Singapore Book Awards 2019
Singapore Book Awards 2019 The Singapore Book Awards is an industry award for books published in Singapore. Into its fourth edition, the awards shine the spotlight on the quality of published works and celebrate the achievements of the local publishing industry. The Singapore Book Publishers Association takes great pride in showcasing these outstanding works.
Established in 1968, the Singapore Book Publishers Association represents the interests of Singapore publishers engaged in a wide range of publishing, marketing and distribution activities in both print and digital formats. It focuses on developing and strengthening the book ecosystem in Singapore. Please visit www.singaporebookpublishers.sg for more information. SBPA member companies contribute some S$1.7 billion each year to the Singapore economy.
Welcome Message
This booklet accompanies the celebration of the 2019 Singapore Book Awards. The Singapore Book Publishers Association runs these awards to promote the art and science of publishing, and to recognise the efforts of our member publishers, as well as authors, illustrators, designers and marketeers who work with them. I don’t think anyone could credibly deny the improvement in the quality of Singapore’s publishing output over the last eight years. The quality of Singapore’s book publishing output is now visible every day in our best bookshops. Singapore-published books help educate and engage our young people, contributing to a social agenda, educating and informing our public, telling Singapore’s stories. And how diverse are those stories: From narratives of foreign workers and local retirees making ends meet to the reflections of our wealthiest businessmen and our political leaders, as they look back on their careers and the vast changes they have seen in Singapore society. Singapore-published books and Singapore-nurtured literary talents represent Singapore and Singapore society to ourselves. They also engage with the region and wider world as only well-travelled, multicultural and cosmopolitan Singaporeans can. Look also at events like the Singapore Art Book Fair, held this year at the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art, and the way it brought crowds of young people to explore creative work that spans the space between traditional book publishing and hand-made art production. And not just for purposes of the Instagram image - they were buying books, zines and prints! Book culture in Singapore is alive and well, both in producing and the reading of books. The independent spirit of our publishers, big and 4 SINGAPORE BOOK PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
small, multinational and SME, deserves some credit for that fact. Unlike some other media industries in Singapore, we go it alone. But there are challenges ahead. Veteran publisher and bookseller C.N. Chou put it very well when he said to our local broadsheet, “The future of books is not that the print media is dying and multimedia is coming up. The future of books is that (bookstores) can’t afford rental.” And it’s not just that rents are high: our GST regime continues to privilege overseas online booksellers who do not pay local sales taxes (or any taxes) and do no benefit the local ecosystem. The improvement of quality in our publishing industry is visible in the selection of fine books here, finalists and winners alike. Good work continues to inspire good work, in a virtuous cycle. As the Book Awards continues from year to year, with more and more good books, we are forced to reflect, working to improve each year, refining our processes, taking in feedback. Please spare a moment to thank our excellent judges who work with us on this process, who provide a crucial independent and outside perspective. And by all means, make sure you’ve read at least a few of these fine books. But please do make sure you bought them from your publisher or your local bookshop!
Peter Schoppert President, Singapore Book Publishers Association
2019 Award Categories
Thirty-six of the best fiction and non-fiction titles by local and international publishing firms in Singapore were shortlisted. These 36 titles cover multiple genres including art and art history, biography, creative non-fiction, film and music history, local community history, textbooks and supplementary educational titles.
1
Best Literary Work
2
Best Non-Fiction Title
3
Best Education Title
4
Best Illustrated Non-Fiction Title
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Best Children’s Picture Book
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Best Middle Grade / Young Adult Title
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Best Book Cover Design With Book of the Year 2019
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Panel of Judges LI T ER A RY W O RK Kirpal Singh Poet William Phuan Executive Director Singapore Book Council Zubaidah Mohsen Head, Malay Language Content & Services / Public Libraries National Library Board N ON -F IC TIO N Dr Victor Savage Visiting Senior Fellow S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Dr Lim Tai Wei Associate Professor Centre for University Core Singapore University of Social Sciences 6 SINGAPORE BOOK PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
MI DDLE GRADE / YOUNG ADULT Shan Rajaguru Consultant Heng Huey Bin Head (Children & Teens) / Content & Services Public Library Services National Library Board BOOK CO V ER DES IGN A. Rahim Awang Former Chief Operating Officer MPH Bookstores Albert Leeflang Consultant Tay Kay Chin Photographer Eastpix Pictures
C H I L DR E N ’S PI C T U R E B OOK
EDU C AT IO N
Dr Myra Bacsal Associate Professor United Arab Emirates University
Dr Tan Chee Lay Deputy Head Asian Languages and Cultures Department National Institute of Education
Joseph Tey Illustrator
Edmund Lim Author
Melanie Lee Author
Ye Shufang Deputy Director (Education) National Gallery Singapore
I LLU S TR ATE D NON -F IC TIO N Ian Pringle Managing Director Talisman Publishing Gretchen Liu Independent Scholar and Author Lim Boon Eng Head, Faculty of Visual Arts School of the Arts, Singapore
BOOK O F T HE YEAR Michelle Martin Presenter at MONEY FM 89.3 Kathryn Lane Head (Selection), English Language Collection Service Development National Library Board
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Corporate Sponsors
Supported by
The printing of the 2019 Singapore Book Awards Booklet is made possible by Markono Print Media.
