Llewellyn Appears in Oyez! Bookstore and Silverfish Book store For The First Time in Print14/4/2016 Author : Peter WorthingtonLlewellyn is a 700 year old ghost who was killed by a flying arrow. He was helping his uncle, the Welsh King, defend his castle against the English King at a famous battle on the ragged coast of Wales where the waves come crashing in.  The model of Aberystwyth castle as it was in the 13th century - see pilgrim.ceredigion.gov.uk At first Llewellyn didn’t mind being a ghost, there were plenty of people living in the castle to scare with rattling chains, moans and groans and even ghastly appearances. But then one day the castle was abandoned and crumbled away. Now Llewellyn has been lonely for hundreds years and he desperately wants to move to the Tower of London where there are hundreds of ghosts. He wants to join the Headless Club run by Anne Boleyn who was beheaded by her husband, Henry VIII. Llewellyn has been practicing and practicing to make sure he is absolutely perfect when he bows and sweeps off his hat with his head still in it. But Llewellyn has a problem. He can’t leave the castle. Every time he tries to walk through a wall he gets stuck because of the arrow in his chest. It jams no matter what he tries - walking straight forwards, walking backwards or walking sideways.
After David has pulled the arrow out of Llewellyn’s chest, they leave the castle and trail a man who has been acting very suspiciously. And that’s when their first adventure starts. David is attacked by fierce guard dogs. Jemma is lost in an abandoned mine – one wrong turn and she might fall down an old mine shaft and her body may never be found. Catrin and her uncle, Professor Brenin, are captured. The future looks very bleak for them as the criminals plan to fry the British electricity grid. Catrin and Uncle Brenin will get fried in the process. Can Llewellyn save his friends and Britain from the evil men! David is thankful having Llewellyn around when danger threatens. But he can make life difficult for David when he makes himself visible at the most embarrassing moments. It’s not always Llewellyn’s fault, he doesn’t understand modern machinery.
Slowly the mystery begins to unravel when an evil criminal catches sight of David in the street. He and his thugs chase David into a large fish market. Fish, buckets of slops, lobsters, crabs and prawns go flying and fights break out as they try to catch David But just in time Llewellyn appears and David vanishes. But then Jemma and Catrin are kidnapped from an exclusive New York hotel and find themselves in a dungeon deep beneath an old house in the middle of a forest. Llewellyn helps them escape but they are lost in a blizzard. Danger is everywhere! Can Llewellyn save David, Jemma and Catrin and America from disaster. The third book of Llewellyn’s adventures, “The Case of Assassination Inc” will be published later this year both as a print book and an e-book. In this adventure Llewellyn is in Hong Kong with David Jemma and Catrin. He is playing on the escalator from Central to Mid-levels when he sees a crook who is supposed to be dead. He follows the crook and from that moment, Jemma and David become involved in the most diabolical plot to assassinate world leaders using a new secret weapon. David is captured and taken to China where the crooks intend to kill him and dump his body where it can’t be found. Jemma is kidnapped and tied to a bomb on Sydney harbour bridge which the crooks plan to detonate during the Australia Day fireworks display. Things get more even more dangerous when the crooks move to Northern Australia on their way out of Australia. They capture David again and this time they decide to feed him to the saltwater crocodiles (salties), the most dangerous crocodiles in the world. Only Llewellyn can save his friends and halt Assassination Incorporated’s evil plans. “ Ingenious, James Bond for young teens” – Lay Koon *“The Case of the Billion Dollar Threat” and “The Case of RRI International” were first published by read Along Publishing, Sydney as e-books. As the books have been revised they are no longer available but they will be republished as e-books in the near future.
0 Comments
Author : Raman |
| At last we have a book about Malaysia’s princesses. Malaysian children have been immersed for years in tales about foreign princesses such as Snow White and many others. Now they can read about their own princesses, all beautiful, brave and wise. Many of them were warriors and some fairy princesses with a wonderful story the equal of anything from Disney. Some are historical figures though their stories have surely been embellished over the years. The first princess, Princess Gunung Ledang is perhaps the best known of all the fairy princesses as she is reputed to have made impossible demands of the Sultan Mansur Shah of Malacca when he proposed marriage. She lives even to today, at the top of Mount Ledang in Johor and is still as beautiful as ever. |  |
Puteri Gunung Ledang, the fairy princess
Other fairy princesses include two beautiful sisters, Princess Santubong and Princess Sejinjang who lived in the sky and painted the land but who fell out and shared a tragic end. Princess Ulek, another fairy princess, ruled the sea. When her sisters fell in love with a young fisherman she made them give him up and send him back to land and his village.
