About Adeline Foo

Have you watched The Diary of Amos Lee on okto?

2012-01-26T21:32:00.001-08:00

Finally, it's done! Thanks to the team behind the show, co-writer Philip Leung, Ishaan, Sandhya and Jeremy Chia, the animators, and Phillip Lim and his crew, Glenn, Jan, Wenn, Cherie and Faith :) I can't list everyone here, but they know who they are. Many of us have moved to our next projects, me included. I am helping to market the show through my school visits, amongst doing other publicity events. For more news, check out the Facebook site.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Diary-of-Amos-Lee-TV-Series-Official/217470864969227

Here's a review from a mum who watched the show. http://www.busymombusyblog.com/

It has been a great learning experience for me. All good, adelinefoo.

Amos @Bookaroo: "They have a potty built for me!"

2011-11-30T03:58:00.000-08:00

Back from Bookaroo in New Delhi, thanks to an invitation made possible by the Bookaroo Trust, Pratham Books and Hachette India; and a travelling grant by the National Arts Council of S'pore. It was a three day event celebrating children's books and the magic of story-telling.
I was joined by Shamini Flint, both of us had a good time regaling kids with not-so-reverent tales from Singapore :)
My stay was made more colourful by the daily brush with death, negotiating the Delhi traffic in cars driven by closet F1 drivers. If a road has THREE lanes drawn into it, you can bet the drivers would be able to squeeze SIX cars into ONE road. What are lanes but mere suggestions? And get this, the seatbelts do not work! We sat in different cars each day, but either the belt doesn't budge, or a buckle is missing. I dread to tell my kids what I had to go through everyday. So that's exciting. What's also interesting... we stayed at a hotel supposedly run by ex-convicts. Hmmm... now how did that bit of gossip come about? On my first night, I flew into Delhi at 7am and by the time I checked into the hotel, showered and was about to get some sleep two hours later, I was woken up by an incessant pounding on the door that just wouldn't go away... Before I could answer it, I was horrified to see a hotel staff using his key to open my door to present a welcome letter from the Bookaroo organisers. Wow, such dedication to the job. I can almost hear the voice of the man's boss, "You do not rest till the letter is delivered. Even if it means gaining unauthorised access to the guest's room!"

Overall, it was an excellent festival made even more pleasurable by the enthusiasm of Bookaroo's volunteers and the flattering author-fan mania that gripped us. I felt like I was a celebrity. Well, almost. If you can discount the competitive fervour to collect the most no. of signatures per child. By the time I left on Saturday evening, it was good to hear that all my Amos Lee books had sold out at the festival book store. I was also surprised to hear that Amos Book#3 had been awarded the 3rd prize in the Popular's Readers' Choice Awards when I flew home. All said, it was a good start to a new week.
More exciting stuff ahead, as I look forward to setting up a blog site managed by a friend to post news of The Diary of Amos Lee TV show in production. Stay tuned!
Cheers, adeline

Whoopie Lee: Almost Famous up for Red Dot!

2011-11-04T07:37:00.000-07:00

Hello! It's great to know that Whoopie Lee: Almost Famous has been shortlisted for the Red Dot award for 2011-12. See this link for more info http://www.reddotawards.com/

The Diary of Amos Lee won Best Junior Fiction in 2009, so it's fantastic that Amos' little sister is following in his footsteps.

Meanwhile, some readers have enquired about the status of the TV show. Filming begins in a week's time! I can't believe it has taken me from late April to get this far! It has been an exhausting time for me as a scriptwriter, but totally rewarding at the same time. I'm very happy with how the scripts have developed, and although we try to stay close to the stories in the books, it's inevitable that there will be deviations, as the original books were not written for TV! It's a miracle we've made it this far... with 70,000 copies sold for 3 Amos books, and close to 10,000 copies for Whoopie :)

Come 23-26 Nov, I'll be in New Delhi to launch Book 2: Girls, Guts & Glory, so that's something for me to look forward to as well!

