Tips for nurturing good readers

Below are some tried and tested tips on how to nurture a good reader. This post is likely to be updated as time goes by.

- Let your child see you reading
Children learn from what they observe. If he/she sees that you love reading, your child is likely to follow suit, too.

-Create a reading space.
Your reading space can even be a corner of the couch or a chair in your child’s room. Picking out a comfortable spot that has good lighting and room to keep some children books can help your child learn to connect coziness and comfort with reading.

-Allow your child to pick his or her own book.
He/She would be interested to listen to the story especially if it is something he/she had chosen. If the chosen story is too wordy and you do not have the time to read and summaries to the child, just explain that the book is too difficult for his/her level. If the child insist on having the wordy book, what you can do is a story telling from looking at illustrations.

-Get books that has a topic that your child is familiar with. 
If your child shows lack of interest in books and yet familiar with "Sofia the First" and "Jake and the Never Land Pirates"? What about Disney Junior? If your kids are familiar with these characters, good chances is that they would read these books or ask you to read with them. It will be good to introduce reader series to pre-schoolers.

- Encourage reading all by oneself. 

As a rule of the thumb, choose book that contains not more than 5 new words per page. This is ensure that the child would not feel overwhelm by the presence of numerous new words that he/she do not understand. The new words make reading less pleasant.

- Read wordless books occasionally. 

I used to think wordless books are not good for children to read simply because they are wordless. However,  I was told by a librarian that wordless books are good for children because it encourage children to look through the pictures and narrates based on their understanding. Reminds you of  Oral Test or Picture Composition? Yeah... that is how wordless books are supposed to work. I would listen to Little One's narration and correct her when she phrases her sentences wrongly.

Foodie Reads: Tangerine by Colin Cheong

The last book I am choosing for Foodie Read is Colin Cheong's Tangerine. I chose to read this book because it  was the winner of the 1996 Singapore Literature Prize. In summary, it is about how Nick, a young Singaporean photojournalist, travels by himself from Saigon to Hanoi to meet up with his old friends. Throughout the week-long journey, he tries to mix in with the locals. He travels in crowded buses and lives in inexpensive hostels. He reflects on himself and his relationship with the whole world in general.

I had not been to Vietnam and had expected it to be a travelogue that would go into detail about the different places that Nick visited. However, the book focus more on the people he met along the way and reflects on the Vietnamese’s post-war sentiments. Some local dishes were mentioned too but not much.

I took 3 months to read the book. Partly because I find it boring and slightly confusing in the beginning. There were quite a number of flashbacks and many characters so I got confused and started to re-read the whole book again. Sad to say but it was only from the middle the of book, I started to enjoy reading. Nick was talking to Denise and Margaret, his fellow travellers whom he met on the bus, that why he remains as a single because of the 5C expectation of Singaporeans. This is something I could relate to.

And why the book was named Tangerine. I guessed probably Nick had tangerines with him every since he left the airport and he gave them to a Vietnamese who always ask for price but refused to buy tangerines from every tangerine girls they met.

At the end of the story whereby he finally united with his friends for a gathering, he realised he and his friends had the common frames of references, but he would never see things the way they do. Somewhat I feel Nick has more compassion and attentive than his friends. The ending left my heart feeling warm.

Linking with: 

Foodie Read: 轻松易学的手工面包 : 即使没有烤箱也能在家做的面包! 饭田顺子著 ; 左瑞瑤译

If you have been wondering why this blog had been so quiet . One of the reasons I had blogged lesser because I am committing myself to read more. Not only for myself but for Little One as well. Not just that I had also committed to learn new skills. I have been tatting, sewing and painting.

What have I been reading?
Voices under the Rising Sun - Fiona Hodgkins ( a review on it was written in the blog)
Alice's adventures in Wonderland ; &, Through the looking-glass

Finally, this 轻松易学的手工面包 : 即使没有烤箱也能在家做的面包!

My review:

Regarding the recipe book, it's a pity that they do not have English translation. I believe this book would be a hit! The Japanese author, Iida, Junko, is very creative. She had written a couple of recipe books for baked products including macaroons, bread, pastries, cakes, pies and desserts. This is her first cookbook that I have read. I say she is creative because in this particular book, she made bread using non-stick pan. She also had another book on making cakes and snacks using non stick pan. However, I am interested in another book which she wrote. It includes recipes for making cakes and pies in rice cooker. I had just bought a rice cooker which can bake. Hence, it will be great if I can lay my hands on this book.

