Young Reader Club Vol. 5.2011

Vol V ol 5.

5. 2011 / SGD 7.50

ISSN: 2010- 1376

Stories by our Young Authors Classrooms in Cambodia Students from Phnom Penh speak up about their lives

Writing Tips Identifying Aim and Conflict

Email from USA Sruthi shares what’s in store for her in 2011 He still can't believe it!

His story .... a telemovie?!

Yun Chu, Nicole & Ian

Hao Qin, our Featured Author of the Month

Building the Next Generation of Writers

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Are you an aspiring writer? tory ory Do you have a lot of story ideas?

Do you want to meett new friends?

Woodlands Regional Library

Join the Young Author Club!

YAC is the ideal club for readers and writers like you! You’ll meet likeminded individuals, share thoughts and ideas, and learn essential writing tips.

We’ll help you get on the right track. YAC aims to build literary talents and encourage young minds to explore and create.

Everest Room

Last Friday of every month 4.00 to 5.30pm

For registration and more details, drop us an email at books@catherinekhoo.sg or call 6336 8985 / 6336 0832.

You can also approach the library’s Information Desk. Sign up today! y!

YAC is an initiative by:

Supported by:

Official Awards: Official fici cial al P Pub Publication: ublication: ub

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Letter from the Editor Managing Editor Catherine Khoo Editor Sofia Balmaceda Chief Designer

Lim Soo Yong Writer/ Illustrator Charlene Shepherdson Fashion Writer/ Illustrator Adeline Lim Health Writer

Paulina Lee Photographers

Adeline Lim, Paulina Lee Circulation Manager

Nannette Cruz

For advertising and sales enquiries

6336 0832 Education Subscription Agent

EmitAsia 63720330

Email: yrc@catherinekhoo.sg Website: http://yrc.catherinekhoo.sg All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Call 6336-8985 for back issues.

Dear readers, Happy New Year! Let me share with you something inspiring. Our featured young author, Ng Hao Qin, was 11 when he wrote his first story. Now 17, his story was recently chosen to be made into a telemovie! How fantastic is that?

Have you ever heard of an evil Cinderella and a beautiful stepmother? I would think not – and that’s what one of our young authors, Jonathan Tan, created from his imagination (p15). Do you like to read about snakes and dragons (p23) or do you prefer a trip down memory lane through the eyes of a young farmer (p7)? Have you ever been bullied in school and stood up for yourself (p35)?

These stories were written by students like you and I hope you’ll be inspired to give writing a try.

Let me leave you with one of my favourite quotes by Mark Twain: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Have a great 2011 and don’t be afraid to dream big!

is published by Experiences & Experiments Pte Ltd 261 Waterloo Street #03-08 Waterloo Centre Singapore 180261

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YRC MISSION: We envision a world where there are no boundaries, where the young share their ideas and stories, and learn about each other’s cultures through the stories they tell. But first, they must learn to create.

Vol 5. 2011

D E PA R T M E N T S YOUNG AUTHORS 5

Featured Author – Ng Hao Qin This young author wrote his first story at 11.

Now 17, the story he created six years ago will be made into a telemovie!

FUN

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48 Story Exercise – Book Report Book reports don’t have to be difficult. We came up with a simple and effective guide for you!

57 Fashion Make a statement – choose the right backpack for you!

58 YRC Events The Young Creatives Forum celebrated two awards which saw the gathering of Singapore’s brightest young talents.

EDUCATION 49 Breaking Boundaries To many Cambodian children, education is a privilege not easy to attain. Despite this, they showed us how important school is to them.

52 The Real World An old man, a young man, and life’s greatest lessons.

53 Email from USA A new year, a new start...Sruthi Shankar,14, returns in this issue to share what 2011 holds for her.

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57 55 Writing Tips How can you identify Aim and Conflict in a story?

F E AT U R E S 7

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The Story of a Young Farmer

by Hor Wern Thing Read the journal of a young farmer and find out how different life was back then.

15 Topsy Turvy Cinderella

by Jonathan Tan In this delightful tale, follow the journey of evil Cinderella and her beautiful stepmother. Who will find her Prince Charming and live happily ever after?

23 Dragon Emperor vs Snake Emperor

by Chew Kuo Sheng The Snake Emperor is a vicious and powerful ruler who wants to be number one. When he learns that he’s only second to the benevolent Dragon Emperor, he sets out to challenge him. Will he succeed?