On Sunday, 20 November, I'll be doing book signing at Popular's Bookfest event, from 3.15 to 3.45pm - come join me and Stephanie, the artist. Not sure if we have something new to surprise our readers, we're not committing yet, we'll see.

All good, keep on reading and stay cheerful!

It's the Singapore Writers Festival!

2011-10-18T03:24:00.000-07:00

Hello there! I'll be doing two talks with a friend, Eliza Teoh, author of Ellie Belly: Follow That Bird! Catch us at Dear Diary Club on 23 October, 2.30pm and at Booklovers' Tea Party on 29 October, 3.30pm. Check the Singapore Writers Festival website for more details.

http://www.singaporewritersfestival.com/index.php?option=com_php&Itemid=69&category=17

Meanwhile, what am I working on now? The scripts for The Diary of Amos Lee TV Series. I'm almost done! Filming starts 1 Nov, hopefully :)

I'm also working on a new book, for an older readership. There'll be two books in the series, I've completed Book 1. It's with the publisher now.

More details to come when I have a book cover to show. Looking forward to January when the Amos Lee TV show will air!

All good, adeline

We're Auditioning! Do You Want To Be A TV Star?

2011-08-19T06:41:00.000-07:00

It's finally happening! After 4 months of pitch, negotiations, sleepless nights and round after round of re-working the creative concept and breaking stories, we've finally gotten closer to realise the TV project! The ads are out, and the call for casting has begun since last weekend. I've had kids writing in to ask if they're eligible to audition, which is a good sign.

I have updated our publicity mailers on http://www.amoslee.com.sg/ as well as The Official Facebook page.

I've run out of pictures to use, so I thought I'd post this which we're doing as a fun tee for crew hosting the audition on 3 Sep. Thanks to Stephanie, the artist of The Diary of Amos Lee, for her brilliant design! Maybe if kids mob us on the 3rd, we would then seriously consider developing this as a collateral. Till then, it's the only new pix I have for posting.

A former classmate at Tisch asked if I was going to start a production blog, I laughed! I'm so swarmed with writing scripts that I cannot imagine facing a blog at night.

Auditions for Amos Lee on 3 Sep at White Sands Shopping Mall, 2 - 3 pm
(registration).

Auditions for Whoopie Lee on 7 Sep at Ang Mo Kio Library, 2 - 4 pm.

Hope to see you! Cheers, adeline

"Whoopie Lee: Almost Famous" at No. 2 on the Bestseller List!

2011-06-13T17:14:00.001-07:00

I've left Tisch exactly a month ago. Since then, I've launched a new book and done close to 16 book signings in schools, book stores and a major book fair. I reckon I've met close to 4,000 children and parents, if one school visit warrants at least 1,000 students. It has been exhausting but fun. I've also learnt that The Diary of Amos Lee has crossed the 52 week mark at bestseller status, I think this is a feat, but I don't think it qualifies for an entry in the Singapore Book of Records haha...

So what am I working on currently? My thesis class material from Tisch, re-writing and polishing my screenplay and also working with an Executive Producer to develop a concept for a new children's TV programme for 2012. Busy days ahead indeed.

This Sunday, 19 June, I will be doing my last book signing at Kinokuniya, 'last' meaning for the month before I hibernate to write my next book. Is it Amos 4 or something else? I haven't decided :)

My readers have often asked, "Why is your blog so lacking?" Well, I write for a living. I try to work on 2,000 words a day, whether it's a new manuscript for Tisch or a book for my publisher, so really, the last thing I want to look at is a computer screen at the end of the day. Forgive me for not blogging more.

This Sunday, meet me with the author of Ellie Belly: Follow That Bird! See you at Kino at 2pm!

A New Book from Amos' Little Sister!

2011-04-22T03:18:00.000-07:00

It's five weeks to the start of the May-June holidays for our school children. I was asked by many readers when Amos 4 would be ready. Not so soon, I'm sorry. I hope to start writing only in June, after I'm done with my graduation at Tisch.