This particular book teaches you mainly how to make bread, you can also learn to make simple thin crust pizza, naan, bagel and muffin. It also guide how to make your own cottage cheese , jam and butter.

The recipe book is split into various parts
1) making simple bread with low protein flour
2) making simple bread using pancake mix
3) making bread using yeast and high protein flour


All recipes requires low heat and covering of the pan while cooking. Total minimum cooking time is about 25 minutes. The resulting bread looked exactly like what you would have found in a bakery.

I tried make banana bread but I do not have a non -stick pan with a lid. Hence I used a normal pan instead, resulting a charred bottom bread even though I used baking paper. However, the bread still taste great (We discarded the bottom) !  Personally I think I can improve the next try out by making smaller bread instead of covering the whole pan.

My failed  "masterpiece" 

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Voices under the Rising Sun - Fiona Hodgkins

This is not your usually children's story. It is written in the form of dairies, letters and factual texts. Not only that, this is a World War II (WW2) story about how  the life of  3 children were being changed during the war.

Being a history buff, naturally, I am attracted to the book. This book is suitable for children 10 years and above. It was written as a companion piece to another book, From Syonan to Fuji-Go, by the same author, Fiona Hodgkins. Both books are based of her research into the settlement of Bahau. It was a settlement for the Catholics in Negri Sembilan (a state in Malaya, now known as Malaysia) during the Japanese Occupation.

The characters and events are based on true stories. Most names and some events are being altered. One of the children, Mary ( an Eurasian), was in fact based on the life of the author's mother. The story started on describing how life of like when the British were in power in the region. Very soon, WW2 began and eventually, the fall of Singapore.

With Kempetai (Japanese secret police) watching and food shortages in Singapore became critical, many Catholics decided to go to Bahau where they could grow their own crops and probably send some supplies down to Singapore.

However, the crops failed and the people had to survived on snails and pets, which were pretty traumatising. To add on to the misery, the people fell sick with malaria and typhoid!

Of course, the story ended when finally the war was over.

Personally, I think this is a good read for children and adults likewise. Definitely a must read for history buffs. It is simple to read and there is a lot of facts describing the life in those days.

Foodie Read :Durians Are Not the Only Fruits (notes from the Tropics)

I do not usually read adult books except cookbooks or craft books. However, this book, Durians Are Not The Only Fruits by Woon Yoon Wah was recommended by a librarian. This book , I believe was written in Chinese by the author and is being translated to English by Jeremy Tiang.

Durians is a delightful read about the tropics. It is a mixture of memoir, essay and nature writing. Food related topics covered slightly more than half of the book. Beside durians, tropical fruits like mangosteen, rambutans and banana, and food like Lei Cha ( Thunder Rice Tea), Yusheng (a dish normally we ate during Chinese New Year), Nonya Dumpling, Nanyang Curry are mentioned too.

Yusheng (3 plates on the right), an auspicious dish in Singapore.

It offers insight how petty durian trees are and when they would be harvested. The king of fruits is often growing together with his queen (mangosteen) and concubine (rambutan). The mangosteen is cooling effect and is best eaten with durian to combat its heatiness. Rambutan, his heaty concubine, will turn bad after 5 to 6 days after plucking. An interesting rumour is that the rambutan tree will bear sour fruits if touched by a female.

Food evolution is being mentioned in Thunder in a Bowl, that refers to Leicha. It was originally a tea drink, now has become a meal complete with rice and finely chopped vegetable.  The dish is now associated with healthy eating. You may want to find out by reading how the food acquire this name.

Leicha is believed to  be a very healthy food choice

Immigrants evolves just the same as food. Those who come to this part of the world, brought over their food and culture. These food and culture changed over the years.

You will find yourselves getting bonus by reading because some recipes were also mentioned.

The rest of the book is dedicated to the trees and animals in the tropics.  Did you know rain tree can tell the time and the behaviour of ants can tell when a monsoon is about to arrive? I like the topic on Mosquito Mystery. As mention in the book, how is it possible that "the more we eradicate them, the faster they infect us?" It sets me thinking whether the constant spraying of pesticide had created some kind of "super mosquito". Probably the best way is still to use natural repellent.

