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<\/p>\nSINGAPORE \u2013 As Singapore commemorates its 60th year of independence on Aug 9, it is not just a time for celebration. It also presents a valuable chance for your children to develop a deeper understanding of the country\u2019s heritage, including its National Anthem and iconic landmarks.<\/p>\n
The Straits Times speaks with local authors whose Singapore-themed fun reads sneak in some important messages.<\/p>\n
It was a National Day Parade (NDP) telecast that inspired Neil Johnson to write his third picture book, The Day I Forgot My Flag. <\/p>\n
While awaiting then President S R Nathan\u2019s arrival, he observed people in the crowd making a \u201cV\u201d sign for the cameras. This simple gesture, popularised by former British prime minister Winston Churchill to signify \u201cvictory\u201d, sparked an idea in Johnson.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat if we could use just our fingers to say \u2018Singapore\u2019? What if our hands could form our very own \u2018flag\u2019? What if we create a hand symbol that would be a recognisable and sustainable legacy?\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
That vision led to the story of Sam, a boy who forgets his flag for the NDP. Surrounded by others proudly waving their flags, Sam feels down until his grandmother\u2019s wise saying inspires him to create his own Singapore hand sign. <\/p>\n
He raises his right hand, bending his index, middle and ring fingers into a crescent shape, while his left hand, with all five fingers extended, symbolises the five stars.<\/p>\n
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Author Neil Johnson conceived a hand sign to symbolise the Singapore flag in his picture book, The Day I Forgot My Flag, illustrated by Vincent Lee. <\/p>\n
PHOTO: EPIGRAM BOOKS<\/p>\n
To bring this story to life, Johnson collaborated with his close friend and colleague Vincent Lee, who illustrated the book. Both 62-year-olds work at a global advertising agency where Johnson is a creative director and Lee heads a team of artists, designers and art directors.<\/p>\n
Through Sam\u2019s story, Johnson hopes young readers will glean life lessons. <\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone forgets things, but it\u2019s not the end of the world. People might laugh at you, but you can earn their respect. Your elders have a wisdom that is universal and timeless,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n
The core message, he adds, is: \u201cYour success lies in your heart, in your head and in your hands \u2013 you need to act on it. That\u2019s really the essence of the Singapore story.\u201d <\/p>\n
The book also educates children about the national flag \u2013 designed in 1959 by a team led by then Deputy Prime Minister Toh Chin Chye \u2013 by explaining the meaning of each of its parts.<\/p>\n
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The Day I Forgot My Flag by Neil Johnson (left) and Vincent Lee recently topped The Straits Times\u2019 weekly bestsellers list for children\u2019s books for three consecutive weeks. <\/p>\n
PHOTO: COURTESY OF NEIL JOHNSON<\/p>\n
Released in June, it topped The Straits Times\u2019 weekly bestsellers list for children\u2019s books for three consecutive weeks at one point. The compilation includes bestseller lists from Kinokuniya, Epigram, Wardah Books, Book Bar, Afterimage and Bookshop.sg bookstores.<\/p>\n
\u201cBoth Vince and I are quite surprised and thrilled by the news. We weren\u2019t expecting it,\u201d says Johnson.<\/p>\n
He lets on that they dream of the Singapore hand sign gaining widespread adoption. <\/p>\n
\u201cNothing would give us greater satisfaction than the Singapore hand sign catching on \u2013 and seeing it being used to cheer us on at games, parades and similar public events.\u201d<\/p>\n
Buy the book: $14.90 at major bookstores and publisher Epigram Books\u2019 online store at <\/p>\n str.sg\/F7J5<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n In the story Ye Ye And The Singapore National Anthem, Pauline Loh and Kristen Kiong weaved in the National Anthem\u2019s musical score, Malay lyrics and their English translation.<\/p>\n PHOTO: WORLD SCIENTIFIC EDUCATION<\/p>\n Your kids sing the Singapore National Anthem with gusto in school, but do they \u2013 and you \u2013 understand the meaning behind its Malay lyrics?<\/p>\n Majulah Singapura, which translates to Onward Singapore, was written by the late Singaporean composer Zubir Said in 1965. Now, new picture book Ye Ye And The Singapore National Anthem offers a line-by-line explanation of the song.