Meanwhile, I managed to work with Stephanie over the last couple of weeks to get WPI's new book ready! I had a hard time coming up with her name. She has been WPI for so long that I cannot even remember what was her original name when I first wrote The Diary of Amos Lee! Finally, I thought of a dessert-based name. I thought Whoopie, named after the American Whoopie Pie, would be really cute :) Amos is named after a cookie, so why not a dessert for his sister?

I've seen the cover from Stephanie, and it looks awesome! I can't wait to hear readers' feedback. The book is being pre-sold at all Popular outlets now. Book signings begin from May 14, right through May 15, May 21-22 and May 29. Then on Sat, June 4, I am doing a Kids' Challenge event in conjunction with the launch of Whoopie's new book, and another book, Follow That Bird! written by Eliza Teoh. We'll be at Prologue at 11.30am. Come on down and join us!

Hope to see you! Hugs, adeline foo.

Goodbye 2010, Happy 2011!

2010-12-28T23:40:00.000-08:00

It has been an incredible year for me as a writer. My 3rd semester at Tisch presented the biggest challenge as I started work on my thesis screenplay in September. I'm 30 pages from completing it, and after that, I hope to write a new book, and maybe take another 2 years to get it out ;)

I know, I'm a slow writer. But this will be one where I will not be rushed. Not by demands from 10-, 11-year-olds, nor people from my publishing office.

Meanwhile, the Diary of Amos Lee has stood its ground on the Straits Times bestsellers' list, at No. 3 (no mean feat considering the deluge of books released just before Christmas).

I had spoken about stopping at 3, but it looks like we can't now. So here's the deal, I will use my final semester in Tisch in 2011 to work on a new screenplay, and hopefully, it will form the basis for a fourth Amos Lee book. Maybe I can even get someone to put up the money to shoot it as a movie, who knows? That'll be fun, to see children auditioning to star as Amos, Michael, Alvin and Anthony ;)

As 2010 comes to a close, I wish everyone a better year ahead!
We should be thankful for the small blessings in life - family, children and health. Happy 2011!

Cheers, adeline

“Of Beaded Slippers, A Kitchen God, Chilli Padi and The Amulet: An Appreciation of Singapore’s Peranakan Heritage through Picture Books”

2010-09-19T09:33:00.000-07:00

In November, I will be giving a talk on "Of Beaded Slippers, A Kitchen God, Chilli Padi and The Amulet: An Appreciation of Singapore's Peranakan Heritage through Picture Books".

A day of professional development for educators across all curriculum areas, Hands on Literacy Conference 2010 is organised by ISLN (International School Libraries Network) of Singapore.

Date: 13th November 2010
Place: Tanglin Trust School

About the Workshop

Explore how the Peranakan tradition of "talk-story" is kept alive, through grandmothers sharing parables and folk tales with their grandchildren. Learn how picture books are used to connect with young readers, and discover how a myriad of colours, spices and Baba patois has brought history alive!

Esplanade’s Octoburst Fest

2010-09-19T09:16:00.000-07:00

I'll be attending a Children's Day event at Esplanade's Octoburst Fest, a talk hosted by the Junior Reading Ambassadors of the National Library Board.

Date: 2nd October 2010

Time: 4.30pm

Place: Esplanade

I will be talking about my new book, The Diary of Amos Lee #3!

This event is open to the public. For more details, please visit my website http://www.amoslee.com.sg/ under "What's New".

Back to Book Signings & Speaking Engagements!

2010-05-25T18:36:00.000-07:00

It has been five months since my last post. What have I been up to? Buried in writing screenplays, short scripts and staying sane. I've breezed through five months of semester 2 in my MFA programme at Tisch. Now enjoying my summer vacation, and it's back to the author's grind! First up on the radar, a book signing event with two of my artist friends, Lee Kowling and Josh Chiang, for the Monster in the Mind books. It has been a while since we last did this, and we're sooooooo looking forward to meeting readers and diehard fans! I'll be giving away book marks too, so if you're free this Sat, do pop by to say Hi! We will be at the Times Bookshop stand.