After reading, I do agree this book is indeed an interesting read although it takes me a pretty long time to complete. I learnt more about the fruits and food we eat and also the trees and animals we live with. If you found this book, do give it a read to more about the tropics.

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Foodie Read : Sherlock Sam and the Obento Bonanza in Tokyo

It is not surprising that food is featured in Sherlock Sam series. From book 1, Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong, we already know the leading character, Sherlock, loves to eat and in fact, the first few books, he would think about some delicious food and where to get them. Eg. Chin Mei Chin, a confectionery shop, was described in book 1. Sherlock Sam is a 10 year old child detective with a great analyzing brain which help him solved mystery after mystery. Of course, his Supper Club help him out too. Together, they solved a series of mysteries around places in Singapore and occasionally overseas.

Since the book 9, Sherlock Sam and the Obento Bonanza in Tokyo, is available in the library. I had to wait for about 2 months before I finally managed to lay my hands on it. It was always on loan or even reserved. This just show how popular Sherlock Sam is. In this new book, Inspector Lestrade and Interpol have a mystery for the Supper Club to unravel. Mona Sumi, a very famous animator was being kidnapped. The kidnappers left a complicated clue that the Inspector found weird and hence seek help from the Supper Club. Little, did they know that the clue was an obento. What's worse, Sherlock ate the obento up before the rest of the Supper Club sees it. How would the Supper Club solve the mystery now without the obento? Will they be able rescue Mona Sumi? After this obento was being eaten up, more obentos appear around various stations in Tokyo. Would these obento lead the Supper Club to the Mono Sumi?

I had read through all the Sherlock Sam's stories by A. J. Low and the best one I find is The Fiendish Mastermind Trilogy, which are book 6-8. I was expecting more intense mystery for this book but unfortunately I think it was not delivered. However, the good part I got to learn more Japanese words and I am tempted to do some obento myself. The description of the obentos are so delicate and pretty.

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Foodie Read 2015 and 2016

Mentioned in my post in October, I had signed up for reading challenge in the Foodie Read 2015 late this year. This challenge is organised by hosted by Vicki of I’d Rather Be Reading at the Beach. I signed up for Short-Order Cook which is for 1 to 3 books. Challenge completed as below.

Foodie Read 2015 Reading Challenge Wrap Up!

Foodie Read List

1. Nini Eat First, Talk Later

Although I have shortlist 2 more books but I have yet to complete them this year. I am almost completing one of the books but guess the review can only be done next year.

Foodie Read 2016 Reading Challenge!

Image source from host

Next year, I will be up for Pastry Chef (4-8 Books). This time it is organised by Heather from Based on a True Story. As Little One will be entering Primary One (a major milestone for my family), I am not sure whether I could handle with reading many foodie books. Still, I will try my best to do so. :)

Foodie Read List

1.  Sherlock Sam and the Obento Bonaza in Tokyo
2. Durians Are Not the Only Fruits (notes from the Tropics)
3. 轻松易学的手工面包 : 即使没有烤箱也能在家做的面包!
4. Tangerine

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(Rave Reads) Seeing Double

When the National Library Board (NLB) decided to celebrate its 20th anniversary, we are allowed to borrow 20 books per member till January next year. That means 60 books (including magazines and videos) for our family. Now that the number of loans allowed had almost triple, we realised that we borrowed extra copies more often then ever. Sometimes, we borrowed extra accidentally while others are borrowed deliberately.

Katie's London Christmas (2 books of the same title and edition)
story and pictures by James Mayhem

  

We borrowed 2 of these by mistake. Knowing Little One loves the Katie series, I would borrow if I laid my hands on any stories which I had not read to her. This was one of those books.

We were first introduced to James Mayhem's book when we read the Ella Bella series. Soon after, we started to read and enjoy the Katie series. James Mayhew's first children's book was Katie's Picture Show in 1989. It was one of the best introduction to art for children. A series of titles that followed introduced an artist or art movement. These series started with Grandma taking a nap while Katie explored around in the art museum. Then, she would somewhat walk into the paintings or exhibits and start interacting with the people or creatures in the pictures. James Mayhem also wrote then followed by adventures to countries like London and Scotland where sights were introduced.

