27 May (Thu) Sessions • Reimagine

9:00am – 10:30am KEYNOTE AFCC Keynote: Reimagine. Rebuild. Reignite

Comments Jason Chin, Hwang Sun-mi (黄善美）, 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.

10:30am – 11:30am PRESENTATION Sensitive Issues in Philippine Children’s Literature on Parental Migration and Left-behind Children

Comments 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.

11:00am – 12:00pm PANEL Streaming Content: Trends in Viewership

Comments 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.

11:00am – 12:00pm PRESENTATION Story City – Getting Real with Digital Narrative

Comments 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.

12:00pm – 1:00pm PANEL Normalising differences: Empowering children and teens through diverse literature

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

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

Comments 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!

2:00pm – 3:00pm TALK Developing Language, Literacy and Mental Wellness Through a Screen-Free Environment

Comments 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 PANEL Memupuk Perkembangan Bahasa bagi Kanak-kanak melalui Buku Dwibahasa Nurturing Language Development in Children through Bilingual Books

Comments Norlin Samat, Mukhlis Abu Bakar // Moderator: Jumaini Ariff Exclamation-circle This session will be conducted in Malay 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.

3:00pm – 4:00pm PRESENTATION Growing Children’s Love for Nature through a Digitally Transformed Literature

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

Comments Andrea Pasion-Flores, Gesarin Anek, Yani Kurniawan // Moderator: Sheikh Faisal Sheikh Mansor (“Shake”) 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

Comments 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.

4:30pm – 5:30pm PRESENTATION Reading Seeds™: The Way Forward Promoting Early Literacy and Developmental Awareness Amongst Families via eLearning Platform

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

Comments Lawrence Schimel // Moderator: Lynette Morrison née Tan Yuen Ling 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

Comments 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.