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Children's Book Week 2016 - Up Close with Heidi Shamsuddin

21/5/2016

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Heidi Shamsuddin worked as a lawyer in UK and ran a cafe in Malaysia in a previous life. She won the first prize of the Eye Level Children’s Literature Competition (Regional level) with her short story “Johan the Bee Hunter” in 2012. She began writing The Door Under the Stairs chapter book series in 2013. Heidi loves traveling, hiking, taking pictures, cooking and meeting people. She lives in Selangor with her husband, three kids and two cats. 
​1. What makes you laugh?
Silly situations in books and movies, funny words like 'iron' and 'picnic', and our kitten Atticus who likes to leap all over the place like a rabbit.
Heidi Shamsuddin, children's book author
Heidi Shamsuddin
2. Why do you like children's books?
Children's books have the best, most outrageously funny stories and characters.
The Mystery of the Missing National Anthem - chapter book by Heidi Shamsuddin, illustrated by Lim Lay Koon
Book 1 of The Door Under the Stairs series
The Case of The Talented Trio - chapter book by Heidi Shamsuddin, illustrated by Lim Lay Koon
Book 2 of The Door Under the Stairs series
The Case of The Football Champion - chapter book by Heidi Shamsuddin, illustrated by Lim Lay Koon
Book 3 of The Door Under the Stairs series
3. What is your favourite food?
Durian. No! I'm joking! have lots of favourite foods, but at the moment I am crazy about Mango Sticky Rice.
4. Draw or doodle a self portrait.
Sure, but I have to warn you that I'm not a great drawer of things.
Self doodle - Heidi Shamsuddin, children's book author
Self portrait of Heidi!
​5. What inspires you?
What inspires me? Everything - family, friends, people who annoy me, places I've travelled to, things I've read and random conversations. ​

Heidi Shamsuddin will be conducting a Storytime session at the upcoming Children's Book Week on Wednesday, 1 June at the Concourse, Bangsar Village II.

Mark your calendars and don't miss the exciting time travel tales from Heidi's The Door Under the Stairs chapter book series!
Heidi Shamsuddin, children's book author
Heidi in action!
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Children's Book Week 2016 - Get Inspired with Nor Azhar Ishak

19/5/2016

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Nor Azhar Ishak is a science museum educator and award-winning picture book writer/illustrator who is passionate about children’s books. He has won the consolation prize in the DBP Picture Book Award 2013, and the YGL-Oyez! Picture Book Award. His favourite pastimes include painting in batik and acrylics and sharing stories whilst his favourite people are children! 
Nor Azhar Ishak, children's book author and illustrator
Nor Azhar Ishak
1. What inspires you?
As far as I can remember, I have always loved looking at pictures and making one. My father loves art and my mother is the creative one. My sisters helped shape my interest in children’s books. But as time went by, I fell in love with children’s picture book. They look simple yet there is a great deal of thought and effort that goes into making one. We need more picture books which children enjoy, get inspired with, are heartfelt and also thought provoking. I am inspired to create more of such. There are so many children books that I find inspiring but Dr. Seuss books often touch me deeply.
Under the Sea - children's picture book by Nor Azhar Ishak, published by Oyez!Books
Batik illustration from Under the Sea by Nor Azhar Ishak
2. What is your favourite story and why?
Some of my favourite children’s books are the ones written by Enid Blyton especially the Faraway Tree stories. I also love reading folk stories from Malaysia and around the world. Some of my favourite books include the Cerita Cerita Rakyat collections which my sisters often borrowed from the National Library Malaysia back when it was located at Wisma Sachdev. There were also books on similar stories published by Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka which I kept (and read!) until today. What attracted me most about these stories are the richness of what is beyond our known little world and how exciting the mind is when opened up to infinite possibilities!
3. Draw or doodle your own self portrait.
Nor Azhar Ishak, children's book author and illustrator
Self portait by Azhar!
Nor Azhar Ishak, children's book author and illustrator
The real Azhar at work.
4. What country would you like to visit and why?
I am fortunate to have been able to visit a number of countries so I do not have any in particular at the moment. However, I would love to take some time to explore more of what Malaysia has got to offer!
5. Why do you think children should read?
My favourite author-illustrator, Eric Carle once said that picture books are an introduction to literature for the very young reader. I hope to be able to encourage children to see how wonderful it is to be surrounded and touched by books. Books are rich in many ways and reading them will inspire children, encourage them to think creatively and critically and perhaps offer companionship during difficult times.