Then on 12 June 2010, I'll be speaking at a publishing seminar, sharing secrets on what makes a bestseller! So that's two events, 29 May, book signing at the Singapore Book Fair (Suntec City, Hall 403, Stand 4JO1), and the Publishing Seminar, "From Idea to Bestseller", on 12 June.

For more details, pls check out the websites. Cheers.

www.amoslee.com.sg

http://bit.ly/ideatobestseller

Musings on Bangalore

2009-12-28T22:52:00.000-08:00

From December 14 to 16, I got to visit Bangalore, as part of the Bengaluru Habba Festival organised by the Artistes Foundation for Arts. Together with local writers Ng Yi-Sheng and Felix Cheong, our trip was sponsored by the Foundation and our National Arts Council. Meeting children from 9 to 14, we brought a slice of Singapore life with us, as we talked about Singapore writing and our love for books. It was heart warming to see budding writers eagerly listening to us, and being so enthusiastic in doing readings. For the younger children, I talked about creating dramatic characters like Amos Lee, the ranting toilet diarist. With the older children, I got a chance to introduce playwriting, and read my ten-minute plays written as part of my Tisch semester work. I also introduced micro fiction writing (a story under 100 words) as a writing exercise. In one school, one child created an endearing character of a hunchback with a secret passion for skate-boarding, yet another wrote about a boy who ate dog food in his morning rush for school. It's delightful that these children have what it takes to create memorable characters! Writing follows easily with characters like these.

We also did a public reading at Time Out Reliance book shop. It was a cosy gathering, put together by book lovers and friends of Jacaranda, to whom we must thank for helping us to connect with the Foundation's organisers. Felix provided an overview of writing in Singapore and Yi-Sheng proved his dramatic performance mettle. I spoke about sex and the sensitive dealing of it, in my new book The Diary of Amos Lee: Girls, Guts and Glory. Felix also read excerpts from his new book, Sudden in Youth, New & Selected Poems. Yi-Sheng read poems from his book Last Boy. But what I enjoyed most was something else he wrote, and his robust and playful recital of it, inspired by a declaration of a national symbol ;)

Apart from the 'officially sanctioned' duties, we had lots of time to see the city and countryside as well. Our rides to the schools took an average of one to two hours each way. The city is bustling, and noisy too! Lots of tooting from autos on the street (their taxis). People in Bangalore are really warm and helpful. Our driver got lost several times finding the schools. Asking for directions was a cinch, just stop the car and shout out of the window, the directions would fly back in response! It works everytime. What I enjoyed most though was a chance to tour a bazaar which brought the best of India's arts and crafts together. I was so intrigued with this traditional toy of treated elephant dung, baked as rounds of cakes. To play the game, you use a ball to topple the tiered rounds. So quirky! I regretted not buying it though. Looking at the picture now, I wonder what kind of reaction I'd have provoked from my children, knowing that they were banking on getting a Wii for Christmas.

When I got back to Singapore, it was a mad rush to get the house cleaned up and old stuff put away before Christmas. Though we don't celebrate it for its religious signifiance (we're not Christians), we have always got together with our extended family, for dinner and gift sharing. As I tidied up my working desk this afternoon, something nagged at me to use this one shot a friend from Bangalore emailed me. Here is my memory of Bangalore, warm, quirky, and a definite place with lots of soul. Although I spent only three days there, I loved it! I hope the children I met would remember the little red dot I spoke about, and find a chance to visit Singapore one day. Thank you, Priya, my guide and friend, for this wonderful keepsake of Bangalore.

My son learnt from Amos Lee

2009-10-27T08:16:00.000-07:00

I had a distressing call when I was in class this afternoon. My son had a tummy ache in school, MAJOR diarrhoea, TWICE! To top the dramatic situation, he ran out of toilet paper. So what did he do? He used his underwear to clean himself and then threw it away as it was soiled. He told me he remembered what he had read in The Diary of Amos Lee.