Katie's London Christmas (edition 2014) seemed to the only book that does not involve Grandma. Instead, she and her brother, Jack, experienced a wonderful, amazing adventure with Father Christmas to  deliver his presents to some special places across London. Although there was only one special place (for the present delivery) mentioned in the book, a number of London's famous places were mentioned. You can also take the opportunity to learn about London if you have yet to read Katie in London. The trip was magical for both Little One and I. This book is definitely good for Christmas. The illustrations were fantastic and almost magical!

Katie and the Dinosuars (2 books of the same title but different editions)
story and pictures by James Mayhem

This is one of the other Katie title which I borrowed twice accidentally, yet again but ... but... I shall let you in a little secret. This 2 books are different editions. One in 2004 and the other in 2014, (10 years apart) Guess what? Some of the punctuation are amended for better effect. Some sentences from the old edition are omitted and replaced with new ones which made the story concise.

We are not experts of dinosaurs. In fact, the only dinosaur whose name I remember is T -Rex. These books gave us a great introduction to these "terrible lizards" as we joined Katie on her adventure in the Natural History Museum. We noted Brontosaurus (2004) became Apatosurus. (2014). I googled to see whether there was a change of name and found an interesting science fact. You may want to click here to check.

A list of dinosaurs mentioned in the books were listed on the last pages. We noted even the pronunciation for these dinosaurs seemed different. The 2004 version included the meaning of these dinosaurs whereas the 2014 version does not.

We love how Katie for being so kind-hearted to help the lost dinosaur to search for his family. The scariest part was when they met T-Rex. This story is enjoyable and definitely very suited for children who loves dinosaurs. The illustrations for the cover of both versions are different, I prefer the older one as Katie looked like she was having so much fun!

The lamb and the butterfly/ 小羊和蝴蝶 (2 different languages)
story by Arnold Sundgaard ; pictures by Eric Carle.

What would happen when a lamb meets a butterfly in the middle of a Meadow? The lamb, being kind and curious, kept asking the butterfly a lot of questions. She would like the butterfly to stay with her. Being different, the butterfly, in the end, bidded goodbye to the lamb. The lamb did not insist because she finally realised that if the butterfly did not leave, he may die. The butterfly's solitary style of living indeed is different from the lamb who loves to live in a group. She had learnt to respect and accept different ways of living.

I actually borrowed the Chinese version 小羊和蝴蝶 first. I only realised that the illustrations were by Eric Carle then, I went ahead and borrowed the English copy because I like to see what is the difference between the 2 copies. Both books have some rhythmic repetitive phrases which Little One loves to repeat with zest. We also learnt the names of different flowers in the 2 languages.

Lost in the Gardens/ Lost in the Secret Garden (2 similar titles and both are in Singapore Collection)

What is Singapore Collection? They are books that cover the history, political & economic history, literature as well as social-cultural history of Singapore.

It was a coincident that both books are about gardens in Singapore. The first one set in Gardens by the Bay while the second in Jacob Ballas Children's Garden. Both books focus on the adventures the little people are experiencing. In both books, you get to know what the gardens has to offer, especially useful if you have not been in them.




Lost in the Gardens
story and pictures by J.H. Low

Mei had waited very long for this day to visit Gardens by the Bay! However, she was soon separated from her mother. Luckily, she met Wise Wee the bear who help her search for her mom. We were given an educational tour around the Gardens. The description about the various places in the garden is appropriate.

This book has pretty charming illustrations. One look at the cover, you know instinctively the story is set in Gardens by the Bay. I particularly love the illustration of the Supertree Groves. I could also feel the heavy mood of Mei when she lost her mother. She was entirely blue and grey. Little One particularly love the look of Mom. She had a small head which is quite disproportional to her body.

The only little mistake about the book is that Mei lost her Mom at the MRT station, how did she manage to walk all the way to the Garden? She could have ended in Marina Bay Sands.

Lost in the Secret Garden
story by Adeline Foo and pictures by Miel

Written by Adeline Foo, the author of Diary of Amos Lee, which was one of the national best seller. Including this, Little One and I had read only 3 of her books. This book is part of the rainforest friends series and it was our first exposure to the series.

Ben and his family were at the park. He was put in charge of Jeremy, his younger brother, who loved to run very fast. Hence, Ben and his sister , Tessa, had to chase after him. That was how they stumbled upon a secret garden. They went on exploring the garden, which was fun with treehouse, maze and lots of flora and fauna, including Ben's favorite Camy. Although the story is set in the Children's Garden, the story did not mention so. This I find it clever because by not mentioning that in the story, it could be any park in the world. (Children's Garden is pretty famous among parents and children in Singapore. It is quite impossible for it to be secret. )

You'll get to know more about rainforest facts, learning to protect the environment and author's reflection at the back of the book.

