Hooked On Bookz

I'm a sucker for children's books; anything for ages 0 - 10; especially those written by Roald Dahl, Dr. Seuss, Julia Donaldson and Eric Carle. I normally pick books which are: * entertaining * simple but educational * has good vocab * well written and conceptualised * great illustrations! (for picture books) Recently, I came across this article which listed 10 children's books and I was flabbergasted. Were these books REALLY MEANT FOR CHILDREN??? I won't ever read these books to kids. Would you or allow your kids to? The Story of Little Suck-a-Thumb Illustrations by Sanya Glisic First, the title itself turned me off. Suck-a-thumb, and the illustrations seemed to aim at giving children nightmares...Definitely not something I wanna read to my children... The ABC of Anger Ghastly, ghostly, gory...A HUMAN HEAD-SWALLOWING HEAD???! Is this Nightmare on Elm Street?? And check out its title...I dare not imagine what's in their ABCs Brave Mr....

Thank you Katina for sharing this with me! Read this article and thought it might interest you too. Some really good titles here which might tempt you to add them to your 'To Read' list? ;) "India's ancien t, volatile history, multicultural and multiethnic heritage, and varied geography make it a hotbed for amazing literature. Unfortunately, so few of its vast offerings garner much recognition or renown in the United States. Bibliophiles and students hoping to delve into the dazzling array of Indian literature available might want to consider this list a great, diverse start; however, by no means does this downplay the importance or value of other writers and works. Untouchable (1935) by Mulk Raj Anand: Untouchable bluntly dives into the plight of the Dalit caste, situated at the desperately poor, sick bottom of the then-rigid social hierarchy. Author Mulk Raj Anand found inspiration in his aunt's experience dining with a Muslim family and subsequent shunning. F...

Title/Author: Norwegian Wood/Haruki Murakami (Translated by Jay Rubin) Publisher: Vintage Books USA Pages: 400 ISBN 13: 9780099554561 Expect no flying elephants, man-eating cats, or any of those surrealist eccentricities that you’d normally find in a Murakami novel. Norwegian Wood is a rather straight forward, coming of age novel of nostalgia. What stayed though is its quiet, still and melancholy tone (which I love). I don’t know why but I always find it hard to summarise and/or review Murakami’s novels. This would be my very first attempt. So here goes. In a nutshell Norwegian Wood is about Toru Watanabe and his love affair with beautiful, damsel-in-distress Naoko, whom he’s known since school, and who used to go out with his best friend Kizuki, until he committed suicide. Their relationship deepens when they spent more time with each other after Kizuki’s death, and it somehow affected Naoko who realises she has psychological problems that need to be addressed. So she left for ...

Title/Author: Teohlogy: The Word According to Patrick Teoh Publisher: ZI Publications No. of Pages: 303 ISBN 13: 978-967-5266-15-7 Price: RM38 In a nutshell (Tiru-ed (copied) from back cover synopsis) With his trademark razor-sharp wit, Teoh in his aptly-named Teohlogy (Elaine, hats off to you! I thought the name was brilliant! :D) articles, previously published in the now defunct Off The Edge (OTE) magazine (I missed you :( *sob* Jason Tan, I thought you and your team did one helluva good job!) from the years 2005 to 2010, shares his views on Malaysian life, topical affairs and issues that concern the ordinary Malaysian, with a generous sprinkling of realism, humour and provocation. (TAKE NOTE! For mature audience only....) What I liked Firstly, it has to be the cover! I thought it was a pure work of genius. First, it's so 'Patrick' (to me and my hubby lah at least). Second, it sets the tone of the book. Third, creative :) I usually get quite turned off seeing the ...

