Kids play at Singapore’s East Coast Park. Image – Getty iStockphoto: SkyImages
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
Familiar Book Awards, Brand-New Festival
As you may remember, the Singapore Book Council staged its 15th Asian Festival of Children’s Content May 23 to 26.
In a don’t-sit-down-yet burst of energy, the Singapore Book Publishers Association has announced its first Singapore Children’s Book Festival, now set for June 21 to 23 at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Campus 2.
Supported by the National Arts Council of Singapore, the new festival is to feature an illustrators’ gallery; children’s activities in a “Kids’ Fringe” area; programming; storytelling, a “festival bazaar” and a festival bookstore; and the Singapore Book Awards, recognizing strong work published in 2023.
An older sibling to the new festival staging them, the Singapore Book Awards were introduced in 2012 and cover work in fiction, nonfiction, children’s books, design, and an over-arching “book of the year” selection.
Below are the shortlists in the book awards’ 12 categories, which make it clear that the contest, unlike the festival, is not confined to young people’s reading.
Singapore Book Awards 2024 Shortlists
Literary Work
- The Enigmatic Madam Ingram, by Meihan Boey (Epigram Books)
- The Second Link, edited by Daryl Lim Wei Jie, Hamid Roslan, Melizarani T. Selva, William Tham (Marshall Cavendish International)
- Catskull, by Myle Yan Tay (Ethos Books)
- Nine Yard Sarees, by Prasanthi Ram (Ethos Books)
Nonfiction Title
- Strictly Business: The Kwek Leng Beng Story, by Peh Shing Huei (World Scientific Publishing)
- Not Without Us: Perspectives on Disability and Inclusion, edited by Kuansong Victor Zhuang, Meng Ee Wong and Dan Goodley (Ethos Books)
- Art of Joy: The Journey of Yip Yew Chong by Woon Tai Ho (World Scientific Publishing)
- The Price of Being Fair: The FairPrice Group Story, edited by Sue-Ann Chia and Peh Shing Huei (The Nutgraf Books)
- A New World in the Making: Life and Architecture in Tropical Asia, by Tay Kheng Soon (NUS Press)
Illustrated Nonfiction Title
- Liu Kuo-Sung: Experimentation as Method, by Cai Heng (National Gallery Singapore)
- Goh Keng Swee: A Singaporean for All Seasons, by Felix Cheong and Cheah Sinann (Marshall Cavendish International)
- Twenty Years of Wild Rice, by Alfian Sa’at (Epigram Books)
Custom Publishing Title
- Five Stones and a Sling, by Arthur Kiong, David Shaw and Cassandra Yeap (Marshall Cavendish International)
- No Complaints & No Regrets, by Louis B Soliano (Opus Editorial)
- The Sentosa Story (Redbean De)
- On the Road Again (Epigram Books)
Young Person’s Fiction Title
- Escape from Bussorah Street, by A.K. Zai (Epigram Books)
- Afterlife: The Boy Next Realm, by Gina Chew and Nadhir Nor (Difference Engine)
- Mammals Get Schooled, by Maureen Yeo and Elizabeth Goh (Epigram Books)
- Our Singapore River, by Tina Sim and Alan Bay (WS Education)
- Freddy the Dogged Rescuer, by Swapnil Mishra (Epigram Books)
Young Person’s Nonfiction Title
- World of Science Heroes: Our Innovators, by Benedict Boo and Alan Bay (WS Education)
- Science Battles: Toto Enters the Virus Universe, by Kim Jeongwook, Lee Yoochul and Carmen Chan (WS Education)
- Secrets of Singapore: Spectacular Sports, by Lesley-Anne and Monica Lim (Epigram Books)
Picture Book
- The ABCs of Old Singapore, by Hwee Goh and Jayne Ong (Epigram Books)
- Theodore Finds His Spot, by Mabelle Yeo Hui Leng and See Hui Qin (Armour Publishing)
- Orang and Hutan, by J.H. Low (Marshall Cavendish International)
- Miss Jug Finds a Home, by Sophia Huang and Evelyn Ghozalli (Marshall Cavendish International)
- Baiknya Hadi, by Kaniz Zahra and Wina Witaria (Mama, nak)
Educational Title
- MPaH Maths 4E Pupil’s Book 3A, by Dr Fong Ho Kheong, Dr Darren J. Yeo and Dr Foo Kum Fong (Marshall Cavendish Education)
- Buku Text Bahasa Melayu JATI Lanjutan Menengah 3 (Marshall Cavendish Education)
- IThink (ILoveReading.SG)
- I (ILoveReading.SG)
- Inspire (ILoveReading.SG)
Food Book
- Chinese Pastry School, by Yeo Min (Marshall Cavendish International)
- Masak-Masak: Asian Cooking for Kids, by Elena Yeo and Arti Daryanani (Epigram Books)
- Growing Up in a Nonya Kitchen, by Sharon Wee (Marshall Cavendish International)
Marketing Campaign
- Amazing Ash & Superhero Ah Ma: End of an Era (Difference Engine)
- The American Boyfriend (Penguin Random House SEA)
- Maths Campaign: MPaH 4th edition Workbook 3A (Marshall Cavendish Education)
Professional Title
- The Future of Work: Social Commerce and Martech, by Joanna Hutchins (Marshall Cavendish International)
- THINK. COACH. THRIVE. Fortifying Antifragility in Organisations through Workplace Coaching, by Dr Henry Toi and Thomas Lim (Write Editions)
- Leaders People Love, by Yeo Chuen Chuen (Penguin Random House SEA)
- The Friday Email: 88 Tips for Aspiring Leaders, by Renée McGowan (World Scientific Publishing)
Cover Design
- My Mother Pattu (Penguin Random House SEA)
- A New World in the Making: Life and Architecture in Tropical Asia (NUS Press)
- Shicha (Time Difference) (Writers Press)
- Afterlife: The Boy Next Realm (Difference Engine)
- A Walk With My Pig (Pagesetters Services)
An awards ceremony, part of the new Children’s Book Festival, is set for 6 p.m. on July 24 at the National Library. The event includes a buffet dinner. Information on ticketing is here.
More from Publishing Perspectives on Singapore and its publishing scene is here, more on children’s books is here, and more on the international book publishing industry’s book awards programs is here.
