of all learning and that with the right pedagogies and environment, learning the Chinese language can be easy and fun.

(How to Enhance Parent-child Relationship through Picture Book Reading)

» (Picture Books In Our Hearts – The Components of Child Development in Picture Book Creation)

Vasuree Pisutsinthop (Thailand) Vasuree Pisutsinthop earned her BA in Education and MA in Marketing. She is the Marketing Director of EQ Plus Co., Ltd., an educational comic books publisher with 16 years of experience. EQ Plus Co. Ltd features interesting subjects featuring Thai history, science and social studies and is based in Bangkok.

» One City, One Book: Reading Initiatives in Thailand

MODERATORS SPEAKERS

Vijayanand Thamotharan (Singapore) Vijayanand Thamotharan is the Director of Crimson Earth, a publishing firm specialising in content development for the education and literary sector in Singapore. He has previously worked as the Director of Absolutely Parents. His interests include publishing, business development, education planning and content development. He has appeared on panels promoting children’s Tamil stories in Singapore.

» (Using Books to Engage Children in the Tamil Language)

Weng Cahiles (Philippines) Weng Cahiles is the author of four children’s books and a two-time National Children’s Book Awards winner. Her book What Kids Should Know About Andres and the Katipunan was named the 2014 Best Read for Kids. She also wrote Si Kian, which won the 2018 National Children’s Book Awards. Si Kian was also selected for the prestigious White Ravens, an annual catalogue of the best 200 kids and young adult books from around the world.

» New Voices from SEA

AFCC Ticketing AFCC 2021 takes place in an entirely digital format. Join us on a digital journey of exploration with the various passes!

! afcc2021festivalpasses.eventbrite.sg

TICKET TYPE

ORIGINAL PRICE

GROUP DISCOUNT (15% DISCOUNT)*

4 Day Pass

S$ 150 per ticket

S$ 127.50 per ticket

1 Day Pass

S$ 50 per ticket

S$ 42.50 per ticket

Masterclass

S$ 40 per class

—

Lectures

S$ 15 per lecture

—

» Access to over 70 sessions for a 4-day festival pass » Access to video-on-demand recordings of the digital sessions for 30 days » Access to exclusive AFCC 2021 conference materials, including presentation slides, handouts and reading materials from the speakers » Meet over 50 local and international speakers » 15% discount to AFCC 2021 masterclasses and lectures, with priority booking » 15% discount to workshops, with priority booking » Free access to Writers Pitch and Media Pitch » 10% discount for AFCC merchandise » 10% discount at AFCC 2021’s Official Bookstore, Closetful of Books

» 10% discount on all SBC Academy programmes for 2021^ » 10% discount for all SBC publications^

* Group Discount (15%) applies to group purchase of five or more tickets.

^ Discount codes will be sent in the confirmation email after passes are purchased Ticket prices exclude ticketing charges. All participants will receive a Certificate of Participation upon request. Please email us at programmes@bookcouncil.sg.

Sponsors & Supporters DONORS AND SPONSORS CHAMPION OF BOOKS

WITH THE SUPPORT OF

COF COUNTRY PARTNER

PROGRAMME PARTNERS

COF KEY PARTNER

BIG CURATORS

MEDIA PITCH PROGRAMME CONSULTANT

FESTIVAL BOOKSTORE

YOSHIYA AYUGAI

Notes

singaporebookcouncil sgbookcouncil w: bookcouncil.sg e: info@bookcouncil.sg 90 Goodman Road, Block E, #03-32 Goodman Arts Centre, Singapore 439053

Cover illustration by Kampanart Sangsorn Information correct at time of printing. The festival organisers reserve the right to change speakers, events, session times, dates, and/or other details when necessary.

Asian Festival of Children's Content 2021 Programme Booklet

Articles inside

Book Illustrators Gallery

Diverse Abilities Dance Collective

Book Talks

30 May (Sun) Sessions • Reignite

29 May (Sat) Sessions • Rebuild

28 May (Fri) Sessions • Rebuild

Media Pitch 2021

27 May (Thu) Sessions • Reimagine

Masterclasses

Workshops

Lectures

Publishing in Thailand

Country of Focus Night

About Singapore Book Council

An Introduction to Thai Juvenile Literature

Message from the Chairperson

Country of Focus: Thailand

AFCC Co-translation Project

Support Us

Message from the Executive Director