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Foodie Read: Nini Eat First, Talk Later

For those who loves food, especially heritage food, this book, Eat First, Talk Later, is probably for you. It featured most Singapore hawker food which still survived today, such as Chicken Rice, Satay and Niang Doufu. Some food which probably had not heard off because they are already extinct. Eg Ice Ball. Some of the food, mentioned in the book, brought back memories and yearning because they are rare to find, such as Hakka Salted Baked Chicken.

Satay which was featured in the book

The story started with the Gang of Four descending from heaven, or rather storks, to embark on their gastronomic adventure. An extension of Nini in Changi Village, it is also by our local author Fanny Lai. This book focus more on food origin, recipe ,evolution of food and the conditions of the food that were prepared and served in the past. It contains the same colourful comical illustrations though.

The book also touched on Nini's genealogy. Her father was a Hakka. So naturally, Hakka food such as Mei Chai Kou Rou (Steamed pork belly with preserved mustard leaves), Niang Doufu (Braised tofu stuffed with minced meat) and Salted Baked Chicken were introduced.  The origin of these food were explored and some recipes were given but the amount of ingredients required were not indicated. Probably, due to the fact that recipes those days were passed down by word of mouth. It is a pity that my favorite Hakka dishes, such as Lei Cha and Yam Abacus Seeds were not mentioned. I think these are pretty famous and yummy Hakka dishes too. Both dishes, I must say, need pretty laborious preparation.

Leicha is believed to  be a very healthy food choice

The book also ofter an insight of  how life in Singapore was like, especially in kopitiam (coffee shop) and provision shops. Both of which are closely associated with food. People who frequent kopitiam those days were different from now. Women should not be seen in kopitiam alone then. Provision shops probably is now a dying trade in Singapore with the invasion of supermarkets. They used to be rather common in those days. Even in the 80s and 90s, they were relatively common. I remembered several such shops in my ex-neighbourhood but since the place undergo SERS development, the shops seemed to closed doors forever, not relocating any where else.

Kaya Roti (bread with kaya) and Kopi (Coffee) and soft boiled eggs are common food items that can be ordered from Kopitiam (Coffeeshop)

A small segment of the book was dedicated to Silver Sister, a self-combed lady. Self -combed ladies (Chinese ladies who vowed not to get married, many worked as domestic servants) were something of the past. From the book, I could sensed that the author was pretty attached to this character, Silver Sister.

Nasi Lemak (Coconut milk rice complete with chicken wing, fried egg, otah, ikan bilis and belachan) ,a delicious delicacy

Nonya Kuehs, (left: Tutu Kueh and  Right:Kueh Pie Ti), is one of the kuehs being featured in the book. Others are Teochew kuehs and Malay kuehs

We also learnt about evolution of food, for instance, from Ice ball to Ice kachang, and the many varieties and flavours of certain food such as Ang Ku Kueh (Some flavours comes in the form of durian, coffee and mango, of which I had never eaten or heard of before). Even the machines and appliances that were used to made these food evolved through the years.

Ice Kachang

I would suggest this book to be more suitable for primary school children because a lot more history is involved which the smaller kids may find the subject dry. Little One, a pre-schooler, prefers the first book because she thinks it is funnier. Nevertheless, she still flips through this book occasionally.

 Freshly made Chee Cheong Fun (Rice noodle roll) with Preserved Duck Egg porridge

Unlike for Little One, I find it a pretty entertaining book and allows me to know more about our food culture. To add on to that, the food mentioned makes my mouth watered. I am on a quest to look for the Salted Baked Chicken mentioned in the book. Any one who knows where to get this food, please do notify me!

Vanishing trade -street hawker

The Chinese version is available too! However, I have not got a chance to lay my hands on it yet.
Both versions are available in major book stores in Singapore.

You may want to borrow from the library
English version

Chinese version

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Foodie Read 2015 Challenge

When I first saw this The Foodies Read Challenge hosted by Vicki of I’d Rather Be Reading at the Beach, I thought it was pretty interesting. Hence, I signed up for it. Although it was pretty late but the challenge runs throughout Year 2015.