<\/p>\n Written by Pauline Loh and illustrated by Kristen Kiong, the story features Ye Ye, or grandfather in Chinese, who becomes emotional upon hearing the anthem on the radio. He then explains the song\u2019s poignant meaning and importance to his grandson. <\/p>\n This book is a sequel to Loh\u2019s Playtime With Ye Ye, which used play to delve into Singapore\u2019s history, including the Japanese Occupation and independence. Released in 2015, it won the Singapore Memory Project Fund and second prize in that year\u2019s Samsung KidsTime Authors\u2019 Award, a joint initiative by the National Book Development Council of Singapore and Samsung Electronics.<\/p>\n The creative writing teacher has presented the Playtime With Ye Ye story in more than 100 pre-schools in the past decade. Her sequel was inspired by those frequent storytelling visits, where she learnt that\u00a0educators lacked a standard guide for teaching the anthem.<\/p>\n When writing the book, the 60-year-old says a key challenge was to create a thought-provoking narrative that will appeal to young readers aged three to eight. <\/p>\n She is thankful to team with illustrator Kiong, 36, who enlivens the pages by depicting everyday Singaporean scenes, while seamlessly weaving in the anthem\u2019s musical score, Malay lyrics and their English translation.<\/p>\n Pauline Loh\u2019s new picture book offers a line-by-line explanation of the National Anthem for readers.<\/p>\n PHOTO: COURTESY OF PAULINE LOH<\/p>\n Loh says teachers have expressed gratitude for her book, finding it a valuable resource for teaching the anthem. <\/p>\n \u201cTeachers agree with me that few adults know the meaning of the Malay lyrics and that we should educate children about them from an early age,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n She urges parents to also engage with the book. \u201cWhy limit it to teachers? I really encourage parents to use this book as a tool to kick-start conversations with their children about patriotism and the values championed in our anthem.\u201d<\/p>\n Buy the book: $12.90 from major bookstores and online via publisher World Scientific Education\u2019s official Shopee store at <\/p>\n str.sg\/vr2c<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n All sales proceeds from the picture book Singapore Is 60: Celebrate With Us! will go to the President\u2019s Challenge.<\/p>\n PHOTO: SHARON KOH AND KRISTEN KIONG<\/p>\n How will your family celebrate Singapore\u2019s 60th birthday? Picture book Singapore Is 60: Celebrate With Us! offers creative ideas for commemorating this milestone anniversary, such as exploring 60 MRT stations or enjoying 60 hawker dishes.<\/p>\n More than just an engaging read, the book by author Sharon Koh and illustrator Kristen Kiong supports a meaningful cause. All sales proceeds will go to the President\u2019s Challenge, funding 60 programmes from 52 organisations in 2025.<\/p>\n Sharon Koh, seen here with her children, authored Singapore Is 60: Celebrate With Us! to commemorate the country\u2019s birthday and also raise funds for the President’s Challenge.<\/p>\n PHOTO: COURTESY OF SHARON KOH<\/p>\n Since its launch in April, the book has raised more than $3,000. <\/p>\n \u201cOur mission isn\u2019t driven by numbers, but by the simple joy of bringing families together through storytelling and sharing what makes Singapore special to us,\u201d says Koh, 44, who works in the sustainability space.<\/p>\n Singapore Is 60 is her second children\u2019s book. In 2024, she and Kiong also collaborated on Let\u2019s Celebrate NDP!, a fund-raiser for the SAF Care Fund, which supports severely disabled servicemen.<\/p>\n Kristen Kiong is the illustrator behind Singapore Is 60: Celebrate With Us! and Ye Ye And The National Anthem picture books.<\/p>\n PHOTO: COURTESY OF KRISTEN KIONG<\/p>\n For Singapore Is 60, Kiong aims to show Singapore in its \u201cnormality, yet vibrant and beautiful\u201d. She incorporated familiar sights for older generations, such as the zero point game and traditional bird cages, alongside elements reminiscent of her own childhood, like a dustbin painting competition. <\/p>\n To resonate with younger readers, the 36-year-old, who has a day job as a speech therapist,\u00a0also added contemporary scenes, including an expanded MRT line, video calls and face painting.<\/p>\n Koh adds: \u201cI hope this book can help inspire families to dream, share stories and celebrate Singapore together.\u201d
<\/p>\n Buy the book: $18 at <\/p>\n str.sg\/3VTaV<\/p>\n <\/a> and Books Kinokuniya <\/p>\n Monica Lim (left) and her daughter Lesley-Anne Tan with their book, Secrets Of Singapore: 10th Anniversary Edition, which has a holographic cover.<\/p>\n PHOTO: COURTESY OF MONICA LIM<\/p>\n Contrary to popular belief, children actually love reading about history. Just ask Monica Lim, 55, and her 28-year-old daughter Lesley-Anne Tan, whose collaborative Secrets Of Singapore series is now in its 10th year.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know that history can be dry and uninteresting to children, so we are very gratified that they have enjoyed our books,\u201d Lim says.