Special thanks to Dragonshutter Photography for being our official photographer this year.
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Lion City Publisher: Epigram Books
First Publication Date: October 2018 ISBN: 978-981-1700-74-3 Author: Ng Yi-Sheng
Language of Publication: English Synopsis Ng Yi-Sheng is an established poet, fictionist, playwright, journalist and activist and Lion City is his first fiction collection. Lion City is a full-on display of Yi-Sheng’s surreal and intoxicating imagination as he takes his readers on a breathtaking tour of secret places above, below, and beyond the past, present and future trajectories of the Singaporean consciousness. This collection takes apart the tropes trumpeted ad infinitum about Singapore— the Lion City, gone from fishing village to a metropolis with a world-class airport— and reveals the magic of myth that underpins them all. At times lyrical and quiet, majestic and oracular, but always powerful, these stories with their subtle explorations of colonialism, capitalism and alienation brim with nuanced observations of people in a crisis of identity, at a crossroads culturally and geographically, seeking definition in the comfort of the past and the promise of the future. This mesmerising collection is the opening salvo of a startling and important voice in contemporary Singaporean fiction.
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Nimita’s Place Publisher: Epigram Books
First Publication Date: July 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4785-76-1 Author: Akshita Nanda
Language of Publication: English Synopsis Akshita Nanda’s debut novel, Nimita’s Place, skillfully weaves a dual narrative about a central pair of richly-drawn protagonists with similar names but separate timelines. Transitioning ambitiously between India and Singapore and across generations, Akshita expresses a tender interconnectedness between Nimita Khosla of 1944 India and Nimita Sachdev of 2014 India that simultaneously reveals their differences as well as the commonality of their hopes and dreams across time and space. These two women walk divergent paths — Khosla yearns to attend university to become an engineer yet she accepts her fate and marries whereas Sachdev escapes India to run away from the prospect of an arranged marriage — but they both face the same quandaries: who are we, and what is home?
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The Riot Act Publisher: Epigram Books
First Publication Date: April 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4785-74-7 Author: Sebastian Sim
Language of Publication: English Synopsis Sebastian Sim’s The Riot Act is the winner of our annual Epigram Books Fiction Prize in 2017. It is a surrealistic retelling of the Little India riot that strikes at the heart of cynicism driving Singapore’s culture wars. It is also a tilted mirror which comments on everything that is wrong with our contemporary society. The interwoven stories following the three women whose paths cross when accident and coincidence collide poke entertainingly at our country’s political shenanigans but it is also brutal realist fiction. Sebastian’s novel also speaks of our local author’s fighting spirit as it was the second novel of his to be shortlisted for the annual Epigram Books Fiction Prize.
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Trafalgar Sunrise Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
First Publication Date: June 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4794-92-3 Author: Danielle Lim
Language of publication: English Synopsis Written by Singapore Literature Prizewinner Danielle Lim, this powerful fiction novel on love, grief and redemption has left many in awe of the resilience of the human spirit. The story follows ward sister Grace Hwang in her battle alongside fellow healthcare workers in Singapore when the deadly SARS virus strikes in 2003. Grace recalls her teenage years at the Trafalgar Home leper colony where her best friend Alice gave her newborn up for adoption. With Alice in the last stages of cancer, Grace attempts to reunite mother and daughter before time runs out. Elegant, thoughtful and richly portrayed, Trafalgar Sunrise is a double helix of a novel that intertwines the gripping drama of the present with the haunting anguish of the past, pitting human against microbial, choice against consequence, and deed against redemption.