What exactly is Foodies Read Challenge?
Once you have decided on the number of "food books" you decided to read, you can sign up for it. Even if you do not have a blog, you are welcome to give your reviews under the various tabs. Check that out in The Foodies Read Challenge.

What is a “food book”? 
A food book is a book which is centered around food and/or drinks. That could be a cookbook, a food biography or memoir, a non-fiction book focused around a specific food, wine, chef or restaurant, or a fictional story in which food plays a major role.

Levels:

Short-Order Cook: 1 to 3 books
Pastry Chef: 4 to 8 books
Sous-Chef: 9 to 13 books
Chef de Cuisine: 14 to 18
Cordon-Bleu Chef: More than 19

I have decided to take up the challenge of short-order cook since I came across this in August. But before I do that, I wanted to find some foodie books.

So, here goes! The first review will be up this week. I have shortlisted several others too. I hope I have the time to complete them.

Foodie Read List
1. Nini Eat First, Talk Later
2. ____________________
3. ____________________

Book of the month: 冰雪公主 The Snow Princess

Have you noticed I seldom introduce Chinese books in my blog? One of the very reason is that Little One speaks Chinese at home and I think it is better to brush up her English by borrowing or buying more English books. This month, however, I would like to introduce a Chinese book ,another favorite bedtime story which Little One likes, titled 冰雪公主. This is a Chinese storybook which I had bought from Grassroots Book Room. A personal favorite of mine when I want to search for Chinese books for Little One as it sells mainly Chinese books. This book was chosen by Little One herself. Tell me which girl does not like princesses?  冰雪公主 埃米莉·霍金斯著 ; 丽莎·埃文斯绘 ; 霍霍译.This book, I find, suitable for pre-schoolers and lower primary. It is actually translated from the English version, The Snow Princess by Emily Hawkins, illustrated by Lisa Evans.
Synopsis
Cursed with a fragile heart of ice, a young princess was sent to live alone in a snow palace. One prince after another tried to save the princess and win her hand in marriage, but every one of them failed. It was only when she started to appreciate the love and friendship right under her nose that the princess found the power to break the curse. _____________________________ Review Personally, I like the story. Although the starting was pretty sad to know that the young princess had to live in a cold palace at the top of the mountain all by herself. But hope and love is always within reach.  That is the morale of the story. This is one of Little One's favorite. Otherwise she will not keep asking me to repeat the story night after night. What I like about this story is also the illustrations. They are beautiful. It is no wonder that it captures Little One's attention when she first saw it. You may want to take a peep here for the illustrations. This is not the first time we were exposed to the illustrator's work. We read The Nutcracker by Emma Goldhawk earlier this year which was also illustrated by Lisa Evans. The book is rather textured, very similar to some textured book you see in baby books. Almost all the pages have some textured features. I am referring to the snowflakes, flowers , vines. It seemed that the Spot UV technique is used but I can't be sure. For the cover, a coarser texture is used. It looked like sparkled glue is used but it is not. haha... it seemed that the book made me very interested to know how the textures are done. If you are interested in reading the book, you may want to check with Grassroots. Otherwise, you may want to borrow from the library. I may try to borrow the English version. :) Link as below:

http://catalogue.nlb.gov.sg/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/FULL/EXPNOS/BIBENQ/4485355/75398516,1 Chinese

http://catalogue.nlb.gov.sg/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/FULL/EXPNOS/BIBENQ/4485504/3949951,14 English

http://catalogue.nlb.gov.sg/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/FULL/EXPNOS/BIBENQ/4485719/257009,10 (Nutcracker)

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PS: This is not a sponsored post.

Book set of the month: Folk & Fairy Tale Easy Readers (Scholastic)

This month, Little One choose to have this set of readers for bed time story. There are 15 stories to choose  from including the popular "Cinderella", "The Gingerbread Man" and " The Three Little Pigs" .  There are also folktales which I have not heard before such as "The Stone Soup", "The Nightingale" and "The Spider and the Beehive".

Each story  is 16 pages long with illustrations, They are graded in levels of difficulty from 'E-I', 

("E" being the simplest while "I "being the hardest). 

What I like about this set is they are relatively short and perfect for bedtime story especially when I am tired. Either the girl or I would  one pick book and I would read for her. Sometimes, she would read to me instead. When we are both not tired. We would read 1 or 2 books to each other.