35 Different Colours Can Mix

by Gabrielle Tan Preeya is a fat and dark-skinned girl who often gets bullied by Jolene and friends. How did she deal with it? Did she fight back?

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Letters to the Editor

When I read about the Tibetan Children’s Village (Breaking Boundaries section), it opened my mind to new things. I realised how important it is to respect each other’s culture and traditions. It also touched me how passionate the kids are about education and learning despite their circumstances. I used to take going to school for granted but now, not anymore.

Josh, 12

I loved reading the story, The Great Blue Yonder, written

by Xena Tan.It’s

heartwarming and witty – such a beautiful story!

I’m inspired to give writing a try. Who knows? I might be able to create my own masterpiece too!

Mira, 11

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YRC is fun to read!

I enjoy the sto ries written by the young authors and the Feature d Autho r secti the mos on t. It’s nice to know that st ories written by kids my age can als o get p u blished Thank y . o

the vot u for confide e of nce, YRC !

Elliot, 12

Featured Author Vital Stats Name: Ng Hao Qin Age: 17 School: National Junior College Aims: To be a doctor Favourite author: Dan Brown CCA: Interact Club

W are by our desires conquered.

We And desires are never satiated.

A The success and joy we have gained, though a Th little, will be ours forever. li - Helpful or Deadly?

With the holiday season over and school just around th corner, YRC magazine talks to a featured author who the ha a unique take on life, studies and success – Ng Hao Qin. has Ng Hao Qin, 17, wrote his first story when he was just 1 What sets his story apart from others is its subject mat11. te – it reflects the hopes of a typical local student faced ter with the pressure to perform and even excel at his studies.

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Helpful or Deadly? is a story about a young boy, Dume, who is intellectually-challenged but dreams of being intelligent. Seeking an easy way out, he approaches his inventor-grandfather for a quick fix – a machine that can make him smarter. The machine appears to have done its job, that is, until Dume and his grandfather realise that all things are not without consequences and Dume has to pay for his get-smart-quick scheme.

The message behind Helpful or Deadly? is clear – there are no quick fixes; no easy solutions to achieving success in life. This, Hao Qin feels, contradicts a popular Singaporean mindset born from our increasingly fast-paced lives: “we simply want the easy way out”. There is no waiting in line, no working hard first and reaping the benefits later. We simply want things our way NOW. This doesn’t make sense, in light of education, as students are always told to “work now and play later”. Work hard now, they say, and reap the benefits later.

But hands up – how many of us have wished that we could just ‘download’ that textbook or study guide into our brain and score a night of sleep without worrying about the exam the next day, or score an extra few hours to play that computer game? We’re always looking for the easy way out. We’re looking for the quickest and most painless route to success.

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At the start of 2011, maybe it’s time for a change in perspective. Let’s see things from Hao Qin’s perspective – success comes in many forms. You don’t even need to be extremely intelligent to be successful. What you need is to be confident. Have confidence in yourself. “Trying to be someone you’re not may not bring confidence. We just have to be accepting of our flaws.”

To Hao Qin, success doesn’t just mean doing well in school and scoring top marks or making lots of money. Success can come in many forms, including doing a job well.

If you’re a writer, success comes when you bring joy to your readers. If you’re in a position of power: being a good leader and having a positive impact on the lives of others.

That’s all there is to success, really. “Success simply means making an impact. It’s about the positive impact actions have on the lives of other people.”

Now that school’s gearing up to begin, Hao Qin offers some study/ writing tips he’s picked up from storywriting that have had an impact on his approach to studying – 1) Look at difference sources for information 2) Observe the world around you and reflect on your own experiences 3) Be patient; inspiration, knowledge and success don’t come instantly “Success through hard work is the only viable method” Seven years on, Hao Qin’s story was selected, out of hundreds of stories, to be made into a telemovie that is projected to air sometime in January. Here at YRC, we call this success. Far from immediate, however, this particular success story is seven years in the making.

PROFILE

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DRAGON EMPEROR vs SNAKE EMPEROR One There once lived a fierce and cruel Snake Emperor who killed thousands of people for their money and land. He had tiny red beady eyes that glowed like burning embers, and a long, black forked tongue that cut through the air like a whip. With each battle he won, he became increasingly cruel, and his thirst for death and destruction grew. Soon, the territory he controlled also grew as he made his slaves build him a huge palace.

