Woods in the Books Blog

Bursting with larger than life characters and written in a broad narrative voice reminiscent of Roald Dahl, Timothy and the Phubbers is a laugh out loud school comedy whose misfit characters struggle with the trials of new classmates, school projects, and a world overrun with the smartphone-savvy elite (also known as Phubbers). Lolita Chiong’s sketchy black and white illustrations bring the range of characters to life, the art style reminiscent of Quentin Blake or Tony Ross. The lively combination of art and text create an alchemical blend that brilliantly carries across moments of physical action and comedy. In one example,...

The comical tale of a housing estate lift that yearns for a direction in life beyond merely going up and down, Alif is Not Coming Down is a bilingual book about how readers can achieve far off dreams with some imagination and a little help from a friend. Published in sturdy hardcover, this book is accompanied by a CD in with readings in Malay and English. Rife with humour, puns, and explorations of the fantastic, Zuzanita Zakaria’s story takes readers beyond the narrow lift confines to roam beyond Singapore’s borders, an exercise of the imagination that kids might be able...

The Understanding Singaporeans series works off a simple premise. Over the span of twenty questions, each of the four books explains cultural festivals and customs practised by races in Singapore. Why Do Malays Avoid Pork? focuses on the cultural practices of the Malay community in simple, factual language aimed at readers from age 7 and above. The questions span from ‘Who fasts during Ramadan?’ to ‘What does gotong royong mean?’ Every question is answered in a two-page spread, which is filled with bold lines and bright colours, written in prose that’s easily digestible but never condescending. The art style is...

3 weeks.Every morning, I wake up and I’m amazed to find this new tiny human in my house. I think to myself, where did she come from? A year ago, she didn’t exist in my family at all. But here she is now. -The Ollie Comics, Drewscape Life doesn’t stop because of a Circuit Breaker. School holidays continue, festivals roll in, and babies are born every day. A humorous and gentle peek into the lives of new parents, The Ollie Comics charts memories, new parent woes and worries, and how to overcome them in daily comic form. Written and illustrated...