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Organ Gold Publisher: Straits Times Press
First Publication Date: August 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4827-04-1 Author: Raju Chellam
Language of Publication: English Synopsis A racy, pacy and packed with neardeath experiences, drama, mounting hospital bills, desperate family members, suspicious characters and mysterious human organ traders, Organ Gold is a medical-themed thriller set in Singapore that looks at the darker side of organ donors and the booming black market in human organs. Organ Gold also introduces to the reader the dangerous world of the deep web and includes a compelling epilogue examining the arguments and issues about organ donation and organ trading.
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Secrets of Singapore: Botanic Garden Publisher: Epigram Books
First Publication Date: March 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4655-47-7
Managing Editor: Monica Lim and Lesley-Anne Tan Language of publication: English Synopsis Monica Lim and Lesley-Anne Tan are a mother-and-daughter writing team and Secrets of Singapore is their third writing project together, after Danger Dan and Gadget Girl and the first Danger Dan series. In Secrets of Singapore: Botanic Gardens, Danger Dan and Gadget Girl go out on a limb to help younger readers get curious about a place that is so much more than just a park. With a dash of science, fun facts and 140 years of history, both the young and the old can learn about the Botanic Gardens, which is Singapore’s best-preserved historic landscape and its first UNESCO World Heritage site. Aside from that, the book also shares trivia relating to the botanical world.
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在南洋 Zai Nan Yang Publisher: Global Publishing
First Publication Date: March 2018 ISBN: 978-981-3239-0-29 Author: He Hua
Language of publication: Chinese Synopsis Zai Nan Yang 在南洋 documents the author’s cultural observations and experience in Nanyang (specifically Singapore and Malaysia) from the perspective of a new immigrant. The author’s simple yet insightful capturing of the Nanyang culture has further established a different genre of the Singapore narrative. This book is highly acclaimed by the media and public – it was one of the books chosen in Lianhe Zaobao’s 2018 book list (8 outstanding local publications were shortlisted for the year) and Grassroots Book Room’s book list (20 titles in total). Other than that, it was also shortlisted for Popular Readers’ Choice Awards.
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Cosmopolitan Intimacies:
Malay Film Music of the Independence Era Publisher: NUS Press
First Publication Date: May 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4722-63-6 Author: Adil Johan
Language of publication: English Synopsis The golden age of Malay film in the 1950s and 1960s was the product of a musical and cultural cosmopolitanism in the service of a nation-making process based on ideas of Malay ethnonationalism, initially fluid, increasingly homogenised over time. The commercial films of the period, and in particular their film music, from national cultural icons P. Ramlee and Zubir Said, remain important reference points for Malaysia and Singapore to this day. This is the first in-depth study of the film music of the period. It brings together ethnomusicological and cultural studies perspectives.
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Flying Sleeves –
The Grandeur of Chinese Opera Publisher: Simply Green
First Publication Date: August 2018 ISBN: 978-981-1172-85-4
Author: Dr Chua Ee Kiam
Language of publication: English Synopsis Flying Sleeves - the Grandeur of Chinese Opera illustrates the rich cultural heritage curated over 12 years. What started as street performances, this operatic art has filled concert and theatre halls but is only appreciated by the elderly. The appeal is somewhat lost to the younger audience. The book hopes to resurrect a dying heritage and inspire readers to look closely at this intriguing performance art.
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Journeys, Tamils in Singapore, 1800s to Present Publisher: Straits Times Press
First Publication Date: 26 October 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4266-95-6
Author: Nirmala Murugaian
Language of publication: English Synopsis An important book of record, Journeys takes a detailed look at the arrival of the Tamils to Singapore from the 19th century, the growth of the community in the decades that followed, the social and political role Tamils played in the tumultuous ’50s and ’60s, and some of the challenges facing the community in more recent times, such as educational issues, the need for Indian self-help group SINDA, and assimilating the second wave of Indian immigrants. It successfully merges historical accounts with anecdotes and lively descriptions, and the chapters are enlivened by the use of archival and some rarely-seen photographs of the early Tamils from a variety of sources including the National Archives of Singapore.