 Princess Santubong and Princess Sejinjang of Sarawak |  Princess Ulek, spirit princess of the sea |
Princess Cik Siti Wan Kembang from Kelantan was known to have been a real beauty, skilled in martial arts and spoke many languages. She received many visitors who came bearing presents including the small mouse dear or kijang. Until today the kijang appears on the state flag. As she did not marry, she adopted Princess Saadong, the daughter of a close friend. Princess Saadong bravely defended her kingdom against the King of Siam. She finally gave in to him but got her own back and saved her honour and her kingdom.
Princess Cik Siti Wan Kembang, the princess from Kelantan who became a Queen
Princess Saadong defended her kingdom from the King of Siam
When we turn the page we see the figure of a demure Chinese girl, Princess Hang Li Po who is reputed to have come from China and married Sultan Mansur Shah of Malacca becoming his fifth wife. The story goes that she travelled with five hundred beauties as her attendants who married into the local population giving rise to the Nyonya people who are famous for their cooking, their dress and culture.
And then there was Princess Bidasari who was mistreated by her stepmother but eventually married the king . . . sounds familiar.
 Puteri Hang Li Po who came to Malacca from China |  Princess Bidasari |
In his foreword to the book, Raman describes the research that he carried out when preparing these stories and provides us with his interpretation of some of them. Emila’s illustrations of the princesses are bold and beautiful.
Add this book to your bookshelf!
Author : Susanna Goho-Quek
Illustrator : Susanna Goho-Quek
Publisher's Review : Peter Duke
What a wonderful story of a night that Susanna went to the opera with her siblings and cousins. Yes this story really happened! Her mother was the manager of a Chinese opera troupe. The main characters include, Susanna herself as a child, Susanna’s grandmother, Por Por, who took the troupe of children to the opera and her elder brother who was the star. The story is told in both English and Chinese and brings back to life a much loved art form that is seldom seen these days.
Susanna has captured the behaviour, the fun and the antics of children living in a large family. The story starts in the garden of her house watching her older brother Ah Khor practice for his performance at the opera that night.
Susanna has captured the behaviour, the fun and the antics of children living in a large family. The story starts in the garden of her house watching her older brother Ah Khor practice for his performance at the opera that night.
Then what fun when grandma announces that she is going to take them to the opera to watch Ah Khor perform. There is much to do before they can go. Of course they have to dress in their best clothes but before that they have to help wash the car. Looks as if there is more soap and water on Susanna’s brothers and sisters and cousins than the car.
When they are scrubbed and dressed they pack into the car and set off for the opera. Once there they make their way to their seats and sit with Por Por waiting for the show. But they began to get impatient.
Of course they are up to mischief! There are some lovely pictures of the children back stage with Ah Khor and other stars. They try on make up, they dress in opera clothes and they cavort around pretending they are in the chorus.
The opera begins and the children sit mesmerised as they watch the actors and listen to the music and singing. Then Ah Khor appears to thunderous applause. What a star! He looks wonderful in his costume and delights the audience with his performance.
Once the performance is over it’s off home and sleep as Por Por sings them a lullaby.
At the end of the story Susanna has included a picture of her mother and father with all the children. Can you spot Susanna in the picture?
At the end of the book, the reader is invited back stage with several photos of real performers getting ready for a show.
Illustrator: Yusof Gajah
Publisher's Review: Peter Duke
Pick up Yusof Gajah’s ABC and you will know from the cover it is a very different ABC from the many other hundreds that you will have seen in the bookshop and online. All the letters of the alphabet are taken from Yusof’s ‘Elephabet’ and the accompanying pictures from many of his much loved children’s books. You won’t be disappointed when you open to the first page and see one of Yusof’s wonderful trees.
Continue browsing and you will see a blue elephant looking decidedly blue, an extract from “Where is my Red Ball?” one of the books from Yusof’s set of early readers which has been translated into German, Korean and Arabic. At E, we find an eagle flying high. Yes, the eagle that Dill and his friend Musang, the civet cat, helped heal its broken wing in ‘Dill the Little Elephant’. Then we arrive at F. F is for fun! And look at those elephants having great fun in the pool.
After F there is a picture of a green iguana resting on a tree (I). There is something for everyone in this book, did you know iguanas live on land and are herbivores? J is for joy but we’ve already had fun, so let’s skip this picture and stop at L for love. The picture of love is taken from ‘Dill the Little Elephant’ when Dill finally finds his lost parents.
M is for moon. The picture for M is an elephant gazing at the moon which comes from Yusof’s famous ‘Real Elephant’. This book was the Grand prize Winner of the Noma Concourse (ACCU) Award in 1996.
There is O for Orange and a picture of an Orange Elephant with an orange ball and an Orange. This is taken from ‘Where is my Red Ball?’ But I like Q which of course is for question. But an elephant queen asking questions!
I am sure all the letters of the alphabet will please children and lovers of Yusof’s art. I want to close with my favourite illustration - Dill yodelling taken from ‘Dill the Little Elephant’. I think this picture just sums up this fun book.
Author : Lim Lay Har
Illustrator : Lim Lay Koon
Publisher's Review : by Peter Duke
The Lim sisters have produced a really bright cheerful story with a simple story line and colourful illustrations to delight children five to six.
One morning, poor Atuk (grandfather) cannot find his sarong. This is the start of a fun story as Atuk searches for his sarong and his grandson Adik.
One morning, poor Atuk (grandfather) cannot find his sarong. This is the start of a fun story as Atuk searches for his sarong and his grandson Adik.
Atuk looks in the drawer, in the cupboard and on the washing line, but no sarong. He asks his wife and two older grandchildren. Nobody has seen it although each offered helpful advice.
Eventually he wonders if Adik has seen it. But where is Adik? Is he playing games in the garden? No, he’s a superman.
He’s in the jungle.
When Atuk finally finds Adik, he realises his sarong is no ordinary sarong. It’s a superhero’s cape!
Atuk and Adik have a wonderful day together with the super hero’s cape; which is also a lion, a house, a picnic mat… Soon it’s time for bed. Atuk tucks Adik into bed with the superhero bed cover.
Young children will easily relate to this fun story of imagination and play. The language is simple and, with the supporting pictures, parents can use the book to help their young read. The book will be a good addition to the early reader’s book case and a perfect bedtime story.
Author : Nor Azhar Ishak
Illustrator : Nor Azhar Ishak
Publisher's Review : by Peter Duke
Science educator, Nor Azhar Ishak has created an excellent book for children ranging in age from five to ten years. It contains facts on many of the creatures that live under the sea coupled with his colourful illustrations using the batik method of painting on fabric. There is one extra aspect of the book that fascinates children; each illustration is accompanied by a black and white replica that children can colour, with the full colour illustration of the facing page as inspiration!
The black and white picture is full of facts and the names of some of the creatures that abound on reefs as can be seen from this page.
The black and white picture is full of facts and the names of some of the creatures that abound on reefs as can be seen from this page.
Azhar continues his story with more pictures of the reef and its inhabitants including beautiful but poisonous creatures and the shy sea horse. Ask a young reader how many sea horses she or he can spot in the next picture.
We have found that the next illustration amuses many young readers as the small mimic octopus changes its shape to confuse predators.
Then in a later illustration we see the clever way a shoal of young barracudas swim in a deep vortex to protect themselves from predators.
Azhar leaves the reef and discovers one of the giants of the sea, the whale shark. It looks dangerous but is it really?
In his final picture Azhar takes the reader deep down into the sea where sunlight does not penetrate. Here the reader discovers many curious creatures.
Azhar completes his journey under the sea with a short section on how he creates his art using the traditional batik painting method.
Summary: A picture book and a colouring book full of interesting facts about the creatures that live in the sea around us that will keep children occupied for hours.
Author : Rossiti Aishah Rashidi
Illustrator : Farrah Asheila Samsuri
Publishers Review : by Peter Duke
‘Big Strong and Beautiful… It’s a tough world for elephants’.
Rossiti’s final quote in her fascinating book about elephants.
In this book about Siti the elephant, Rossiti has continued with the approach she pioneered in her first book Puteri Tioman.
Rossiti’s final quote in her fascinating book about elephants.
In this book about Siti the elephant, Rossiti has continued with the approach she pioneered in her first book Puteri Tioman.
This involves combining interesting facts about her subject – a Green Turtle in Pulau Tioman - and the dangerous environment in which they live. Farrah’s realistic and beautiful illustrations help carry the story along.
Siti is an elephant living with two other elephants in a small compound surrounded by an electric fence in Zoo Negara in Kuala Lumpur.
Siti is an elephant living with two other elephants in a small compound surrounded by an electric fence in Zoo Negara in Kuala Lumpur.
She was not born in captivity but in the wild. When she was captured she was brought to the zoo where she is one of the favourites. Rossiti compares her life today in the zoo with what it was like when she was free.
Rossiti continues with a series of pages containing general facts about elephants, both working elephants and those living in the wild.
Siti’s story ends with how she was captured in a banana plantation which used to be a forest. Denuding forest land for agriculture is one of the major causes of loss of habitat that is creating the competition between man and the elephant for space. A competition that elephants are losing.
Siti’s story ends with how she was captured in a banana plantation which used to be a forest. Denuding forest land for agriculture is one of the major causes of loss of habitat that is creating the competition between man and the elephant for space. A competition that elephants are losing.
But not all elephants live in zoos, many live in special elephant sanctuaries like the Kuala Gandah Sanctuary in Malaysia. Farrah has created a delightful picture of Rossiti, her husband and three of her young daughters at the sanctuary.
After an informative first part, the second part of the book comes with the delightful and well-known story of the elephant and the five blind men.
Finally, there is a section on facts about elephants.
This is an important book about a rapidly disappearing species of animal that needs protection. This book deserves to be in every classroom and in home collections.
This is an important book about a rapidly disappearing species of animal that needs protection. This book deserves to be in every classroom and in home collections.
Author : Golda Mowe
Illustrator : Lim Lay Koon
Publisher's Review : by Peter Duke
What fun! Micro-robots too small to be seen, a ballooning sun about to gobble up earth, aliens galore and even an old legend intriguingly woven into a story about aliens. Golda has all these and more in her sci-fi story book coupled with Lay Koon’s imaginative black and white illustrations. Each story ends with a short review of real scientific facts that have been carefully woven into the story line. Here are snapshots of a few of the stories.
In Golda’s first story, ‘Nanobots’, Manujam, a slave boy controlled by an evil alien discovers a tank full of a strange looking liquid which attacks metal alloys. They are Nanobots. Can Manujam free himself and his friends from the evil alien with the Nanobots? Do you know what Nanobots are? See the science page at the end of the story.
In Golda’s first story, ‘Nanobots’, Manujam, a slave boy controlled by an evil alien discovers a tank full of a strange looking liquid which attacks metal alloys. They are Nanobots. Can Manujam free himself and his friends from the evil alien with the Nanobots? Do you know what Nanobots are? See the science page at the end of the story.
 |  |
| In ‘A New Beginning’ Rashid and his little sister are the only two survivors of an atomic bomb strike on their home. There is nothing left of their home, just a big hole in the ground and there is nothing left for them to eat or drink. Who or what can save them from certain death?  |  ‘The Container of Grass’, deals with a future world where the ozone layer, which protects the earth’s surface has been destroyed by pollution. Here everyone lives in fear of the sun and their lives are carefully controlled by the authorities. But Sunil discovers a few grass seeds stuck to his trousers and with these, he sets in motion great change. |
How would you like to go to a zoo full of half - half animals or chimeras? In ‘Main Attractions’, Siew Ping, the zoo keeper’s daughter worries about the tapir-bear, the monkey cats, and the small elephant cross bred with a tiger, as they seem so dispirited, never want to play and die young. Can she help stop the trade in these poor creatures?
In the final story, ‘The Way of Puteri Gunung Ledang’, Golda weaves an old legend into the future. The beautiful alien Milipa does not wish to marry the great alien general Pedo. In desperation she turns to her human slave girl, Anita, for help. Anita tells Milipa the story of the demands made by Puteri Gunung Ledang when Sultan Mansur Shah sought her hand in marriage. Can Milipa use the same trick to ward off general Pedo?
Boys and girls will love this exciting new book and it should spark interest in exploring science.
Author : Heidi Shamsuddin
Illustrator : Lim Lay Koon
Publisher's Review : by Peter Duke
In most good book shops you will find many historical novels based on past events written for adults but very few for children. Oyez!Books has just published Heidi Shamsuddin’s first historical novel for children around 9-12 years. This well written book has all the necessary ingredients for a good mystery yarn and is accompanied by Lay Koon’s black and white illustrations of the three heroes, two boys and a girl, and the historical figures.
There is a secret room hidden away behind the stairs next to the school science lab that takes the children back in time. But how can they make sure they are going to right place at the right time?
There is a secret room hidden away behind the stairs next to the school science lab that takes the children back in time. But how can they make sure they are going to right place at the right time?
The heroes meet Tunku Abdul Raman, Malaysia’s first prime minister who is searching for the right music for a new national anthem to be introduced on the day that the country gains its independence from Britain in just a few days time.
The heroes discover the original source of the National Anthem and go back to tell Tunku where to find it. But it’s the wrong tune. Has someone else travelled back in time and altered history?
The heroes discover the original source of the National Anthem and go back to tell Tunku where to find it. But it’s the wrong tune. Has someone else travelled back in time and altered history?
When the heroes try to unravel the mystery they are confronted by the school bully and his gang. How can they escape his unwanted attention?
Despite the mystery of the missing tune and the best efforts of the school bully, the heroes finally put history to right on the windswept deck of a ship in Southampton harbour in 1901.
Why Southampton harbour in the UK so far back in history? And what happens after that must remain a secret until you read the book.
Heidi’s second novel in the series about P Ramlee a Malaysian star of screen and stage is due to be launched in late July. This will be followed by six more novels. The collection will serve a dual purpose; encourage children to read and provide them with an insight into Malaysian history.
Heidi’s second novel in the series about P Ramlee a Malaysian star of screen and stage is due to be launched in late July. This will be followed by six more novels. The collection will serve a dual purpose; encourage children to read and provide them with an insight into Malaysian history.
Author : Emila Yusof
Illustrator : Emila Yusof
Publisher's Review - By Peter Duke
Dina is back! This time she is helping her father in his farm. We have seen a very sweet Dina dreaming of butterflies in her mother’s garden. We saw her watching her mother very carefully as she cooked in her kitchen.
 |  |
But this time we see a more purposeful Dina determined to help her father with his chores around the farm whilst enjoying herself at the same time.
One of the more endearing features of Emila’s illustrations of Dina is the way in which she captures typical expressions and behaviours of a young girl. It is almost as if Dina is real. The feature of this book which differentiates it from the two previous Dina adventures, is the presence of animals which children love; rabbits, chicken, cows, sheep, a cat and ducks among others.
The story starts with a happy Dina flying a paper aeroplane while sitting on the fence of her father’s farm surrounded by animals.
One of the more endearing features of Emila’s illustrations of Dina is the way in which she captures typical expressions and behaviours of a young girl. It is almost as if Dina is real. The feature of this book which differentiates it from the two previous Dina adventures, is the presence of animals which children love; rabbits, chicken, cows, sheep, a cat and ducks among others.
The story starts with a happy Dina flying a paper aeroplane while sitting on the fence of her father’s farm surrounded by animals.
Later we see her helping her father milk a cow with a happy smile on her face.
What a look of admiration as she gazes at her father with a hammer in her hand as she helps him build a new chicken coop.
Oh no, look at her face as she is chased by geese, she looks really upset and frightened.
All is right later when she jumps into the pond to cool down with a broad happy smile on her face.
Then finally, after all that effort, we see Dina waving happily to her mum as she brings out the picnic for lunch.
As in her previous two Dina adventures, Emila provides the reader with a few pages of what you might expect to find on a farm, the animals, the tools, the wheel barrow and buckets.
We hope there will be another Dina book towards the end of the year. Watch out for the announcement.
We hope there will be another Dina book towards the end of the year. Watch out for the announcement.