I particularly love the folktales which teaches moral and values. One particular one is the story "The Spider and the Beehive" which teaches one not to be greedy and to be nice to people.

If you intend to get some readers for your pre-schoolers. This set is suitable for kindergarten children.

I've got mine in Popular sometime ago. It is not in stock now. You may want to get from Amazon or Scholastic. 

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PS: This is not a sponsored post.

Library Hop #6 - Let's hop to Ang Mo Kio Public Library

I have visited Ang Mo Kio library a couple of times for craft sessions but have not really explored the library until recently. The library is a stand alone library with very few amenities around. The MRT station is quite a distance from the MRT station. (About 15 to 20 miniutes walk) There is no shelter and not many buildings near the library, it can get pretty hot walking from the MRT station. Many times, I prefer to take a bus instead.

Covering an area of 4,277 square metres, the library spans two levels in an isolated building of its own. Ang Mo Kio Public Library was officially opened on 17 August 1985 by Mr Yeo Toon Chia, Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio Constituency. It was closed in April 2002 for upgrading and officially re-opened on 25 January 2003 by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister of State for National Development.

The name Ang Mo Kio is synonymous with phrases in the Hokkien dialect which either relates it as the "Red Tomato", or the "Bridge of the Caucasian".
Can you spot the Ang Mo Kio here? These paintings are found on the ceiling outside the library.

On level 1, it is mainly the Children's collection and Adult's English Fiction collection. If you need books on Parenting and Family matters, they can be found here too.  Programmes are usually conducted in the Programme Zone which is located at this level. If you find yourself hungry or thirsty, you may want to pop by the Cafe Galilee next to it.

Programme Zone

The special collection of this library is the wide Tamil Collections which is located at Level 2. Ang Mo Kio Public Library carries one of the most comprehensive and varied collection of print and non-print materials in Tamil among the public libraries. This includes fiction and non-fiction books, magazines, and newspapers.

Entrance to the Tamil Collection. Look at the pillars! Don't they look Indian?

Such magnificent set of chess and sculptures! 

Also, on the second level are the adult Non - fiction books. I find that the books are categorised in an organised way. At one glance at the information provided next to each shelves, you would know which shelves to head to to hunt for the books that you need. I was looking for recipes then.



Back to the Children's collection at Level One. Look at what I have found! These shelves of
books are particularly useful for children who are taking Chinese are their second language.
Hanyu Pinyin books are Chinese-English Bilingual books are found here. I knew other libraries offered these books as well but they are not categorized in such eye-catching way for library goers to find them easily.



All in all, if you are looking for Tamil books or in a rush to grab some Chinese -English bilingual books, this is probably the library for you.
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Books recommendation

I would be introducing 3 interesting books in this post. 2 are related to ballet while the last one is related to family tie.

1) Ella Bella Ballerina and Swan Lake / James Mayhew

2) Ella Bella Ballerina and The Nutcracker / James Mayhew

Reason for choosing the books
If your child loves ballet, the books I am going to recommend today should be able to entertain her well enough, especially these two a famous ballet pieces.




Synopsis: - For both stories, Ella Bella drifted/ transported into the world of both famous ballet scenes. In Swan Lake, she met Odette and tried to unite her with her prince.
In Nutcracker, she joined Clara to fight against the evil mouse king.
On the last page book, young readers would learn about the origins of each ballet.

Although the stories are probably nothing new to me but definitely a great introduction to little girls who loves ballet. Both books are beautifully illustrated , Little One loves them very much and we are looking forward to borrow new titles!

Trixie Ten / Sarah Massini
Synopsis: - Trixie finds her 9 siblings too noisy and decides to leave home.  After she leaves home, she discovers other animals with plenty of siblings too. She misses home thereafter.

Reason for choosing the book:
From the book cover, you realised that Trixie is a fingerprint. Not surprising, her siblings are all fingerprints. Even the animals that she met are made from fingerprints! It gives you an idea of creating art pieces made of fingerprints.

The book has various illustrations which are good for young readers who are learning to count. 

The book is also good to instill that family ties are important regardless they are annoying or not, they care about one another.


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Address

4300 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6

Singapore 569842

24-hour Bookdrop

How to get there

Nearest MRT: Ang Mo Kio

Bus Interchange: Ang Mo Kio

Buses: 13, 86, 162, 138, 851, 852, 853

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