A little bit of back history here. When I wrote Amos Lee late last year, my son had shared this anecdote with me. He had done major bombing in kindergarten and found himself without toilet paper. "So what did you do?" I asked him. He said, "Just put my trousers back on, and hope no one smelt anything on the bus!" My heart broke when I heard that. Are our children so helpless and witless when faced with a tough situation? To know that he chose to put his trousers back on, soiled backside and all! My husband overheard my conversation with my son then, and he said, "You should have used your underwear to wipe your backside, then get rid of it! Better to go without underwear, then to wear your shorts back on a soiled backside. Learn to think on your feet!"

This entry had gone into the book, as I saw the logic of my husband's argument. Since the book was published, it has provoked every imaginable reaction from readers, from shock, to disgust, to hilarity, and even thanks! Today, my son remembered what I had written in my book, and he recalled Dad's lesson on thinking on his feet. So he came back without his underwear today, and I am really proud of him.

It's Shakespeare time for this author!

2009-10-13T23:00:00.000-07:00

It has been five weeks since I started my masters programme. These two weeks we're studying Shakespeare. It has been a really agonising time for me. I like the playwright, I respect him, but really, poring over his texts at 2am the past few days is not exactly my cup of tea. But I persevere, for the simple reason that there is alot to learn from understanding the contexts of his plays, the trying times which he wrote his plays in and also, that almost every great classic author in the 19th century has been inspired by him. If nothing else, his being so prolific is something that a writer should respect, surely someone who wrote 38 plays and 154 sonnets 400 years ago deserve some studying. I choose to talk about Shakespeare as I am in the midst of encouraging my son to read classics. And he is watching how I am performing in my masters programme. If he sees that I don't enjoy studying works of certain authors, he will absorb my vibes and dislike them too. And I don't wish to influence him on not liking something because Mummy has no patience in reading it. He's curious about Shakespeare. I am reading into the playwright's life history, his plays and their motivations, and because books on him are lying around in my house, I hope that will give my 9-year-old a sneak peek of what life is like in Elizabethan times. To be curious is good, Ben, my 9-year-old does not know what's in store for him. I'm sure he'd agonise over studying Shakespeare at Sec 1, age 13, but by then, Mummy would hopefully be an expert in helping him with appreciating the bard's works. I wish. But I must add, the film buff that I am, I LOVE watching Shakespeare in Love. Hubby has bought me a DVD of the movie, and because there are talented dramatic writers who are influenced by him, a wonderful movie has been made which takes the sting out of appreciating Shakespeare's life, and imagining what it would have been like to watch one of his plays.

2009-09-20T09:25:00.000-07:00

Oops... the new book cover for Georgette's Mooncakes. Inspired by a full moon... of resurrected Mongol soldiers fighting under the moonlight, brought to life by the magic of a talented Singapore pioneer artist and her mooncakes. Watch out for Borders' launch details, out from 3 Oct! Er... ignore the 'beaded slippers' bit, we have removed that from the title ha! Like I said, I am sleep deprived, I can't find the final cover in my hard drive, what a joke. I seriously have to get back to my homework. Good night.

Sleep-deprived & Incoherent!

2009-09-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

Just spent an hour surfing the website of the Singapore Writers Festival. I'm so excited, it's happening from 24 Oct to 1 Nov, with loads of free events held on the two weekends. Quick, go check it out! http://www.singaporewritersfestival.com/

I will be doing two sharings, on 24 Oct, at 130pm, and 31 Oct, in the evening, at 6pm. I forgot the actual times, pls visit the website.

Come join my two excellent illustrator-partners, Lee Kowling and Christine Lim Simpson, for a joint book launch, Georgette's Mooncakes and Guai Wu, the Chinese Elf, on 31 Oct. Posting the two new picture book covers here. Look out for them after 3 Oct, celebrating the mid-autumn festival at Borders!

Pardon me if my blog is incoherent haha... I am seriously sleep deprived. Slept an average of 4 hours each night last week, alone with 3 kids (hubby is out-station), rushed 4 assignments and completed 3 readings. I am entitled to some gibberish in this space! Getting back to my homework, due on Tues. Cheers!

