Authorly: Prince Bear & Pauper Bear’s page turn to the printing press!

Just signed off on the reprints of my four-book award-winning Toys series today.

This will be the 9th printing of what is a most precious children’s picture book series to me.

My Toys titles were inspired by my personal testimony of losing my voice to a rare disorder and finding a new God-given voice as an author. ❤️‍🩹

My journey as an author started with my debut picture book Prince Bear & Pauper Bear, which was a Singapore Book Council competition winner back in 2007. I had subconsciously written about a poor teddy bear without a mouth, who could not speak.

At that time (17 years back), I was planning to print 3,000 copies of Prince Bear & Pauper Bear in hard cover.

I received discouraging comments from a few experienced industry folks who told me that I had no idea what I was doing. I was told that local children’s books wouldn’t sell in hard cover as it would be priced too expensively. And that a newbie author like me would be lucky to sell 200-300 soft cover copies.

Ben told me to ignore all those negative voices. So, I went ahead to publish under my own Mustard Seed Books imprint. With tiny mustard seed faith, that if I had God’s favour, I could sell the books. And if I couldn’t, I could always donate the books for charitable purposes.

I look back with gratitude on my author journey, which started with these four Mustard Seed Books and I thank God that these little books have grown in reach – with 150,000 copies in the hands of children (and maybe some adults…😊).

…And purpose – with two of my little mustard seed books Just Teddy and Bunny Finds the Right Stuff baked into Our Daily Bread for kids (through their Discovery House publishing house) for fresh consumption.

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Just Teddy to Little Mimic’s Superpower – Vroom, Zoom, Reading Room

I had the pleasure of doing several online storytelling sessions over the past few weeks.

Introduced my Toy stories to the children of two Artkidz preschools and read Just Teddy, one of the first few books that I wrote when I first started out as an author.

It was heartening to see the children connect with my teddy bear tale which is now 14 years old.

The principal picked a few kids who had questions to come forward to the Zoom screen one after another in a delightful line up.

What is my favourite book? was the most difficult question.

After all, how do I pick a favourite? I told them if I had choose, it would have to be Prince Bear & Pauper Bear, my very first book ever written. Pauper Bear, the teddy bear without a mouth, was after all inspired by my coming-out story about my voice journey.

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I also completed four Zoom Meet-the-Author cum storytelling sessions organised by National Library Board. As part of NLB’s Mobile Library services, I met children from MINDS Fernvale Gardens, MINDS Lee Kong Chian Gardens, Canossian School and Rainbow Centre.

Little Mimic’s Superpower was the starring story in these four storytelling session as I felt his colourful story and superpower would shine through the Zoom sessions. I’m glad that Little Mimic’s colourful journey of discovery connected with the children, several of whom said they like octopuses.

Now, I’m quietening down to grind out a new manuscript. Hope to churn out something meaningful and good in quick time. No pressure…gasp!    

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Just Teddy’s ‘Ordinary Extraordinary’ Taiwanese Immersion Animation!

Just Teddy (Psalm 139:14) just got dubbed in Mandarin in a new animation video produced by Our Daily Bread Ministries Taiwan!

I love how expressive the voice-overs are in this storytelling and how it brings out the translated title ‘Ordinary Extraordinary’ so beautifully. Fearfully and wonderfully made indeed.

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When Mustard Seed baked in Daily Bread sowed for 50,000

When my Mustard Seed Books imprint entered into a collaboration with Our Daily Bread Ministries to publish a Psalm 139 adaptation of Just Teddy, I hoped that it would serve a purpose. I just did not imagine this little picture book to grow to a circulation of 50,000 copies!

I’m encouraged by the number of Just Teddy books that has reached small hands. I hope that it sows seeds in these little ones that they are “fearfully and wonderfully made”.

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Picturing Just Teddy’s “Ordinary Extraordinary” book journey in Taiwan

“Ordinary Extraordinary” is the literal translation of the Taiwanese edition of Just Teddy’s book title.

For me, it also sums up Just Teddy’s entry into Taiwan. It’s been an extraordinary launch of this little ordinary book, with over 30,000 copies printed and distributed to libraries across Taiwan.

Photo credits: Kingdom Revival Times

I’m very encouraged to see how my little mustard seed book has been multiplied with God’s favour through Our Daily Bread Ministries’ Psalm 139 edition of Just Teddy.

I thank God for using my little ordinary book for His extraordinary purpose!