<\/p>\n Aimed at young readers aged eight to 12, the series\u2019 debut book launched in 2015 and explores wide-ranging topics, starting with Sang Nila Utama\u2019s arrival in 1299. It also delves into Singapore\u2019s early developments in transport, education and food.
<\/p>\n The book was a hit and more titles were released over the years. Each offers a deeper dive into a local landmark \u2013 including the National Museum, Botanic Gardens and Changi Airport \u2013 or explores a theme, such as food and sports.<\/p>\n Released in May, its ninth volume Secrets Of Singapore: 10th Anniversary Edition is an update of the first book and has a special holographic cover.<\/p>\n Lim credits the series\u2019 success \u2013 with 73,000 copies sold to date \u2013 to its accessible and engaging approach to history.<\/p>\n This winning style was developed while they were co-writing their earlier children\u2019s series, Danger Dan (2014 to 2015). Although a work of fiction, it incorporated historical elements and humour into its plots.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we released the Danger Dan series, which featured historical figures or events of Singapore, we noticed that many children would flip to the fun facts we included at the back of each book. <\/p>\n \u201cWe then realised that they enjoyed reading about Singapore\u2019s past, but there was no fun children\u2019s book on the country\u2019s history apart from social studies textbooks, which can be very dry.\u201d <\/p>\n Beyond textbook facts, they included jokes, puns and humorous graphics along with lesser-known information.
<\/p>\n Due to their busy schedules, the series was continued by different authors after the initial four books. The next book, scheduled for 2026, will focus on the theme of transport.<\/p>\n Lim notes that it is important for children to learn about Singapore\u2019s history. <\/p>\n \u201cThose who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it,\u201d she says, referencing a famous quote by the late Spanish philosopher George Santayana.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is important to know history so that we know who we are, how we got here and what makes Singapore the way it is today.\u201d<\/p>\n Buy the book: $18.90 at major bookstores and publisher Epigram Books\u2019 online store at <\/p>\n str.sg\/LRHQ<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n First published in 2016, picture book Timmy & Tammy At The National Day Parade has been refreshed with new illustrations.<\/p>\n PHOTO: WORLD SCIENTIFIC EDUCATION<\/p>\n Timmy and Tammy are excited to be at the NDP with their parents, enjoying the splendid sights and sounds, from fighter jets to fireworks.<\/p>\n First published in 2016, picture book Timmy & Tammy At The National Day Parade has been refreshed with new illustrations and republished, along with other books in the series, to commemorate its 10th anniversary. <\/p>\n Written by Ruth Wan-Lau and illustrated by Eliz Ong, the 36 titles in the series are designed for children aged three to eight. They feature the siblings exploring Singapore landmarks and trying new experiences.<\/p>\n The updated Timmy & Tammy At The National Day Parade is a collaborative effort with the NDP executive committee. Colonel Chong Shi Hao, the committee\u2019s chairman, wrote the foreword for the book, which includes a QR code for accessing the official NDP playlist on Spotify. The committee will also distribute 4,000 copies to pre-schools.<\/p>\n \u201cThrough the eyes of Timmy and Tammy, I hope you\u2019ll discover the fun, excitement and heart-warming spirit that make the National Day Parade such a unique and memorable event,\u201d he writes. <\/p>\n Wan-Lau, who is also the publisher at World Scientific Education, was pleasantly surprised by the collaboration. She had reached out to the committee to ask about the 2025 parade highlights she could incorporate in her book\u2019s updated edition.<\/p>\n Author Ruth Wan-Lau, who has included the national pledge in her book, hopes that kids and parents can discuss its meaning and purpose.<\/p>\n PHOTO: WORLD SCIENTIFIC EDUCATION<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the focuses is the national pledge. I have included the pledge at the back of the book and I hope that children and parents can discuss its meaning and purpose,\u201d says Wan-Lau.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is never too early to build gratitude and love for our country in young children. Let\u2019s encourage our kids to look beyond themselves and to be thankful.\u201d
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