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Tall Order: The Goh Chok Tong Story (Volume 1) Publisher: World Scientific Publishing
First Publication Date: October 2018 ISBN: 978-981-3276-04-8 Author: Peh Shing Huei
Language of publication: English Synopsis Tall Order: The Goh Chok Tong Story (Volume 1) is the first ever authorised biography that features Singapore’s second Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. This book chronicles the earlier part of Mr Goh’s life, a period that stretches from childhood in a rural village through his years as student in RI, NUS, then in the maritime industry, before joining politics and taking on ministerial portfolios. The final product is a fastpaced, easy to read, story which closes the loop of a poor ordinary boy rising to the top office of the land. This book sheds light on the personal and political thoughts of a significant personality who prefers to keep a low profile and credits any achievements to the 2G team. It is an important contribution to the understanding of Singapore’s history and politics and also an alternative narrative from Lee Kuan Yew’s memoirs.
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Codes, Puzzles and Conundrums: Mental Challenges for Curious Minds Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
First Publication Date: September 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4828-09-3
Author: Simon Chesterman
Language of publication: English Synopsis Inspired by classics like Nancy Drew, Sherlock Holmes and the Famous Five, most kids fancy themselves little detectives. With this book, our little sleuths are introduced into the world of secret codes, cunning puzzles, and mindbending conundrums. Although this book is inspired by the Raising Arcadia series, it offers general approaches and a step-by-step guide to each of these three types of problems, as well as a quiz to test progress. Children (and adults) can use it to hone their detective skills or to baffle friends and relatives, making it a truly fun way to put their logic skills into action and learn.
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Discover Forensics: How to Use Science for Investigations Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
First Publication Date: July 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4779-28-9
Author: The Forensic Experts Group Language of publication: English Synopsis A fun and informative book introduces budding young investigators to the world of forensic science. Every crime scene has clues if one knows where to look. Examining these clues using forensic methods can teach children to solve even the most mysterious of crimes. In this book, kids will learn directly from a team of forensic experts on how to analyse all sorts of evidence – from blood and soil to handwriting and fibres. Filled with colourful illustrations, handson activities and true crime cases, the book is the best guide to help children to think like a forensic scientist. By applying correct techniques and inquiry-based principles – and avoiding the myths that are commonly depicted on TV – children will be able to put expand their understanding of science and learn to uncover the stories behind the evidence.
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think! Mathematics (USCCM Primary Mathematics) Grade 3 Textbook 3B Publisher: Shing Lee Publishers
First Publication Date: October 2018 ISBN: 978-981-2887-63-4 Author: Dr Yeap Ban Har
Language of publication: English Synopsis think! Mathematics is a series of books adapted from the MOE-approved New Syllabus Primary Mathematics series in Singapore and has been adapted to several curricula around the world, such as the UK and Spanish editions, the former which has been shortlisted for the British Book Design and Production Awards. It uses vivid illustrations of children of various ethnicities and eye-catching graphics to bring across key mathematical concepts in bite-sized lessons. A dyslexicfriendly typeface is also to support an inclusive learning environment. Based on research conducted by psychologists Jerome Bruner and Jean Piaget on cognitive development in children, the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract and spiral approaches have been incorporated to enable students to first grasp fundamental concepts before moving on to more challenging mathematical strategies.
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An Anthology of Singapore Plays: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed… Publisher: Star Publishing
First Publication Date: 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4658-79-9
Edited by: Ken Mizusawa
Language of publication: English Synopsis Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed... is designed specifically for lower secondary students by bringing together three powerful and affecting local plays by some of Singapore’s most prolific and established playwrights. In Absence by Geraldine Song, aging Mother mends old shirts for her eldest son but struggles to mend her relationship with another. A teenager makes new pratas from an old and forgotten recipe so as to recollect memories of his late mother and build an open and honest relationship with his Father in Perfecting Pratas by Desmond Sim. Haresh Sharma’s Don’t Know, Don’t Care explores how a secondary student learns to love and care for a grandfather he never truly appreciated, until he realises that they are on borrowed time.