Ps 139: 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  

Related Links:

Kingdom Revival Times: Just Teddy in Taiwan

Taking in Just Teddy with Xiao Long Pao and Our Daily Bread

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Taking in Just Teddy in Taiwan with Xiao Long Pao and Our Daily Bread

I’m bowled over to learn that Just Teddy has just been published in Taiwan! In connection with Our Daily Bread Taiwan’s 25^th Anniversary celebrations, ODB Taiwan printed over 33,000 copies of Just Teddy which has gone into school libraries and public libraries across the country.

Taiwan is known for its xiao long bao, which Din Tai Fung restaurant chain introduced to stomachs here in Singapore (especially Caleb’s). Their chefs work in display kitchens, which allow us to see how each little dumpling is skillfully and wonderfully made.

I hope that readers in Taiwan, in reading my little Just Teddy picture book, will also discover how they are “fearfully and wonderfully made” in the hands of our Creator God.

Ps 139:14 – “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

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When Just Teddy Folded, Crinkled & Rolled with The Kueh Tutus

Delighted to read the review of The Kueh Tutu’s recent dance performance of Just Teddy at The Artground in today’s Straits Times.

Just Teddy’s Fold, Crinkle & Roll interactive dance show at The Artsground on 22 February 2020 (Photo credit: The Kueh Tutus Facebook page)

“The Kueh Tutus, led by choreographer Melissa Quek, is among a handful of arts groups in Singapore focusing solely on young audiences.

Since 2017, the group has regularly performed various works at The Artground, an arts space for children located at Goodman Arts Centre.

Just Teddy, for children aged two to four, is based on a book of the same title by children’s author Emily Lim.

It tells the tale of a teddy bear who feels alone in a shop with other stuffed animals. He is later discovered by a girl who loves him just as he is.

Two performers took on the roles of Teddy and the other characters, using movement to bring to life the various animal characters.

The audience was encouraged to join in at the end and it was nice to see most of the children needed little coaxing to get moving.

Fold, Crinkle, Roll, for those aged three to eight, is a whimsical piece encouraging play and discovery, perhaps especially needed in Singapore, where childhood can be dominated by rules, stress and anxiety rather than free play.

Music and sound were used effectively to capture the attention of the audience and signal changes in mood, as were the performers’ movements as they played with and manipulated objects made of paper.

The whimsical mood was supported by the performers’ light running movements and playful facial expressions as they interacted with each other…”

The full article in Straits Times is here.

Related Links:

Tucking into more Kueh Tutus & Teddy Fun Fare at the Libraries

Fearfully & Wonderfully Made, Bear-hugged & Upliftingly Said (Part 2)

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Tucking into more Kueh Tutus & Teddy Fun Fare at the Libraries

Dance Collective Kueh Tutus is staging more Just Teddy interactive performances for preschoolers and their parents this August! These performances are across different public libraries in Singapore. Tickets are free but you will need to register at the National Library Board website here. Hurry and sign up for the remaining spots for the show!

Related Links:

Just Teddy in charming dance act for preschoolers by Kueh Tutus at SWF

Kueh Tutus Facebook Page – Just Teddy shows

 

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“Read Till It Fell Apart” – Uplifting Words for a Wordsmith to Hear

I was very uplifted yesterday when my dear, dear friend Hwee forwarded me a comment from a reader posted on Hwee’s Bookshare Club. Encouragement like this really helps to keep the writing engine going.

 

 

 

My Toy Titles are now available at Kinokuniya Singapore once more!

You can buy autographed copies of Prince Bear & Pauper Bear, The Tale of Rusty Horse, Just Teddy and Bunny Finds The Right Stuff from the current stash there.

Spotted at Kinokuniya Ngee Ann City – Toy Titles on the top shelf and Little Godwit Finds His Wings two shelves down

Related Links:

Prince Bear & Pauper Bear’s unexpected Front Page brings Sunday Cheer

Write Reflections – Closing the chapter on my 10th writing year

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Singlit’s Precious Little Readers & one Big-Feathered Mystery Reader

Thank you to Gabloverq and Hweezbooks for posting and sharing this with me! Encouragement like this lightens cloudy days like today.

And a big-feathered Mystery Reader reading Little Godwit Finds His Wings to a classroom of kids is very uplifting too. Thanks to my dear, dear friend Arlene who sent this photo of her Significant Other all geared up for the big read!

Related Links:

Little Godwit’s Solo Flight & Finding Wind beneath His Wings

Celebrating my 10 writing years with Prince Bear & Pauper Bear

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