He also had a big appetite and ate like a glutton. Before long, he was so large that he had rolls of fat around his long waist that rippled as he slithered about.

One day, as the Snake Emperor was basking in his palace, the palace

goose, Zeng, appeared and told him that although he had defeated legions of enemies, he was still only ranked the number two warrior in the world.

Upon hearing these words, the Snake Emperor smashed the table and roared, “Zeng! Tell me who number one is!”

Zeng was shaken by the Snake Emperor’s fury. With his legs trembling and his voice quivering, he squeaked, “It is the Dragon Emperor, sire. He is Lord of the Northern Mountains and protector of the North. His people love and worship him because he is strong and benevolent. He rules his land with love and wisdom, and his kingdom has prospered for thousands of years. His palace in the mountains is lined with 23

gold and jade, and his land stretches as far as the eye can see.â&#x20AC;?

The Snake Emperor snorted and snarled, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Well, well, what do you know?

This skinny lizard of the North is still alive after all these years. Very well, then.

I shall kill this skinny lizard and string him up for all to see.â&#x20AC;?

So, it appeared that his only

opponent left to defeat was the Dragon Emperor. The Snake Emperor planned all sorts of traps to trounce and torture his opponent. He imagined the Dragon Emperor falling into his numerous traps; and thought about how he was going to taunt and humiliate the lizard. The sound of his evil laughter resounded throughout the palace.

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Two Unknown to the Snake Emperor, Dragon Emperor’s faithful General Tiger, was spying on him. He had overheard every single word the Snake Emperor said. The loyal tiger quickly ran out of the palace and back to the North to alert his master.

D r a g o n E m p e r o r, b e i n g t h e benevolent ruler, ordered his 12 generals, General Pig, General Rat, General Ox, General Tiger, General Rabbit, General Horse, General King Kong, General Monkey, General Baboon, General Tortoise, General Bird and General Fish to evacuate the valley. “You must protect the villagers from the Snake Emperor’s wrath. Take them away from here and to the far mountains so they can stay in a safe place. I will stay here and hold off the Snake Emperor.”

General Tiger protested, “But what about you, Master? He can kill you!”

“Nonsense! Do you think I can be defeated so easily?” glared the Dragon Emperor. “But I am very glad to have been your Master. And it is now time for you to continue your journey by yourselves.”

Exchanging worried glances, the 12 generals left the palace reluctantly and gathered the villagers. They hurried them out of their homes and led them over the mountains. General Horse, General Rat and General Fish led some villagers to the West Mountains, whilst General Tiger, General Pig and

General Ox brought other villagers to the South Mountains. General Rabbit, General King Kong and General Monkey directed some villagers to the North Mountains and the rest of the generals led the remaining villagers to the East Mountains.

Three Meanwhile, Zeng, the palace goose of Snake Emperor, set off on a scouting mission to check on the Dragon Emperor.

He flew over the lands and fields, over the rolling hills and flowing rivers, and flapped his wings nonstop all the way to the Northern Mountains. As he neared the Northern Mountains, he spied the villagers moving and watched as they trundled away towards the Dragon Emperor’s Northern Mountains. He circled the sky, counted the people, and noted the generals. Then he flew, huffing and puffing, back to the Snake Emperor’s palace to report.

“Your Majesty!” squawked Zeng, as he landed with a thud in front of the Snake Emperor who was seated on his throne in the Celestial Hall. In between gasps, he wheezed, “The generals are bringing the villagers away. They must be aware that we are going to attack them.”

“Fools! Get Botak Lizard here immediately!” snarled the Snake Emperor. The palace guards instantly sounded the gong to summon Botak Lizard, the top general of the army, 25

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while the Snake Emperor mulled over the news.

Botak Lizard slithered quickly from the parade square through the corridors to the Snake Emperor’s Celestial Hall.

“General Lizard, it appears that your security has been lax! How could the Dragon Emperor know about our plans to attack them? You ought to be torn limb from limb and turned into a pair of lizardskin boots!” hissed the Snake Emperor.

“But I will spare your miserable life if you can crush the Dragon Emperor’s generals and capture their people. Go now and make sure you succeed. I will not tolerate any more mistakes. Scram!” Thus, Botak Lizard left the Celestial Hall, shivering under his leathery skin. He mustered up his hundred thousand gecko soldiers, and set off with them to the Northern Mountains.