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Mastering Visual Literacy Publisher: Star Publishing
First Publication Date: 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4658-80-5 Author: Ken Mizusawa
Language of publication: English Synopsis Mastering Visual Literacy is designed as a complementary course of study for English Language students at the secondary level. The book introduces students to visual media and its many possibilities for the classroom. The activities have been crafted to provide challenging, yet engaging and varied, learning experiences to stimulate thinking, develop confidence and encourage collaboration with peers. They leverage on students’ existing connections to visual media to foster greater understanding via comprehensive questions, situational writing tasks, graphic organisers, critical discussions and the like.
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The First of Everything Publisher: World Scientific Publishing First Publication Date: August 2018 ISBN: 978-981-3274-49-5 Author: Nury Vittachi
Language of publication: English Synopsis This book is a fun story collection about the origins of a huge range of things – which also introduces young readers to the art and science of academic research. It is especially pertinent in this day and age, where there is information overload and fake news galore in the form of the Internet. Children will learn how to sift through fake news and gain the ability to conduct fast, accurate research, by doing their own thinking and creating their own judgement. The book also promotes the use of libraries and librarians as a rich resource of information.
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50 Shades of Love: Unearthing Who We Are Publisher: Candid Creation Publishing
First Publication Date: December 2018 ISBN: 978-981-11-9412-2
Author: Anthea Indira Ong
Language of publication: English Synopsis Printed on FSC certified paper and using plywood as cover, 50 Shades of Love is a semiautobiography where each “shade” documents a chapter that has unfolded, chronically, over the author’s 50 years of life-loving. In an unconventional approach, each shade of love begins with a verb to reflect the author’s belief that love is a continuum of practice we must constantly engage in to become better humans. Her stories serve as a mirror for the reader to reflect on their own life and this is supported by life coaching questions accompanying each story in the book. Every story is further paired with a tree specially curated by distinguished botanist, Bian Tan. This book is also a collaboration between the author, founder of social enterprise Hush TeaBar and one of its differently-abled employees, deaf artist Lau Ee Wen.
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Between the Lines: Early Advertising in Singapore 1830s–1960s Publisher: Marshall Cavendish and National Library Board First Publication Date: July 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4794-67-1
Author: Text by various, Images from the National Library Collection, Singapore Language of publication: English Synopsis This pictorial collection presents nearly 400 advertisements from print materials such as newspapers, books, periodicals and ephemera held in the collection of the National Library, Singapore. The advertisements are complemented by insightful commentaries – on subjects ranging from hospitality and household goods to food and fashion – that provide valuable context to the ad campaigns and help us understand the minds of both advertiser and consumer in Singapore, and by extension, the socioeconomic conditions of the time.
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Latiff Mohidin: Pago Pago (1960—1969) Publisher: National Gallery Singapore First Publication Date: January 2018 ISBN: 978-981-11-4517-9
Author: Various (Edited by Shabbir Hussain Mustafa and Catherine David) Language of publication: English Synopsis Latiff Mohidin: Pago Pago (1960—1969) is a paean to the eminent Malaysian artist Latiff Mohidin and his inimitable vision of the worlds he inhabited. Published in conjunction with the similarly titled exhibition held at the Centre Pompidou, Paris in 2018, this catalogue presents Latiff Mohidin’s acclaimed Pago Pago series. It features in full colour and rich detail 81 works from the series, as well as an anthology of texts that discuss the artist’s painterly and poetic practice, and a specially commissioned interview based on two years’ worth of conversations between the artist and curators.
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Agnes and Her Amazing Orchid: How Singapore’s National Flower was Born Publisher: Epigram Books
First Publication Date: April 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4757-42-3
Author: Linda Locke and James Wolf Language of publication: English Synopsis Authored by Linda Locke and James Wolf and illustrated by Muhd Noh, Agnes and Her Amazing Orchid chronicles the remarkable journey of a brilliant horticulturist and it is an excellent introduction to our national flower. This wonderful book further provides a glimpse into the orchid breeding process, important due to Singapore’s rich heritage in orchid cultivation, as one of the leading orchid hybridisation centres in the world. This engaging story will inspire an interest in horticulture and botany amongst our children and also encourage us all to pursue our dreams.
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My Thousand Special Names Publisher: Epigram Books
First Publication Date: July 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4785-88-4 Author: Ben Morley
Language of publication: English Synopsis My Thousand Special Names by Ben Morley is a heartwarming story of what happens when the special bond between a father and son is put to the test when the father falls ill. This story is significant for how it deals with great sensitivity a topic we don’t frequently find in classroom libraries—love, loss and respect. The sense of quiet contemplation and emotionality which is further explored through the colours and space in the art of the illustrator YT Tommy Lee further helps our children develop their emotional maturity. My Thousand Special Names captures how children have a huge capacity for understanding, empathy and love while teaching them how to get in touch with their emotions.