Nor Azhar Ishak is conducting two Storytime sessions - Under the Sea, and two Craft sessions - Create Your Own Accordian Book at Children's Book Week 2016 on Monday, 30th May and Tuesday 31st May at the Concourse, Bangsar Village II.

Don't miss out on this fun and exciting event!
Picture
Nor Azhar Ishak in storytelling mode at The Great Book Adventure event last year.
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Children's Book Week 2016 - Getting to Know Peter Worthington

18/5/2016

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Peter Worthington was a global partner of a consulting firm until his retirement in 2006. He has spent 30 years in Asia and first arrived in Johore Bahru, Malaysia in 1963 as a Lieutenant in the British Army. He worked in Hong Kong from 1983-1990 and spent 10 years in Indonesia with his young family before moving to Singapore. He currently calls Malaysia his home. A prolific writer, he has also written a three-book series of space adventures, a series of stories on the environment and a series of picture books for young children. 
Peter Worthington, children's book author, published by Oyez!Books
Peter Worthington
1. What is the best day of your life?
I don’t know, it’s just great to be alive!
2. Why do you like writing children’s books?
Well, they are fun to write. You can let your imagination run wild. You are not constrained by facts. For instance, I have written a series about a young stegosaurus (dinosaur) and a young elephant who meet in the forbidden forest when they are hiding from T-Rex. The dinosaurs died out 60 million years before the first elephant appeared on earth. But that doesn't matter to a six year old.
Buster's Walkabout - Early Readers by Peter Worthington, illustrated by Nur Azmi Mokhtar, published by Oyez!Books
Buster's Walkabout - Early Readers by Peter Worthington, illustrated by Nur Azmi Mokhtar
3. What are your top 3 tips on writing stories for children?
You can dream up an idea or see something that sparks an idea and then just let you imagination run wild. Let your characters take you where they want to go. This is what I do and in the end I often have enough material for more than one book which is great because children love series. They love spending their time with their favourite characters. With this in mind  I develop my characters and engage them in more and more adventures. But there is one important thing to remember. Children are very observant and they need their characters to be realistic and consistent. As you develop your series your characters will change as you grow to know them better.  It is very important, therefore,  that at the end of writing your series you go back through the earlier books to make sure your characters are realistic in a child’s mind.
4. Tell us something about yourself that no one knows.
The Case of the Billion Dollar Threat - Llewellyn the Ghost chapter book series by Peter Worthington, published by Oyez!Books
Book 1 of Llewellyn the Ghost chapter book series by Peter Worthington
The Case of RR International - Llewellyn the Ghost chapter book series by Peter Worthington, published by Oyez!Books
Book 2 of Llewellyn the Ghost chapter book series by Peter Worthington
I love ghost stories. I have loved them ever since I was a child growing up in a draughty old house in London. I was sure a friendly boy ghost visited my bedroom at night. Probably my imagination but that’s where Llewellyn, the boy ghost comes from combined with an old ruined castle I know in Wales. Llewellyn is a series of tales of how a 700 year old boy ghost teams up with an English boy and a very modern American girl as they set out to save the world from evil men who will stop at nothing until they rule the world.
5. What do you do when you are not writing children's books?
Life is great when I have a new idea for a children’s book and I can let my thoughts rip. But you can’t write all the time and I enjoy reading historical novels and scientific facts about rare animals and creatures that have long since disappeared like dinosaurs.