Four The Snake Emperor started to think that the Dragon Emperor might be tougher than all his other enemies, and that the geckos might bungle up the mission. Hence, he decided to plant a trap along the way and took along his magical flute – the Deafening and Ear-splitting Flute, which when played, will burst the eardrums of every living creature within a mile. He tucked it into the folds of his scales and set off for the Northern Mountains with Botak Lizard.

Thus, the Snake Emperor led his army to the North to crush the Dragon

Emperor. His army marched across the lands and over the rivers and up to the Northern Mountains. Within a day, they reached the Dragon Emperor’s mountains. The battle was finally here.

Botak Lizard, the Snake Emperor’s general, led his soldiers of geckos, and surrounded the Dragon Emperor’s palace. Botak Lizard was an odd sight, for while he was a ferocious warrior, he had lost most of his magnificent crest in an earlier battle. As a result, instead of looking imposing, he looked somewhat ... bald with his missing crest.

Five Dragon Emperor stood outside his palace; he was a tall and majestic sight to behold. Surrounded by the geckos, he was outnumbered by the thousands. As the geckos slithered towards the Dragon Emperor, his 12 generals appeared from behind the mist. The faithful generals had come back to aid the Dragon Emperor. But the Dragon Emperor noticed that one was missing, “Where is General Fish?” General Tiger replied that General Fish was on vacation after defeating the Big Fat Gorilla last week.

“Oh well. It looks like we will have to squash the Botak Lizard and Snake Emperor without Fish.”

The two armies clashed, creating a huge din, with soldiers screaming and limbs flailing about in the dust. Swords clanged against one another, and bones crunched when hit with maces. The 27

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battle raged on for 70 days and it did not look as if it was going to end. But, the screams gradually became softer, and the limbs eventually stopped flailing. When the dust settled, the ground was soaked with blood from the wounded soldiers and broken tails from Botak Lizard’s army of geckos. Only the generals and emperors were left standing.

General Rat stepped out in front of Snake Emperor and declared, “I will have a death match with you, fat snake!” The Snake Emperor laughed haughtily, “What are you going to do, small guy? Sit on me? Take this!” With that, he spat poison into the eyes of the small but feisty rodent, who immediately screamed in pain and jumped into the pond to wash away the toxins.

The two emperors sized each other up, their unblinking glares electrifying.

If onlookers could read their minds, they would have seen a flashback to their younger days two hundred years ago. They had once been disciples under the same master when they were still princes. Snake Emperor was the strongest and fastest disciple, and he could beat all the other disciples with ease. Everyone, including Snake Emperor himself, thought he would be the best – the only – disciple worthy to take over the master’s position.

But alas, that was not to be. On the day of blessing, the master chose the Dragon Emperor instead to take over the helm. The Dragon Emperor at that time was somewhat clumsy and slow,

although he was well liked by everyone.

Somehow, the master had recognised the goodness and steadfastness of the Dragon Emperor, and knew he would become a better leader than Snake Emperor. Nonetheless, Snake Emperor did not take the master’s decision happily and he left, swearing vengeance one day.

“Looks like it’s just you and me. Be prepared to become a crocodile-skin bag!” declared the Snake Emperor.

Six The two emperors confronted each other. They glared at each other until they could not bear it any longer and leapt at each other. The Dragon Emperor blasted huge puffs of fireballs at the snake, but the snake kept evading, always leaping out of the way in the nick of time. Snake Emperor knew he could not merely keep dodging, so when the Dragon Emperor paused for breath, he belched loudly and spewed barrels of saliva from his mouth. His saliva gushed out from his throat like a neverending jet, and the sticky, slippery mess was sprayed all over the poor Dragon Emperor and the ground.

Now, the Dragon Emperor was a fastidious creature who liked cleanliness. He would itch if he had even the tiniest amount of dirt on him.

Covered head to toe in the sticky saliva, he became horridly miserable and was almost in a state of panic. With his eyes 29

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momentarily blinded by the saliva, the Dragon Emperor stumbled and fell as he could not steady his footing. The Snake Emperor seized his chance and pounced on him. He wrapped his huge long body around the length of the Dragon Emperor and squeezed with every bit of his strength. Writhing on the ground, the two glared at each other nose-to-nose.