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The Incredible Basket Publisher: Epigram Books
First Publication Date: February 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4655-45-3 Author: Quek Hong Shin
Language of publication: English Synopsis The Incredible Basket by Quek Hong Shin is the sequel to The Amazing Sarong and it is a story of how a beautiful Chinese wedding basket was used in myriad ways by a boy living in 1970s’ Singapore. Through the story, the detailed illustrations show not only the cultural significance of the Chinese wedding basket but also the little idiosyncracies of life in post-war Singapore prior to its transformation into the financial hub it is today.
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Captain Green and the Plastic Scene Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
First Publication Date: April 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4794-77-0
Author: Evelyn Bookless (writer), Danny Deeptown (illustrator) Language of publication: English Synopsis Suitable for kids aged 3 to 8, this fastpaced adventure follows Captain Green as he graduates from Superhero School. He gets a call – dolphin is tangled up in plastic, and there’s trouble for Seagull and Turtle too. When the brave superhero rushes off to help, he finds himself on a major mission to save sea creatures from plastic waste. Using his incredible powers, Captain Green saves the day and cleans up the mess. But the story does not end there, the message is clear that superpowers are not required, and that anyone, even children, can do their part to make the world a better place.
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The Orange Horse Publisher: Scholastic Asia
First Publication Date: February 2018 ISBN: 978-981-1124-48-8 Author: Liu Hsu-Kung
Language of publication: English Synopsis By award-winning author/ illustrator Liu Hsu-Kung, The Orange Horse explores one’s journey for a sense of belonging in the increasingly diverse world around us. Wonderfully told, the story tells of an orange horse’s desperate search to find his long-lost brother with only a half-torn photo as his clue. Searching far and wide for his brother, the main character beautifully demonstrates the importance of perseverance to young readers everywhere despite the many challenges one will face. The story also aptly celebrates belonging in diversity, regardless of the colour of one’s skin or where one comes from.
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Prince Nila Discovers a New Kingdom Publisher: September 21 Enterprise
First Publication Date: 21 September 2018 ISBN: 978-981-1179-10-5
Authors: Ngo Chew Yeh and Victoria Carlton Language of publication: English Synopsis The idea for this book was first conceived as I (Chew Yeh) deeply care about bringing the legends and stories of Singapore to life for children and want them to enjoy the magic of stories. There simply are not enough books available that are specifically targeted for children to learn about these tales. Together with my good friend and well-renowned literacy expert, Victoria Carlton, we both decided to produce this book.
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Sofia and the Utopia Machine Publisher: Epigram Books
First Publication Date: May 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4785-80-8 Author: Judith Huang
Language of publication: English Synopsis One of the finalists for the Epigram Books Fiction Prize in 2017, Sofia and the Utopia Machine is a bold and fantastical work that posits a new cosmology within which a science-fiction vision of Singapore is rendered in dystopian terms, even as its characters strive ironically for an idealised future. Author Judith Huang’s work is one that would sit perfectly on any Young Adult speculative fiction shelf with its fastpaced and childlike sense of adventure. Probing and thrilling, this novel explores worlds within worlds and reinvents the creation myth.
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The Great Singapore Poo Sale and Other Beastly Business Publisher: Epigram Books
First Publication Date: July 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4655-49-1 Author: Maureen Yeo
Language of publication: English Synopsis The Great Singapore Poo Sale and Other Beastly Business by Maureen Yeo and illustrated by Gracie Chai is a humorous and fun-loving story that celebrates the wildlife of Singapore. As species large and small take centre stage when the animals of Singapore come under threat, the author beautifully weaves in a wonderful message on conservation and childlike wonder through her skilful and imaginative storytelling. This is a book that will foster children’s compassion for animals and nature.