Back to school for this author!

2009-09-13T23:31:00.000-07:00

I started life as a graduate student of dramatic writing two weeks ago. I can't believe how tough it is, juggling readings, assignments and still having to wake up at 6am promptly to send first kid off on the school bus every day. Considering that I've been surviving on about 4 hours of sleep each night, I can't say which is worse - night feeds when my children were babies or rushing drafts for one-act plays for homework submission. The one thing that's keeping me excited, I am learning so much, being in the company of writers from across New York and honing a skill so raw and refreshing! There's more, nothing beats having my children peep over my shoulder to check on what I'm writing, "Mum, are you writing about a dead dog being roasted?", "Mum, is that what I think it is, someone is keeping a dark secret?" Yup, children, Mum is now officially a dramatic writer! I write about situations of conflict and resolution, of inciting moments that force the protagonist to make a decision that will have an irrevocable impact on his life... and they are lapping it up. Drama happening right before their eyes, Mummy, the wannabe playwright! How exciting for them. Well, it's just homework, children. But it's nice to know my kids are interested in reading about what I'm writing. And oh yes, they are always offering to lend me their pens and correction tape, how sweet.

Meeting Young Readers

2009-08-12T17:40:00.000-07:00

I love this picture! It was taken at a book signing at Popular, a book store in Lot 1, Choa Chu Kang, two weeks ago. The boy was a fan of Amos Lee, but he didn't tell me. It was his mother who pulled me aside to tell me. When I did my reading, I could see his expectant face..., smiling as he knew how my page would unfold. When I asked questions after the reading, his hand shot up very quickly each time. Needless to say, the book marks he held bore pride to having read the book before meeting me, he knew all the answers. His sister was just as adorable, she was so smitten with meeting an author. I remembered to tell her, as I always do with all my readers, "I am also a mother, and I urge my three kids to enjoy reading and writing, as your mother does ;)"
I guess the reason why I am still writing, it's nice to have children feeling that the author is accessible, living in Singapore and reading about her in book reviews and the newspapers. Surely that can only be a big motivating factor, in getting them to see writing and reading as a pleasure, and hopefully, a lifelong habit.

Still on Top 10

2009-08-06T17:36:00.000-07:00

It has been more than 4 weeks, nice to know that The Diary of Amos Lee is still ranked in the top 10 of Straits Times' bestsellers. I remember the Monday after Sunday's 1st ranking ran, I got a congratulatory call from my distributor, plus I see the smileys from my illustrator's sms'es.... everyone is just so thrilled!

It's no mean feat, it took me 13 books and 3 years to get on that list. Out of the top ten books that children (and parents) buy at ALL book stores in Singapore, the top 8 spots are always a tussle for Wimpy Kid, Geronimo Stilton, Pokemon and the Twilight series... so you can imagine what it means for a local author to hit the list ;)

Two days ago, I got an email from a 10-year-old. It's so sweet, she wanted to know when Book 2 is coming out. She said all her friends have read the book and they love it. Thank you Jann for your email! Yes, Book II will be out in December, just in time for Christmas. I am working very hard on it.

I was at CHIJ - Our Lady of Nativity yesterday, doing a talk and a spot of book signing. Sold 142 books in one hour of recess time. Well done, Marketasia, my trusted distributors!

till my next posting, Happy National Day, Singapore!

Caught a picture of this at Popular!

2009-07-20T04:41:00.000-07:00

Saw this at Popular! The Diary of Amos Lee has made Top Five on their Bestsellers' list! Wonderful! See last row, second from left...

Amos Lee Behind Wimpy Kid But Ahead of Harry Potter!

2009-07-19T17:41:00.000-07:00

The weekend had been surreal. Hubby woke me up, at 8.30am on a Sunday morning, roaring with laughter. He yelled out, "You're ahead of J.K. Rowling!" It was a joke of course. He meant that my latest book, The Diary of Amos Lee, ranked No. 8 on Straits Times' national bestsellers list, ahead of Harry Potter, at No. 9. I looked at the newspapers, gritty-eyed. Yup, behind Geronimo Stilton, Wimpy Kid and Eclipse (Stephenie Meyer), but ahead of the last Harry Potter instalment. But not for long, with the new Harry Potter movie opening this week, I reckon Amos Lee will get knocked out of the list soon. But while it lasted, it's nice to know that kids in Singapore are still picking up my book, after the June school holidays. I spent close to 2 hours on Saturday signing 200 books, for girls of St Nicholas Primary.

My book readings this week -- a school visit tomorrow, to talk about writing and opportunities for children to get published; and three bookstore appearances at Popular, to yak about Amos Lee's hilarious antics preparing for the National Day Parade. Will also be doing a spot of face painting and tattoo art, in celebrating "All things red and white!" Stay tuned, with more updates from http://www.amoslee.com.sg/, cheers.

Chilli Padi & The Amulet - Book 3 and 4 in the Peranakan children's series

2009-07-16T06:43:00.000-07:00

Meet Itam, a kitchen help, Puteh's new playmate! Read about their comical exploits in serving up a dose of culture, mystery and magic.

Books available at http://www.ethosbooks.com.sg/

2008-06-09T00:03:00.001-07:00

The Beaded Slippers

2008-06-04T08:52:00.000-07:00

Puteh has a pair of worn, beaded slippers that were given to her by her grandmother. The slippers allow her to enter an imaginary world and re-enact the life of her grandmother as a young Peranakan bride. Was it just Puteh dreaming about the past or are the beaded slippers really that magical?

The Kitchen God

2008-06-04T08:47:00.001-07:00

A protector of the hearth and a representative of the Jade Emperor, the Kitchen God is worshipped by Puteh’s grandmother. One day, Puteh gets into trouble for causing a fire in the kitchen. Join Puteh on a quest as she races against time to appease the Kitchen God, before he punishes her for her misdeed. Will she succeed in her quest?

2008-03-27T02:08:00.001-07:00

The Midnight Tree

2008-03-27T02:04:00.000-07:00

Three children stumbled on a monstrous tree in a park and were horrified to discover a mysterious winged creature living in it.

Join Ben, Tessa and Jeremy as they confronted their fear and learnt about a commonly misunderstood creature, with its origin traced back to a vampire myth.

Lost in the Secret Garden

2008-03-27T02:02:00.000-07:00

Three children stumbled on a secret garden in their search for Camy.

Just who or what was Camy?

They discovered a mysterious tree house for little people and got lost in a maze. Was the children’s adventure real?

Be amused by the antics of Ben and Tessa, as they try to keep up with their youngest brother, Jeremy, as he ran wild in the secret garden.

With Miel’s kooky drawings adding charm to the story, spot the elusive Camy as it watched over the children secretly, leading them out of trouble when Mummy came looking for them.

Secret Hoarder

2008-03-27T01:56:00.001-07:00

A local residing in the garden city of Singapore, the brown Plantain Squirrel can be found in parks and gardens. This native is a known hoarder and in this delightful sequel to “Ben's Friends from the Rainforest”, its habits are similar to a member of Ben's family.

Told with gleeful charm, this tale winds up with Rainforest Facts, taking readers to new informative heights, learning about "flying" creatures residing in a tropical rainforest and the right ‘code of conduct’ in visiting the forest.

Ben's Friends from the Rainforest

2008-03-27T01:50:00.000-07:00

This book features two stories – “Camy. Ben’s Secret Friend” and “Supermonkey”.

The stories are about Ben's adventures with a changeable lizard, which he mistook for a chameleon; and a thieving long-tailed macaque which he helped.

The book won the “First Time Writers and Illustrators Publishing Initiative” award by the Media Development Authority and the National Book Development Council of Singapore in 2006.

Both stories have been adapted into a cartoon, with a VCD released in April 2008.