The Snake Emperor was certain victory was his and he gave a final squeeze to squash the last bit of air from the Dragon Emperor’s lungs. Unfortunately for the Snake Emperor, this final bit of air was the formidable Dragon Emperor’s breath, full of sulphur and garlic, known to fall even the strongest creatures.

The Dragon Emperor’s breath hit the Snake Emperor square in his face, and he immediately gagged. With his eyes bulging from his sockets, and his face turning bright blue, he gasped desperately for air. Dragon Emperor quickly struggled out of the Snake Emperor’s clasp, and summoning his last bit of energy, he hurled a burst of fire at the Snake Emperor. When the smoke cleared, he saw the Snake Emperor splayed motionless on the floor with wisps of smoke curling around his body.

Seven Dragon Emperor was overjoyed that he had crushed his enemy and he screamed happily. General Tiger and his soldiers strapped the Snake Emperor and Botak Lizard together, and tied them to

a pillar at the bottom of the palace steps for the night.

“You look like road kill now, your Majesty. Enjoy your last night out here and reflect upon your wrong-doings, for tomorrow you will be punished for all your evil deeds. You might find yourself wishing for death since your fate might be worse than death itself!” said General Tiger as he slapped the Snake Emperor across the snout and left.

Snake Emperor pondered over his possible fate. Will the Dragon Emperor skin him and turn him into a leather coat? Would he be made to labour for eternity? Would he be confined to the depths of the smouldering mountains, condemned to squirm in the burning lava for thousands of years? Or worse still, would he be deprived of food until he shrivelled to nothingness? That was truly a fate worse than death! But the cunning Snake Emperor was not one to give up so easily. Racking his reptilian brain, the Snake Emperor thought of a way out. Recalling that the Dragon Emperor was a merciful creature, he hatched an idea to feign remorse and beg for forgiveness.

Eight When the sun rose at dawn the next day, the prisoner awaited his fate at the hands of the Dragon Emperor. The Snake Emperor, once an awesome sight, was now bedraggled and limp. With a gust of wind, the Dragon Emperor appeared 31

in front of the Snake Emperor, tall and majestic. “Well, any last words before I punish you for your heinous crimes?” asked the Dragon Emperor.

“Please, your most benevolent Lord of the North, I beg your forgiveness. It was wrong of me to take so many lives.

That’s because I never had parents to guide me – I lost both of them to hunters even before I hatched from my egg. And my brothers tried to eat me the moment I hatched. I have never known any love or warmth,” sobbed the Snake Emperor.

“I promise to turn over a new leaf, return the riches back to the people, and not harass anyone. And, sire, if you could find the kindness within you, I beseech you to guide me in the path of goodness. Teach me to be a good ruler to my people, so that I can take care of them and give them the love that I have never known in all my miserable life.

Please come to my land and teach me, and let me show you how I can repent.

Let us make peace. Come to my palace and I will prepare a feast to honour you,” said the Snake Emperor in his most convincing voice with tears streaming from his beady eyes.

The Dragon Emperor, being the compassionate creature he was, was moved by the Snake Emperor’s plea.

He remembered as clear as yesterday his master’s last words to him: “When someone has done a bad deed or committed a crime, you should not punish or torture him as it would only fill your own heart with hatred. The right 32

thing to do is to forgive and forget. Only then can you find your connection with that person again.”

Dragon Emperor looked at the Snake Emperor. Keeping his master’s lesson in mind, he decided to fulfill the snake’s last wish to become gentle, helpful and kind. He decided to release the Snake Emperor, not knowing that it was just a part of his devious trick.

Unknown to the Dragon Emperor, the Snake Emperor intended to give him a poisonous wine. This wine was specially concocted by the Snake Emperor, and was laced with venom so strong that no one could possibly survive after taking even the smallest sip.

The wine was a beautiful scarlet colour and had the most enticing aroma. All it required was a single sip and the poison would spread throughout the victim, burning his muscles, and creating the most terrible and unbearable itch all over. The itch was so powerful that the victim would scratch himself until he peeled. The Snake Emperor will then wait for him to hit the depths of his pain before cutting off his head and killing him.

The Snake Emperor smiled to himself at the thought of having the Dragon Emperor’s head. “His head would be a nice trophy. I can have my cake and eat it for once, since I have now defeated the almighty Dragon Emperor and have become the number one emperor in the world.”