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Big Tree in a Small Pot Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
First Publication Date: May 2018 ISBN: 978-981-4779-75-3 Author: Josephine Chia
Language of publication: English Synopsis This young adult novel features a poignant story with a protagonist who is in search of his own identity. Privileged, sensitive and smart, Eric Teo learns by accident that he has a Peranakan grandmother, a woman with a dark past who isn’t allowed to see him. Curiosity, together with simmering tensions at home, drives him to go on a search for her to unearth the truth. In his journey, Eric meets Rajah – thoughtful, unflappable and visually-impaired – lives modestly with his music-loving family who try their best to help him to live a normal life.
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Codex Publisher: Scholastic Asia
First Publication Date: September 2018 ISBN: 978-981-1131-74-5
Author: Aditi Krishnakumar
Language of publication: English Synopsis An adrenaline-rushing adventure of lost treasures and mysterious scripts, the award-winning Codex quickly charms readers with a taste for unquenched curiosity in this intellectually-stimulating novel. Interweaving fact and fiction in the terrains of Asia, children are exposed to the best of both worlds in this “faction” gem. As the story unravels, it allows readers to nurture their imagination and investigative thought in this riveting historic fiction.
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B ES T M ID DL E GRADE/ YOU NG A DULT T IT LE S H ORTL I S T E D FIN ALISTS
Dragonflies, Jigsaws, and Seashells Publisher: Scholastic Asia
First Publication Date: September 2018 ISBN: 978-981-1131-77-6 Author: Varsha Seshan
Language of publication: English Synopsis From a children’s book author with thirteen books to her credit, Dragonflies, Jigsaws and Seashells is a delightful assortment of stories that celebrates and nurtures a sense of wonder in each reader. Short and sweet, the collection showcases the lives of children in contemporary India in a light-hearted and often humorous style - - stories that are closer to home for Asian readers. Crafted in subtle delivery, these impactful stories represent core values that are important for a young reader in exploring how patience, hardwork and sacrifice can go a long way to achieve your dreams, no matter how big or small.
SINGAPORE BOOK AWARDS 2019 39
B ES T M IDDL E GRADE/ YOU NG A DULT T IT LE S HO RTL I S T E D FIN ALIS TS
The Laughing Monster Publisher: Scholastic Asia
First Publication Date: September 2018 ISBN: 978-981-1131-78-3 Author: Golda Mowe
Language of publication: English Synopsis Inspired by the rich traditions and true life philosophies of the Iban, an indigenous tribe in Sarawak, Malaysia, comes The Laughing Monster, a coming of age story that teaches the lesson that we are bigger than our fears. More than just a mystifying adventure of the present and the past, it is a journey of self-discovery that inspires the inner courage, confidence, and growth within each reader. In a unique blend of history and science fiction, it offers a dual-perspective on life as the main character accidentally travelled 100 years into the past. In this enlightening story, readers will get to learn about history and cultures, with relatable anecdotes familiar to the unique upbringing of Asian readers in their own community. The Laughing Monster also highlights the power of unity in a family, a deeply-held value among Asian families.
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B ES T B O O K C O VER DESI GN S H ORTL I S T E D FIN ALISTS
Marriage and Mutton Curry
The Minorities
Publisher: Epigram Books
Publisher: Epigram Books
ISBN: 978-981-0756-22-2
ISBN: 978-981-4655-27-9
First Publication Date: August 2018 Cover Designer: Lim Qin Yi
Language of publication: English
First Publication Date: October 2018 Cover Designer: Chee Jia Yi
Language of publication: English
SINGAPORE BOOK AWARDS 2019 41
B ES T B O O K C O VER DESI GN S H ORTL I S T E D FIN ALISTS
Framing Asian Studies: Geopolitics and Institutions
Dr Delinquent – A Guide to Decoding the Teenage Years
Publisher: ISEAS Publishing
Publisher: Straits Times Press
ISBN: 978-981-4786-30-0
ISBN: 978-981-4827-03-4
First Publication Date: 12 January 2018 Cover Designer: Qu’est-ce Que C’est Design Language of publication: English
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First Publication Date: August 2018 Cover Designer: Lydia Wong
Language of publication: English
B ES T B O O K C O VER DESI GN S H ORTL I S T E D FIN ALISTS
Tall Order: The Goh Chok Tong Story (Volume 1)
Publisher: World Scientific Publishing
First Publication Date: October 2018 ISBN: 978-981-3276-04-8
Cover Designer: Huy Truong
Language of publication: English
SINGAPORE BOOK AWARDS 2019 43
SINGAPORE BOOK PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION
