Oyez!Books Store
  • HOME
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT US
  • News Archive
  • OYEZ! SELECT
    • FIRST STEPS
    • GLOBAL KIDS
    • STORIES OF ART
    • SCIENCE STORYBOOKS
    • MUSIC STORYBOOKS
    • DINOSAURS
  • Contact us
  • HOME
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT US
  • News Archive
  • OYEZ! SELECT
    • FIRST STEPS
    • GLOBAL KIDS
    • STORIES OF ART
    • SCIENCE STORYBOOKS
    • MUSIC STORYBOOKS
    • DINOSAURS
  • Contact us
Search

New! Borneo Animals Series

17/3/2017

6 Comments

 
We have seen and read many children's books on animals and are absolutely thrilled with this new Borneo Animal series written by Beverley Hon and illustrated by Lim Lay Koon.
Firstly, these are animals which are found in our backyard, so to speak. Secondly, the books are beautifully written and thirdly, the illustrations are just right. We start with three books in the series: the binturong or bear cat, the tapir and the slow loris. 
Borneo Animals Series : Binturong - picture book by Beverley Hon, illustrated by Lim Lay Koon, published by Oyez!Books
Borneo Animals Series : Tapir - picture book by Beverley Hon, illustrated by Lim Lay Koon, published by Oyez!Books
Borneo Animals Series : Slow Loris - picture book by Beverley Hon, illustrated by Lim Lay Koon, published by Oyez!Books
Beverley grew up in Borneo and had close encounters with many wild animals. To listen to her talk of them is both fascinating and informative and we are glad she has decided to put pen to paper. These books are for the very young, from 3-5 years. There isn't a lot of text but it is succinct and fun to read and recite. 
One can imagine reading the text along with hand movements and facial expressions, such  as 'Slowly, silently, slow loris is never in a hurry'. Then get the children to act it out with you. Crawl, stomp, roll and recite. 
Borneo Animals series by Beverley Hon
Author Beverley Hon
Borneo Animals Series : Slow Loris - picture book by Beverley Hon, illustrated by Lim Lay Koon, published by Oyez!Books
Borneo Animals Series : Binturong - picture book by Beverley Hon, illustrated by Lim Lay Koon, published by Oyez!Books
We expect three more titles to be added later this year including the pangolin and the orangutan with more to come. If you want to make sure an animal is not missed out, just put it down in the comments below.
Note: these books are printed entirely on thick card and sewn in the centre, with wraparound cover. They are in a good square size, making them friendly for both children and the adults reading to them.
6 Comments

New Book: Pak Belang the Tiger

17/3/2017

0 Comments

 
The long-awaited book, Pak Belang the Tiger, will be ready on 18th March. Author Rossiti Aishah Rashidi has had a string of successful animal and environmental-themed books for children. She wrote this one as if she is having a pleasant chat with children, making her text simple and easy to understand. 
Pak Belang the Tiger - picture book by Rossiti Aishah Rashidi, illustrated by Widiyatno, published by Oyez!Books
Picture
Rossiti Aishah Rashidi
Rossiti personally chooses the illustrators she wants for her books. This does not always work well as authors do not necessarily make the right choice - or at least the publishers do not think so! The right illustrations in a picture book are critical and many publishers prefer to choose their own illustrators. Fortunately for Rossiti, she has a successful formula and is sticking to it. Simple text combined with outstanding realistic and detailed illustrations make her books winners. Pak Belang the Tiger is no exception - the illustrations by Indonesian artist Widiyatno are breathtaking.
Pak Belang the Tiger - picture book by Rossiti Aishah Rashidi, illustrated by Widiyatno, published by Oyez!Books
One of Rossiti's book, Puteri Tioman the Green Turtle was awarded the IBBY Honour list for best writing. The same book was also animated by a Taiwan publisher who told us it was used to profile and showcase their animations. When we told them a book on a tiger will be out soon, they immediately begged us to sign the contract with them. And this without seeing the book. We are sure that they will not be disappointed when we finally show them Pak Belang the Tiger at the Bologna Book Fair this April.
Puteri Tioman the Green Turtle - picture book by Rossiti Aishah Rashidi, illustrated by Farrah Ashiela Samsuri, published by Oyez!Books
Pak Belang, as many of us know, is the Malay nickname for tiger and means Mr Stripes. Pak Belang is the King of the Malaysian forest. He is a carnivore and a top predator. But one animal is not afraid of him. Guess which? Pak Belang is a good swimmer but is not so good at climbing. He kills his prey instantly with a bite on the neck. However, Pak Belang has one great enemy – humans. Today, there are not many tigers left in the wild. Pak Belang, the Malayan tiger is on the list of critically endangered animals. 
Pak Belang the Tiger - picture book by Rossiti Aishah Rashidi, illustrated by Widiyatno, published by Oyez!Books
This information and other fascinating facts are found in the book. Whether reading alone or being read to, children are likely to find the book engrossing. Teachers and educators may also use the book as an additional  resource. Rossiti is a frequent speaker on environmental issues. Write to us at [email protected] if you wish to invite her to your school. 
Add this valuable and beautiful book to your home or school library.
0 Comments

New Books by Emila Yusof

17/3/2017

0 Comments

 
One of our more prolific authors, Emila Yusof, has added two more picture books to her collection. However, these books are different from the others such as her very popular Dina series - My Mother's Garden, My Mother's Kitchen and My Father's Farm -  and her bestselling Legendary Princesses of Malaysia.
Emila Yusof
Emila Yusof
My Mother's Garden by Emila Yusof published by Oyez!Books
My Mother's Kitchen by Emila Yusof published by Oyez!Books
My Father's Farm by Emila Yusof published by Oyez!Books
Legendary Princesses of Malaysia by Emila Yusof published by Oyez!Books
Hearts, her latest picture book, is a wordless book. Done in her favourite medium, water colour, the illustrations have softer colours and feel. Appropriately so, the story is about a girl finding a bottle of hearts and returning each heart to the owner. When she finds one heart broken, she mends it carefully. Unable to locate the owner, she wears the heart on her sleeve hoping that somehow the owner may recognise and claim it. Meanwhile, the 'heartless' owner is angry and destructive.
There are many layers to this story and the use of metaphors in the illustrations is rather clever. While not strictly for children, a child will enjoy the more direct messages of the story. Read into it whatever you wish and it will probably speak to you in different ways at different times and that's the job of a good book.
Hearts by Emila Yusof, wordless picture book published by Oyez!Books
Hearts by Emila Yusof, wordless picture book published by Oyez!Books
Emila's next picture book is Puteri Gunung Ledang, written in Bahasa Malaysia. The story of the Princess from Mount Ledang has appeared in books, movies and plays and it is rather surprising that Emila has chosen to add to the plethora. But Emila explains that she wishes to convey the Princess's  feelings as if Emila herself was standing behind the Princess. This contrasts with many stories, especially those written for children, where the Princess is rather passive. Indeed, the original story was likely told to show how great and powerful the Sultan of Melaka was. Although he didn't win her hand, it was not because he lacked the power but because he was conscious of his duty towards his heir and country.  
Puteri Gunung Ledang by Emila Yusof, published by Oyez!Books
Emila's illustrations for Puteri Gunung Ledang uses the motifs of Malaysian batik sarongs which can be seen in the repeated floral and plant designs placed symmetrically. However, unlike the bright colours of batik, Emila uses primarily red, yellow, grey and white, resulting in a subdued effect. 
Puteri Gunung Ledang by Emila Yusof, published by Oyez!Books
The story is told in poetry which gives it drama and pathos, suitable for a play. This is definitely one book to add to your collection if you are a fan of folktales and a collector of beautiful picture books. 
Note: We  would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the editor, Datuk Hjh Zaiton Ajamain.
0 Comments

Timun Emas Retold and Illustrated by Evi Shelvia

27/12/2016

0 Comments

 
Timun Emas is an Indonesian folktale of a woman who longed for a child. Her wish was granted by a giant but there was a price. When the child has grown, the giant will come for her. That seemed like so far away and her desire so great that the woman agreed without further ado. The giant gave the woman some cucumber seeds with instructions that she should plant and take good care of them. The woman did as she was told and one day, one of the golden cucumbers ripened and inside was a beautiful baby girl. The woman named her child Timun Emas. ​
Timun Emas, Indonesian folktale retold and illustrated by Evi Shelvia, published by Oyez!Books
This folktale is similar to the story of Thumbelina from Denmark where a little child was born from the flower of barley corn. In another way, it is also similar to a German folktale, Rumpelstiltskin where a goblin helped a woman but the price was her firstborn. 
How these stories come about, we can only guess. Folktales certainly reflect our shared humanity and much have been written about them and their meanings and significance. As an example, this story has been interpreted to mean the empowerment of women for in all cases, the women found a way to overcome a bad situation. 
We are happy to present Evi Shelvia's retelling of this Indonesian folktale and she has added a delightful creature, the Kuda Kepang. Evi's gorgeous illustrations make this story all the more delightful and the book will be one to keep and treasure.  
Timun Emas, Indonesian folktale retold and illustrated by Evi Shelvia, published by Oyez!Books
Timun Emas, Indonesian folktale retold and illustrated by Evi Shelvia, published by Oyez!Books
The publication date for this book is 30 December 2016 and will be made available for online purchase at www.oyezbookstore.com.
0 Comments

The Story of a Book: Through The Windows of a Train

18/12/2016

1 Comment

 
Have you ever sat in a train and looked through the windows and wondered where everyone is heading? Who are your fellow travellers and what are the places you have passed? And then you arrived at your destination almost with regret for the journey was certainly part of the pleasure. 
Picture
Well, Lucia Hiratsuka thought about this too and wrote and illustrated a book, Na janela do trem which translated from the original Portuguese language into English is, Through The Windows of a Train.
Na Janela Do Trem by Lucia Hiratsuka
Of Japanese descent, Lucia was born and raised in Brazil. She grew up on her father's farm which was called Asahi meaning 'morning sun' in Japanese. The farm was located in Duartina in the countryside of Sao Paulo. She first traveled by train with her grandmother and since then has always enjoyed traveling by train and looking through the windows.
Here are a few illustrations from the book. 
Na Janela Do Trem by Lucia Hiratsuka
Na Janela Do Trem by Lucia Hiratsuka
Na Janela Do Trem by Lucia Hiratsuka
Na Janela Do Trem by Lucia Hiratsuka
This story is not finished yet as Oyez!Books is bringing this lovely book to Malaysian children in Bahasa Malaysia. In November 2015, Oyez!Books rights director, Lei, went to the Shanghai International Children's Bookfair. There she met Antonio Erivan, rights director of Cortez Editora. Antonio showed her many books including Na janelo do trem. At the same time, Oyez!books was looking for suitable books to translate and we have also received information from the Brazilian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur that we may apply for a translation grant from the Fundação Biblioteca Nacional which is the National Library of Brazil. 
After much deliberation, (on the shortlist were beautiful illustrated books on the animals of the Amazon) we selected Na janelo do trem because we love Lucia's simple illustrations and because the story is one that a Malaysian child can relate to.
In October this year, we were informed that our application for a translation grant was successful. It was enough to cover the translation and editing cost (which was from Protuguese to English to Bahasa Malaysia as we couldn't find anyone suitable who could do a direct translation from Portuguese to Bahasa Malaysia.)
We are now in the process of getting the book ready for publication early next year. Can't wait! Stay tuned for further update!
1 Comment

The Fairy Tale Life of Hans Christian Andersen

18/12/2016

1 Comment

 
Hans Christian Andersen was born on 2 April 1805 in Denmark, an only child. His father encouraged his love of literature and his mother, although uneducated herself, believed in and encouraged her son. Hans was a weak child with poor health. His mother spent a lot of time with Hans, telling him stories, often using puppets and a makeshift theatre. Hans grew up loving stories and the theatre and decided he wanted to be an actor. 
He went to Copenhagen to find work as an actor but was not successful. He was tall and ungainly and not a particularly good actor. After many failures, Hans tried his hand at writing. His first book, a collection of fairy tales which was published in 1835, was not an immediate success. But Andersen did not give up. He continued writing. Ten years later, his stories began to receive recognition and were translated into other languages. His fame and his stories began to spread all over the world. 
One of Hans's more popular stories is The Ugly Duckling. This story is almost like the life of Hans Christian Andersen. Hans's success is a tribute to his parents who looked at the ugly duckling and saw a beautiful swan. 
Less known here but also one of Hans Christian Andersen's popular stories is The Last Dream of the Old Oak Tree. This story tells about the long life of an oak tree and all that it has witnessed. Compare that with the life of a mayfly which was only one (human) day. However, for the mayfly, the one day is a long life and it is measured in many moments. This story was published in 1858 when Andersen was 53 and already famous. Writing this story, Andersen must have been thinking of his life and how much he had to be thankful. For in the end, this story ends on a hopeful note, recognising the beauty and inevitability of life.
The Last Dream of The Old Oak Tree - Hans Christian Andersen adaptation, illustrated by Chooi Ling Keiong, published by Oyez!Books
The Last Dream of the Old Oak Tree was republished by Oyez!Books in 2015 and illustrated by Chooi Ling Keong. Chooi Ling used a combination of medium including colour pencils. She loved using colour pencils for their soft and gentle feel although it took a long time to achieve the effect she wanted.
Take a look at the book and you will see the love that has gone into the illustrations. We think Andersen would be very happy with the illustrations, don't you think?
The Last Dream of The Old Oak Tree - Hans Christian Andersen adaptation, illustrated by Chooi Ling Keiong, published by Oyez!Books
The Last Dream of The Old Oak Tree - Hans Christian Andersen adaptation, illustrated by Chooi Ling Keiong, published by Oyez!Books
The Last Dream of The Old Oak Tree - Hans Christian Andersen adaptation, illustrated by Chooi Ling Keiong, published by Oyez!Books
Trivia: Do you know, Hans Christian Andersen was a contemporary of Charles Dickens. Hans loved visiting England and he enjoyed Dickens's company. He would turn up at Dickens's house and unfortunately, he would stay so long and outstay his welcome. 
Picture
Andersen portrait By Christian Albrecht Jensen
Picture
Statue in Central Park, New York commemorating Andersen and The Ugly Duckling By Dismas - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0
1 Comment

Around the World in Picture Books - Spain

14/10/2016

1 Comment

 
For our Around the World in Picture Books Giveaway for October, here is a beautiful picture book from Spain!  
The Riddles of the King of the Sea
Buchmann Editions. Madrid, Spain
Hardcover
Author: Paloma Ulloa.
Illustrator: Claudia Moya
Format: 24 x 32 cm, 32 Pages
The King of the Sea is furious because he is bored, no one in the whole court can understand him, neither the buffoon fish, nor the juggling octopus, nor the dolphin orchestra. That would not be so terrible if it were not because the island that is next to the Royal Palace had to suffer the consequences of the storms that rises everytime the King loses his temper. So Daniel, an adventurous and intelligent child, decides to challenge the King and in this way arises the Feast of Riddles.
The Riddles of The King of The Sea - Around the World in Picture Books October Giveaway Oyez!Books
Here are some lovely illustrations from this book:
The Riddles of The King of The Sea - Around the World in Picture Books October Giveaway Oyez!Books
The Riddles of The King of The Sea - Around the World in Picture Books October Giveaway Oyez!Books
The Riddles of The King of The Sea - Around the World in Picture Books October Giveaway Oyez!Books
The Riddles of The King of The Sea - Around the World in Picture Books October Giveaway Oyez!Books
The Riddles of The King of The Sea - Around the World in Picture Books October Giveaway Oyez!Books
Latin American countries certainly produce very beautiful picture books. Do you know, Oyez!Books will be publishing a book from Brazil. The original language is Portuguese but we will be publishing it in Bahasa Malaysia. This is due out next year. Here is an illustration from the book, Na Janela Do Trem - Through the Window of A Train. 
Na Janela Do Trem by Lucia Hiratsuka
1 Comment

Around the World in Picture Books : Taiwan

11/9/2016

4 Comments

 
Jimmy Liao is one of Taiwan's most well-known illustrators. He has illustrated many beautiful picture books with his bright colours and in black and white.
Our selection today is The Blue Stone.
The Blue Stone by Jimmy Liao - Oyez!Books Around the World in Picture Books Sept Giveaway
Once there was a blue stone who remained for thousands of years deep within the forest. One day, it was broken into two and one part of it was taken away to build different things according to the whims of humans. It was made into a statue, a sign, a tombstone, a love pendant  and so on. The blue stone witnessed human sorrow and love as it went through its different forms. It longed to return to the forest where it could lie in peace. Finally, the blue stone was broken into small pieces where the wind carried it back to the forest.
The Blue Stone by Jimmy Liao - Oyez!Books Around the World in Picture Books September Giveaway
The Blue Stone by Jimmy Liao - Oyez!Books Around the World in Picture Books September Giveaway
The Blue Stone by Jimmy Liao - Oyez!Books Around the World in Picture Books September Giveaway
The Blue Stone by Jimmy Liao - Oyez!Books Around the World in Picture Books September Giveaway
This is a bittersweet story that Jimmy Liao is well-known for. According to different interviews, his art started to change after he'd had leukemia and recovered. Although the colours of his illustrations are bright, yet the story portrays deep emotion such as alienation and loss. 
Jimmy's illustrations have also been created in virtual reality format. Wouldn't you like to step into his world? But for now, you may be the lucky winner of this book!
4 Comments

Around the World in Picture Books: South Korea

20/8/2016

1 Comment

 
Korean children's picture books are some of the best in the world and they have won international awards such as the Bologna Ragazzi Award. Here we highlight two hardcover picture books which will be given away to two lucky winners who buy any books from oyezbookstore.com in the month of August.
1. The Hen
A hen sees several animals with their young and felt envious. Although she laid eggs, they kept disappearing. One day, she laid some eggs and at night, a weasel came to steal the eggs. She was very sad. What can she do to successfully hatch her own cute baby?
 
This simple story is a tale of perseverance and cooperation. ​
The Hen, children's picture book from South Korea - Oyez! Around the World in Picture Books August Giveaway
The Hen, children's picture book from South Korea - Oyez! Around the World in Picture Books August Giveaway
The Hen, children's picture book from South Korea - Oyez! Around the World in Picture Books August Giveaway
2. It's Fine
This book reminds me of Emila Yusof's little Dina.

This little girl observes different animals and insects. The ant is small but has strength to pick up a leaf. The hedgehog is prickly though small which offers it great protection.. The snake is without legs but can move everywhere. What about a child? What can a child do?  This book aims to help children observe the living creatures around them in a fun and humorous way. The illustrations are bright with soft colouring.
It's Fine, children's picture book from South Korea - Oyez! Around the World in Picture Books August Giveaway
It's Fine, children's picture book from South Korea - Oyez! Around the World in Picture Books August Giveaway
It's Fine, children's picture book from South Korea - Oyez! Around the World in Picture Books August Giveaway
It's Fine, children's picture book from South Korea - Oyez! Around the World in Picture Books August Giveaway
It's Fine, children's picture book from South Korea - Oyez! Around the World in Picture Books August Giveaway

We are giving away picture books from different countries each month as part of our Around the World in Picture Books year-long programme. Get a chance to win with any purchase from Oyez! online bookstore!
1 Comment

Pak Belang the Tiger

29/7/2016

4 Comments

 
Today, 29th July is Global Tiger Day. This majestic animal can be found in Malaysia but is now facing extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the Malayan tiger as "Critically Endangered", its numbers now reduced to an estimate of less than 300.
How do animals become extinct? Mostly, it is through human carelessness and callousness. We hunt them and we destroy their habitat thoughtlessly. It is also ignorance. But we can correct this. Organisations such as the WWF are doing all they can to protect tigers. 
Individuals such as Rossiti Aishah Rashidi is doing all she can to educate children about caring for the environment and wildlife. Her three earlier books, Manja the Orang Utan, Puteri Tioman the Green Turtle, and Siti the Elephant highlight the plight of these animals. Now, almost two years in the making, Rossiti's next book is Pak Belang the Tiger, illustrated by Indonesan artist Widiyatno.
Pak Belang the Tiger, upcoming children's picture book by Rossiti Aishah Rashidi, illustrated by Widiyatno, published by Oyez!Books
​Pak Belang is a name commonly given to the tiger. Meaning Uncle Stripe or Mister Stripe, it is both a respectful and affectionate term. 
Pak Belang the Tiger, upcoming children's picture book by Rossiti Aishah Rashidi, illustrated by Widiyatno, published by Oyez!Books
The book engages children with its rich and realistic illustrations coupled with simple and clear text. Congratulations to author Rossiti for yet another wonderful book and we hope we will see more work from artist Widiyatno.
Pak Belang the Tiger, upcoming children's picture book by Rossiti Aishah Rashidi, illustrated by Widiyatno, published by Oyez!Books
Pak Belang the Tiger will be published in Dec 2016. 
4 Comments
<<Previous

    Archives

    March 2022
    August 2019
    December 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    April 2018
    December 2017
    September 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015

    Categories

    All
    Author
    Book Launch
    Children's Book Week
    China
    Colouring Books
    Coming Soon
    E-books
    Event
    Folktales
    General
    Gifts
    Illustrator
    India
    Indonesia
    New Zealand
    Picture Books
    Preorder
    Promotions
    Publishing
    Singapore
    South Korea
    Spain
    Switzerland
    Taiwan

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • HOME
  • BLOG
  • ABOUT US
  • News Archive
  • OYEZ! SELECT
    • FIRST STEPS
    • GLOBAL KIDS
    • STORIES OF ART
    • SCIENCE STORYBOOKS
    • MUSIC STORYBOOKS
    • DINOSAURS
  • Contact us