Nine Hence, the two emperors set off for the palace. They went down the mountains and through the forests. As they walked among the tall trees, the Snake Emperor said, “Let me play you a delightful tune with my flute.” He took out his magical flute and played an enchanting tune. Suddenly, the trees started to sway and topple towards the Dragon Emperor. But the Dragon Emperor was quick, and he hurled a huge blast of fire at the trees and burned them into cinders in the blink of an eye. The Snake Emperor was furious that his trap failed. He wanted to beat his chest and gnash his fangs in anger, but had to put on an innocent look so as not to give himself away to the Dragon Emperor.

But the Dragon Emperor had already wised up and had begun to suspect the intentions of his arch-enemy. “Maybe the Snake Emperor is trying to trick me with his poison wine. He has killed lots of people after all. He could not possibly be so kind or good – he must be up to more mischief!” He hollered angrily at the Snake Emperor, “You must be up to no good, you cold-blooded reptile!”

The Snake Emperor lunged at the Dragon Emperor and the two of them wrestled with each other. The Snake Emperor blew strong winds that shook the earth and screamed so loudly that it could be heard at the ends of the world.

Alas, the Dragon Emperor was doomed as he was the weaker of the two.

The Snake Emperor held the Dragon Emperor in a death grip and was about to pierce the magical flute into his heart to kill him. The Dragon Emperor summoned all his energy, broke free from the Snake Emperor and shot into the sky. He dived down onto the Snake Emperor’s head like a missile – !3'*5"Q% !3.5>Q%R--4Q When the dust settled and the shock waves ceased, there lay the Snake Emperor, scruffy and all messed up. His eyes were crossed and his tongue hung out at the corner of his mouth. The Dragon Emperor was also in a bad state – he had blood in his mouth and his eyes bulged from his sockets. But the Dragon Emperor had finally defeated the wicked Snake Emperor.

The Dragon Emperor brought the Snake Emperor to a secluded monastery in the Northern Mountains. Every day for the rest of his life, the priests read sermons to the Snake Emperor, and helped him to learn how to live peacefully and calmly. As for the people, they rejoiced when they realised that the Snake Emperor was no longer around to terrorise them. They lived in peace and prosperity for a long time.

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Which is the stronger creature?

Dragon: Typically described as a gigantic scaly lizard with leathery skin, a dragon !"#$%&"!'()('#*#+*,!$*-#$)(*./)(#01%#2)(*.1("#3)(#%)#!$(4 Snake:#56(&#0!.1%/.#-!+2"7#*#"&*8(#$*&#$-!+27#"0!+#*&'#"%+(.!+("#9:4#;%+(#1*6(# a deadly bite that can kill a human. It has an expandable jaw and can swallow a whole prey larger than itself!

Trivia The oldest culture in the world to utilise dragons in their mythology and beliefs are the Chinese. For them, the dragon is a divine, mythical creature that brings good fortune, prosperity and bounty. It is the symbol of emperors and imperial rule, and its legends have shaped a good portion of modern Chinese culture.

The venom of the king cobra, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest poisonous snake, is strong enough to kill an elephant.

There are more than 3,000 kinds of snakes in the world! Giants like the seven metre-long python can squeeze the life out of a large antelope and swallow it whole. Other snakes grow no longer than a pencil.

Komodo dragons are found in only four islands in Indonesia. They are excellent swimmers and can cross great distances and strong ocean currents just to raid neighboring islands where the only available food source is domestic animals. The average length of a Komodo dragon is six feet, though some of them are known to grow to an amazing 10 feet.

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Thida at 10yrs old

The Riverkids Project is a Singapore-based non-profit foundation established to fight against trafficking and exploitation of Cambodian children. One of their platforms is to provide education to children in shelters and communities. By putting them to school, Riverkids aims to instill hope in the hearts of the children that a bright future is possible.

Dale Edmonds, founder of the Riverkids Project, shares with us a success story: “When we met Thida, she was sleeping on the streets next to the refuse cart that her parents pushed around Phnom Penh to collect rotting food scraps to sell to farmers for their pigs.

Her older brother and sister were gone by then, and the family didn’t know where they were, only that an organisation had taken them one by one, permanently, leaving four hungry little ones behind.

Thida was ten years old, desperately poor and heartbreakingly beautiful.

And six years on, she’s grown into a calm quiet young woman, top of her class in grade seven, and now on an academic scholarship at a private school in Phnom Penh.

She works part-time for Riverkids as one of our kindergarten assistants, saving her salary to help her parents. She’s a great big sister to her two little brothers and her sister — not quite as well behaved as Thida, but bright funny little kids too.

Her parents and their youngest child now live in the provinces, in a decent job working on a remote farm.

Thida and her siblings go home on holidays,

and their parents are loving and encouraging, a warm and close family despite all they’ve been through.

But the best part of her story for me was when I saw Thida drop the book she was reading and race over to the gates to two teenagers on bicycles — her big sister and brother!

Earlier this year, they’d managed on their own to trace their family, tracking down Riverkids and discovering not just one sister, but all of their younger brothers and sisters, and through us, their parents again.

Now they were back for another visit. Thida, calm serious Thida, was grinning ear to ear and chattering a mile a minute, calling her younger brothers and sister to join them as they caught up on all the years apart.

Seeing Thida’s joy that day was a gift. I know it’s incredibly sappy, but it reminded me of the airport scenes in Love Actually and the reunion scene at the end of The Color Purple, that moment when you see someone you’ve loved and missed return to you, how everything slows down to the simple joy of being together again.”

EDUCATION IN CAMBODIA According to the United Nations Development Program, 80% of Cambodians attend primary school; however, only 19% continue on to secondary. One of the obstructions to educational development is the extent of child labor.

Between the ages of 10- 13, 10% of Cambodian children are engaged in primary levels of labor. Between the ages of 14-17, the rate climbs to 42%.

HOW YOU CAN HELP / VOLUNTEER www.riverkidsproject.org www.gen-acts.org www.fgacambodia.wordpress.com www.fga.my

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Aspi

ring W r i t e rs !

Do you love to read and write? Do you want to learn more? Sign up for our unique writing workshops!

Aspiring Writers & Illustrators Scheme (AWIS) Draw and write? Yes! In this programme, your child will discover the creative writer in him.

This is an intensive introduction to composition writing. Aspiring writers will also learn the art of illustrating from a professional artist.

Pri 1 to Pri 2

Young Author Scheme Y Sche che eme (YAS) Children have a wealth of emotions. How do you draw them out? The first of its kind in Singapore, YAS trains aspiring young authors and nurtures their writing skills.

Learn from veteran author Catherine Khoo!

Pri 3 to Pri 6 Pr

Young Comic Artist Scheme (YCAS) This programme will develop your child's potential in writing his own story, not in words but in comic form. Each child would be given a chance to improve his talent and nd ability in expressing himself through drawing.

Pri 3 to Pri 6

Reading into Writing Re This is a unique combination of three bestsellin programmes to help students underselling stand and grasp the nuances of English. The Read Reading Detective is an exciting new approach students to read and comprehend stories for st and predict word meanings, link ideas, a reports, re and to question what they have read. a learn le Pri 3 to Pri 5

For workshop schedules and other information, please contact Janus Education at: T: 63368985/ 63360832. F: 63365604. E: books@catherinekhoo.sg 261 Waterloo Street #03-08 Waterloo Centre, Singapore 180261

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Invisible Scars by Lee Yan Jie (written at age 11)

Everyone deserves a second chance. Why didn’t I get one? Why didn’t Dad get one? If I’ll ever learn how to drive, I would never buy a red car. That colour took away my second chance, that car left a deep scar in my heart.

The picture of my whole family was fading and breaking into pieces. How am I supposed to put them back together?

A graduate of the Young Author Scheme programme, Lee Yan Jie wrote this story of family and loss when she was only 11-years-old.

Rosequartz by Michelle Neoh (written at age 11)

Faced with the increasing threat from Man and his two accomplices, Rosequartz, a young mustang, must learn to survive. Hiding in the dark forest, she must find ways to elude them. But for how long can she outsmart them?

Young author and animal-lover Michelle Neoh was inspired to write this animal tale when she learned about the increasing number of poachers around the world hunting for animals in the forest.

Days in Malaysia by Nicholas Chan Do you remember your childhood vividly? Your first home, your favourite computer game, your doting grandparents? Do you remember your little misadventures and life-changing experiences? Nicholas Chan takes us on a nostalgic journey to his childhood as he writes about his early years in Malaysia and his family’s big move to Singapore. His heartwarming story will inspire you to take a glimpse of your own past and write about it.

Plus your must-not-miss favourites!

Breaking Boundaries * Writing Tips * YRC Investigates * Story Trivia * Writing Exercises * The Real World 2