Title/Author: March 8: Time For Real Change/Kee Thuan Chye Publisher: Marshall Cavendish No. of Pages: 363 ISBN 13: 9789814328333 (Written for Malaysiakini.com) An inspiring chronicle of change Review by Jee Wan http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/152887 Jan 9 When we won the Asian Football Federation Suzuki Cup, our PM declared 31st December a public holiday, claiming to support the 1Malaysia concept of "People First, Performance Now". Hurrah, hurrah. But when our PM attended a Christmas celebration at the Catholic Church Archbishop residence, the PMO directive ordered the church officials to remove crucifixes and prohibit them from singing hymns and praying, saying it's to protect the prime minister's Islamic credentials. Here we are shouting 1Malaysia this and 1Malaysia that, but know not how to respect the tradition, culture and beliefs of another religion? What message are we sending out to the public and the world at large? That we are still immature even after...

Title/Author: Brothers/Yu Hua Publisher: Picador USA No. of Pages: 600 ISBN 13: 9780330452755 In a nutshell ‘Brothers’ is about two stepbrothers, Baldy Li and Song Gang, who were brought together by death. Song Gang’s dad married Baldy Li’s mom after Baldy Li’s birth dad died tragically in a grotesque and comical incident. In the beginning I was a little put off by some of these explicit scenes and the constant use of vulgar language (and not to mention also the detailed descriptions of butts!). But after putting up with all of that, I was rewarded by a very heart-rending story of the stepbrothers who grew up in Liu Town, a small town in Shanghai, during the Cultural Revolution. Baldy Li, crafty and crass, while Song Gang, his total opposite, honest and gentle, are fiercely loyal to each other until they both fell in love with lin Hong, the most beautiful woman in Liu Town. What I liked Definitely the humour and charm that made up for its vulgarity. There was this scene where a bunc...

Title/Author: Sky Burial/ Xinran Publisher: Random House Canada No. of pages: 206 ISBN 10: 0-679-31360-5 Price: RM20.00 (Discounted price. Hardcover) In a nutshell Xinran received a phone call from a listener of her programme asking her to meet a woman who had just crossed the border from Tibet to China. Xinran made a trip and met Shu Wen who recounted the story of her 30-year odyssey in Tibet. After being married for only a few months, Shu Wen's husband joined the Chinese army and was sent to Tibet for the purpose of unification of China and Tibet. Shortly after he left, she was told that he had been killed, and was not given any other details. She decided to join a milia unit going to Tibet to find out if he was really dead and if he was, how and why he died. Her search seemed endless, nevertheless she was adamant in finding the truth. What I liked Yes. I've finally read Sky Burial , and I loved it as much as I loved Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother. I already knew ...

Title/Author: Everything Asian/Sung J. Woo Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books No. of pages: 328 ISBN 13: 978-0-312-53885-9 Price: RM49.90 In a nutshell David Kim, his fifteen-year-old sister and mom arrived in New Jersey a month ago to be with his dad whom he's meeting for the first time in five years. He's finding it hard to cope, his sister is feeling miserable and his mom isn't exactly happy, either. To top it all, he had to help out at his dad's gift shop, East Meet West, and he can't speak a word of English. Welcome to the 'wonderful' world of David Kim. What I liked David's dysfunctional family kept me hooked. Here, we have a dad who tries so hard to please his son, a mom who's feeling lost and empty, a miserable sister whose mood swings from one end to the other, David who despises his dad and gets terribly annoyed when he calls him 'my good son', but gets jealous when his dad starts to shower his attention to a new kid on the block. Each...

Title/Author: A Year in Tibet/Sun Shuyun Publisher: Harper Perennial No. of pages: 246 ISBN 13: 978-0-00-726512-1 Price: RM19.90 (Discounted price) In a nutshell The idea of writing this book came about when Sun Shuyun was asked to direct a documentary series about a year in the life of ordinary Tibetans. So, the author and her crew spent a year in a remote town in the Tibetan mountain area and followed a shaman, a village doctor, a junior Party official, a hotel manager, a rickshaw driver, a builder and two monks through their ups and downs. What I liked I liked the lessons I learnt from the Tibetans - from their lives, their thoughts and perceptions. Despite oppression and their struggles of trying to live between continuity and modernization, they embrace challenges with grace and kindness. They are the kind of people who are able to give generously and expect nothing in return. They are such forgiving souls and seem to live like their surroundings - calm and peaceful. One thing...

