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Posted: 09 Dec 2012 07:30 AM PST

CHILD advocacy group Voice of the Children (VoC) has published a series of four children's books that each tell a story incorporating specific issues that affect children. Besides being quirky and attractive, the books aim to raise public awareness and educate both adults and children on issues affecting children. Proceeds from the sale of the books are channelled towards VoC's work.

Two reviewers examine the books and the various important issues they highlight.

Kailash – The Little Zebra by Quek Sue Yian, illustrated by Khairul Azmir Shiob (44 pages): Before the Great War, the okapis and the zebras lived together in harmony on the savannah. However, when resources became scarce, Strap, an okapi leader, said that the savannah belonged to the okapis. He declared the zebras illegal and ordered them out of their land.

War ensues and it is during these terrible times that Kailash, whose name means "mountain", is born. He is soon separated from his parents and finds himself in a strange land, among strange people. He meets rejection at every turn and is close to death when a young girl decides to take him in.

This is a book about a child refugee's life that you can read with young children (five to eight years old) and that older children (nine to 12 years old) can read independently. The writer depicts the child refugee's harsh reality in simple terms – no sugar-coating.

Children will be able to empathise with Kailash and his confusion about his identity, his longing to belong and fit in with his peers, and how he questions his self-worth.

The introduction by UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency) Malaysia is the perfect opener for readers who might not know exactly what the word "refugee" means. It describes simply why families become refugees and how it affects children.

The "Notes to Parents and Teachers" at the end of the story provides learning points to aid in discussions. Engage your child through the "Let's Discuss" exercises that require him to put himself in the child refugee's shoes to help him understand what it means to be a refugee. Your child will then probably ask how they can help to make things better for the child refugee. When he does, show him the "What You Can Do" list at the beginning of the book. – Louise Manjaji

Cats In The Rubbish by Laura Comerford & Peter Worthington, illustrated by Queenie Chow (30 pages): Cats In The Rubbish is a story about street children, told using cats as characters.

Nick the cat lives in the city's rubbish dump with a gang of cats like himself. The introduction is friendly enough. The tone of the story is positive despite the bleak setting of a dump. The writer shares the nature of street children's happiness at the sight and sound of a garbage truck. Where we shy away or wrinkle our noses at garbage trucks, these rubbish dump cats delight in its presence as this ensures their survival.

The writer walks us through the trials of Nick and his gang as they fight for everything from food to territory. They are constantly in a state of fear. Being street cats, they are prone to illnesses on top of being exposed to kidnapping, abuse and other horrors one can only imagine. Nick and his friends earn their next meal by trading little treasures they find among the garbage at a local market for food.

They are also sometimes forced to steal to survive, but the act of stealing is properly addressed and reprimanded. Parents can rest assured that the writer clearly conveys that it is wrong to steal.

The uncertainty of where the cats' next meal will come from and the exposure to danger from lack of a guardian or shelter give readers a lot to think about.

This book is suitable for children aged from seven to 12 years old. While the language is straightforward, the typeface could be improved with a cleaner-looking one. – Adlin Omar

Fin The Brave by Shalini Gonzaga, illustrated by Koh Joo Na (28 pages): Fin can't wait for the day when he can attend the Reef Adventure School, where he will join his two best friends in exploring the oceans and haunted wrecks. However, his dreams are crushed when he discovers that he and his family do not belong to Paradise Reef and that he can never go to school. Angry and ashamed, he runs away and gets mixed up with the evil Octo Gang. Will he join the Octo Gang and turn into a bad hat? Or will he stay true to his friends and family?

Children will be able to relate to Fin's excitement and joys of friendship, and the subsequent confusion, disappointment and fear that he faces when he learns of his stateless status. The term stateless may mean nothing to your child, but he will certainly be able to relate to the emotions. He might just ask a few fundamental questions after reading it.

The foreword in the beginning of the book and descriptions at the end of the story provide a concise definition of the what, where, how and why of stateless children, and include the problems and risks that they face. This information can be used as an excellent springboard for further discussion.

I find the segment that suggests ways for children to help stateless children very good, as it empowers children by showing them how they can make changes.

The writer tells the story in a manner that will appeal to older children, yet uses simple language forms and words that can be easily understood by young children. She combines a child's exuberance for life with a marine environment, and contexts that are familiar to children across a broad range of age groups.

Parents and teachers should read this with young children (five to eight years old) to raise awareness about stateless children and families. Older children (nine to 12 years old) can read this book independently and discuss the issues at hand with an adult. – LM

The Little Dancing Bear by Peter Worthington, illustrated by Samantha Robinson (24 pages): The predicament of child labourers is examined in The Little Dancing Bear by using the character of a bear so that children can empathise with those less fortunate than themselves. In a way, it provides a gentle introduction to a tragedy.

The story tells of the plight of children who are forced into labour years before their time. The harsh reality of child labour is never a pleasant subject, and neither is the story of The Little Dancing Bear. The writer does not pull his punches as he takes us through the everyday life of a dancing bear that has to work to earn its keep. The little bear is punished when it fails to make enough money.

When the little bear runs away from its master, we are given a glimpse of street children's survival instincts in making it through each day.

This book may affect impressionable little ones as it paints a gritty picture of child labourers' poor living conditions. Depending on the child's level of maturity, he or she might well need parental guidance when reading this book.

Much as one might expect of children with no shelter, the bear succumbs to his ill health and – shockingly, for a children's book – dies. To provide a lift after that sad moment, though, the writer introduces the idea of a bear heaven and a spirit freed from its mortal chains.

Though presented in a form that is geared towards children between the ages four and six, the message would be more suitable for children aged eight and above. The thoughtful child will take a step back and take stock of their privileged lives. And that may be the beginning of change. – AO

Each book costs RM35, except for Kailash which is RM50. A set of four is sold at RM140. The books can be purchased at the Silverfish bookstore in Kuala Lumpur (No. 28-1, Jalan Telawi, Bangsar Baru; e-mail info@silverfishbooks.com or go to silverfishbooks.com) or at VoC (No. 29C, Third Floor, Jalan 52/1, Petaling Jaya; call 03-7960 4776 or visit voc.org.my).

What sort of children’s book writer do you want to be?

Posted: 09 Dec 2012 07:29 AM PST

What sort of children's book writer do you want to be? Making money is great but wouldn't it be good to do that with a product of the best possible quality rather than one that is merely good enough?

IT always cheers me to come across children's and young adult books with Asian, especially Malaysian, content, even better if these books are the work of Asians.

It puzzles me that not more of these books are getting published. I teach creative writing and I know that there are Malaysians who write very well and who could, if they put their minds to it, produce good books. Of course, they would have to then find a publisher willing to give their stories a chance, and also devote time (and money) to getting them ready for publication.

At an editing class that I took recently, the facilitators used actual manuscripts they'd worked on to explain certain editing processes and techniques. It transpired that one of the manuscripts was the soon-to-be-published debut work of an author who had, a couple of years ago, conducted a creative writing workshop in Kuala Lumpur, which I'd had the good fortune of attending. One of the other participants at the editing workshop was puzzled: Why did this author's work need editing when she was a creative writing teacher?

It's a little like how doctors are advised not to treat members of their own family. You tend to lose objectivity when it's someone close to you. And this is also the case when you've spent years working on a book. If an editor has accepted your book for publication, she has seen its potential and believes in it, yet has enough distance to give you objective and constructive advice on how to make it an even better piece of work.

If your publisher tells you that your work doesn't need editing and will only be proof-read, I would advise you to find another publisher. No one is above being edited, although I dare say some big names don't get edited as much as they should – either they are in a position to insist that no one touches their work (there is no limit to the shamelessness of an inflated ego) or the publishers figure that these authors are so famous, their books will sell even in draft form.

You want your book to be as good as it can possibly be before it hits the bookstores, so hearing that it will be edited and that an editor will be working on it with you, should be music to your ears.

I know a local writer who does very well with her self-published children's books. In my opinion, the books need a lot of editing and one series she's produced has exceptionally hideous illustrations. Still, the books are bestsellers (so I hear) and so perhaps all my talk about editing is a lot of rot. Then again, as we know, some trash sells millions (see Twilight and Fifty Shades Of Grey)....

I guess it boils down to the sort of writer/publisher you want to be. Making money is great but wouldn't it be good to do that with a product of the best possible quality rather than just one that is good enough?

Alexandra Carey's two Ted Ted books are examples of work I feel have much potential but could do with more editing than they seem to have undergone.

To begin with, I feel that the plots of the books (Ted Ted And The Dhobi Ghats and Trouble In Tokyo) are too similar as they are both about Ted Ted going missing, his owner Tilly coping with her loss, and how the toy eventually finds his way home again.

Furthermore, I think the books would work better as illustrated early-readers than as picture books. They have generally more text and less artwork than the average picture book, the text stands quite well on its own, and the stories do not rely on picture-propelled page-turns to move forward – the way they would if they were picture books.

I would also work out a better way of explaining certain place names and difficult words used than placing them in parentheses.

For example the placement of the parentheses in the following sentence seems to confuse things further: "The location of this calamity was Mumbai in India (which used to be called Bombay)."

I do, however, like the fact that Carey's stories are set in Asian cities. Perhaps there will be more to come, including one about Ted Ted's adventures in Kuala Lumpur. I hope he doesn't get lost again, though!

■ Daphne Lee reads to wonder and wander, be amazed and amused, horrified and heartened and inspired and comforted. She wishes more people will try it too. Send e-mails to the above address and check out her blog at daphne.blogs.com/books.

Bestsellers

Posted: 08 Dec 2012 11:25 PM PST

FOR the week ending Dec 2, 2012:

Non-fiction

1. Syed Mokhtar Albukhary: A Biography by Premilla Mohanlall

2. Unstoppable: The Incredible Power Of Faith In Action by Nick Vujicic

3. 1D: The One Direction Story by Danny White

4. The Wisdom And Teachings Of Stephen R. Covey by Stephen R. Covey

5. Creating A Purposeful Life by Richard Fox

6. The Magic by Rhonda Byrne

7. Chicken Soup For The Soul: The Gift Of Christmas by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen & Amy Newmark

8. Life Without Limits by Nick Vujicic

9. Achieve Your Goals by Infinite Ideas

10. Justin Bieber: Just Getting Started (100% Official) by Justin Bieber

Fiction

1. Life Of Pi by Yann Martel

2. The Hobbit (movie tie-in) by J.R.R. Tolkien

3. Fifty Shades Of Grey by E.L. James

4. The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling

5. The Sins Of The Father by Jeffrey Archer

6. The Garden Of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng

7. The Columbus Affair by Steve Berry

8. One Hundred Names by Cecelia Ahern

9. Charm Bracelet by Melissa Hill

10. Standing In Another Man's Grave by Ian Rankin

■ Weekly list compiled by MPH Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur; www.mphonline.com.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Ahad, 9 Disember 2012

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

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