Peter Worthington will be conducting two Storytime sessions at the upcoming Children's Book Week 2016 on Sunday, 29th May and Monday, 30th May at the Concourse, Bangsar Village II.

Admission is FREE for Storytime sessions - bring the kids for some storytelling fun!
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Children's Book Week 2016 - Sixty Seconds with Evi Shelvia

14/5/2016

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Evi Shelvia is a popular illustrator of a number of children’s picture books. Her books have been published in Malaysia, Indonesia and USA. Her illustrations are loved for their detail, bright and cheerful colours with perfect rendition of expressions complemented by Evi’s own brand of humour. Her books include I'm Sorry, Frog Loses His Memory, The Castle Library, The Wild Treehouse of Borneo, The Tremendous Trio, Negaraku, Pewarna Langit, and The Gift of the Ladybug. 
​1. What are your 3 tips on illustrating for children?
Find the good story, sketch, and enjoy! 
Picture
Evi Shelvia
I'm Sorry - children's picture book by Evi Shelvia
I'm Sorry by Evi Shelvia
​2. What makes you laugh?
Fun chat with friends and family.
3. Who is your favourite author/ illustrator and why?
I like the simple creative ideas of Oliver Jeffers and Emily Gravett, meticulous sketches of Shaun Tan, intriguing illustrations of Mattias Adolfsson, Jill Barklem for gorgeous details, Lat for bringing culture smoothly into comics.
4. Why do you like children’s books?
I love reading the pictures on children's books.
5. Draw or doodle of yourself doing something you enjoy.
OK. Here I am having tea with 2 characters I made, The Turtle and The Silly Monkey.
Evi Shelvia illustration

Evi Shelvia will be conducting an Activity session - Draw and Colour Your Favourite Animals at the upcoming Children's Book Week 2016 on Monday, 30th May at the Concourse, Bangsar Village II.

​Don't miss this chance to meet Evi for an enjoyable afternoon of drawing and colouring!
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Children's Book Week 2016 - Up Close with Fengyi Lai

12/5/2016

1 Comment

 
Fengyi Lai was born in Malacca. She graduated from The One Academy, majoring in Graphic Design and Illustration. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Hertforshire in 2013. Fengyi is passionate about illustrating children’s book and enjoys using different mediums. Her passion for design is linked to her desire to inspire people everyday with her art.
1. What do you like to do on Sundays?
I enjoy spending quality time with my family and friends. Whether we are making dinner or watching movies, going thrift shopping or grabbing a quick lunch, as long as I am amongst great company with good conversation, I am happy.
2. Why do you like children's books?
I enjoy a lot of bedtime stories - flipping through children's picture books just makes me relax after a long day at work. I get lots of pleasure and inspiration from them, and it's cool when your ideas and imagination become visible. 
Picture
Fengyi Lai
3. Draw or doodle your favourite animal.
Dinosaurs!
Dinosaur Sketches by Fengyi Lai, illustrator of Do Dinosaur's Share? - children's picture book by Feng Feng Hutchins
4. What is the best day of your life?
I have many best days in my life. But if I can only pick one, then it'll be the day when my parents agreed to let me further my studies in Art and Design and then later on majoring in Illustration. I was a science stream students, so it was tough for them. Haha! 
5. Who is your favourite author/illustrator and why?
I love Eric Carle's book, I love the way how he plays with textures and bold colors. And also local illustrator, Lim Heng Swee's earlier works (寻找遗失的乐园 and 美丽人生).

Fengyi Lai made her debut as a children's book illustrator in the delightful book written by Feng Feng Huthins  - Do Dinosaurs Share?
She will be conducting two Craft time sessions - Make Your Own Dinosaur Egg! - during Children's Book Week 2016 on Saturday, 28th May and Sunday, 29th May at the Concourse, Bangsar Village II.  

​
Mark your calendars and b
ring the kids for some Dino fun!
Do Dinosaurs Share? - children's picture book by Feng Feng Hutchins, illustrated by Fengyi Lai, published by Oyez!Books
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