New Malaysian Essays 3 , edited by Yin Shao Loong ISBN: 9789834484552 Pages: 89 (e-book) Layout & Typesetting: Liza Manshoor (Eclectic Design) Cover: Teck Hee Price: FRRRRREE!!!! Sole Edition: September 2010 Thanks to Amir Muhammad, we can have this book for FRRRREEE! More about the book/to download the book, click here

Title/Author: The Japanese Mind/Edited by Roger J. Davies & Osamu Ikeno Publisher: Tuttle Publishing No. of pages: 270 ISBN 13: 978-0-8048-3295-3 In a nutshell The Japanese Mind is a collection of 28 essays that offer readers an overview of contemporary Japanese culture. These essays were written over a period of several years by students a Ehime University in Matsyama Japan. They offer an informative, accessible look at the values, attitudes, behaviour patterns, and communication styles of modern Japan. The book includes in-depth discussions of key concepts such as Bigaku (the Japanese sense of beauty), Bushido (the way of the warrior), Chinmoku (silence in Japanese communication) and Gambari (Japanese patience and determination). In each chapter, it contains a set of questions that would provide invaluable discussions among readers. What I liked My hubby bought this book for me when we were in Japan and I am truly happy he did because I thoroughly enjoyed it :) One of the re...

Title/Author: Fun for Kids in Malaysia/Lydia Teh Publisher: Marshall Cavendish No. of pages: 360 ISBN 13: 978-983-3845-48-4 Price: RM29.90 In a nutshell So. You have a bunch of hyperactive kids who become even more hyperactive during weekends and school holidays. What do you do? No no no. Turn off Astro. Whip out Fun for Kids in Malaysia and get the entire family outta the house, and explore Malaysia. This guidebook lists a wide range of activities for your children to indulge in and new places for them to explore in this country. Travel from the northern region right to the southern region of Malaysia and have a great holiday. What I liked My first thought was, 'Are there that many places for kids to go to in Malaysia?' Go through the 'Contents' section and you'll find out that there are indeed many places to go to and fun activities to do around Malaysia. At the start of each section, there are 'fast facts' about the state. Then it tells you how to get t...

Title/Author: Found in Malaysia/The Nut Graph Publisher: ZI Publications No. of pages: 211 ISBN 13: 978-967-5266-13-3 Price: RM45 In a nutshell If not for Shanon Shah who came up with this idea and Jacqueline Ann Surin who loved it and for everyone else at The Nut Graph, Found in Malaysia wouldn't be born. So hats off to this group of very passionate journalists for this great piece of work. Found in Malaysia is a compilation of 50 meticulously selected interviews from the news and analysis website, The Nut Graph , each interviewee sharing their opinions and views on what it means to be a pendatang , the issues they struggle with the most as a Malaysian, and how much they think Malaysia has changed throughout the years. Since 8 January 2009, The Nut Graph team has accumulated almost 80 interviews that include well-known Malaysian public figures, including politicians, corporate figures, social activists, artists and entertainers. Of 80 interviews, publisher ZI Publications chose ...

Title/Author: Tapai/Hishamuddin Rais Publisher: ZI Publications No. of pages: 266 ISBN 13: 978-967-5266-11-9 In a nutshell Tapai is a collection of 40 stories of Rais's adventures in less ventured, non-typical touristy places, in search for delectable food and free alcohol. Said he, "As a seasoned traveller, I prefer to eat and drink well than to pay expensively for snoring." It's difficult to summarise Tapai in a nutshell, as this book is about alot of things - yes, food as its main idea, but it also carries various meanings beyond food. