New Reads in Singapore: The latest books for kids and adults

We’ve had quite a few new books cross our desk recently at Sassy Mama, and with so many of them wonderfully relevant to Singapore life, we thought we’d round them up into a handy little list so that you may enjoy them just as much as we have — and there’s plenty for kids in this list too, mama!

The Adventures of Squirky the Alien

The first in what we hope will be a long series of children’s books on adoption from an Asian perspective, The Adventures of Squirky the Alien is one of the newest books to hit the library shelves recently and it’s certainly a welcome addition. Penned by Singaporean mother and published author, Melanie Lee, this charming story follows the journey of Squirky as he navigates a world in which he’s that little bit different to those around him — including his family. Our 4-year-old was delighted to follow this tale (aliens, spaceships and UFOs engage young audiences easily) while the inherent message about adoption, identity and discovering one’s origin was clear and easy for our little one to understand.

Available at all major book retailers in Singapore.

 

ABC Me

We all know that most kids believe the world revolves around them and with ABC Me’s children’s books that belief is now reality (in print that is)! The first personalised children’s book publisher in South East Asia, ABC Me’s books are customised so that your child is the star of the story — with clever little additions along the way to really engage and excite your littlies. Their first book, The Perfect Name is exactly as the title suggests — a narrative that spells out your child’s name using colourful and bright animals to illustrate the story (it can also include your child’s Chinese name and zodiac too!). Their second option, My ABC Book uses your child’s name as the basis of this classic alphabet book, with catchy, rhyming narratives that capture your child’s attention.

Available online at their website.

 

Sweet Mandarin

If you’re anything like us and are a little bit sub standard in the kitchen, you’ll want to get your hands on a copy of Helen and Lisa Tse’s Sweet Mandarin cookbook. Sharing original family recipes (many of which have been handed down through the generations) this delightful cookbook features stunning photography and a whole swag of easy to cook dishes, as well as basic advice on Chinese cookery, plus tips and tricks for stocking your pantry with all those Chinese ingredients you never knew you needed. While it’s not a newbie per se, it is an award-winner that we’ve no doubt you (and your helper) will return to again and again… we only wished we discovered it sooner.

Available from all Kinokuniya book stores.

 

Our Sweet Kitchen: Cakes with Asian Flair

The meer mention of cake is enough to grab our attention, so when this one hit our inbox (and our post box) we sat up and listened. Combining the best of the west (cakes!) with the exotic spices and tropical fruits of the east, Our Sweet Kitchen is an interesting new addition to our cookbook collection. Featuring 50 classic cake recipes with a twist, expect to bake a range of goodies from cupcakes to pound cakes — our 4-year-old was even handy enough to get in the kitchen with us when we whipped up the Caramel Condensed Milk Pound Cake. And it was just as delicious as it sounds!

Available from ToTT’s online store.

 

365 Days of Fun – Recipes for Any Occasion

We’re on a bit of a cooking jag at the moment, and why wouldn’t we be when we get to play in the kitchen with cool cookbooks like ToTT’s new 365 Days of Fun — Recipes for Any Occasion. While it’s not a novel by any means, it is a neat little cookbook that features 24 dishes created by some of Singapore’s favourite chefs (like Audra Morrice from Masterchef Australia, Andrew Wlash from Esquina, and Benjamin Siwek from db Bistro Moderne). Themed around celebrations, like “Movie Nights”, “Ice Cream Social”, and “Outdoor Pet Picnic” you’ll be able to whip up delectable delights that are good enough to make your foodie friends jealous (and perfect for clogging up your Instagram feed, mama).

Available from ToTT — both in store and online.

Top image sourced via Shutterstock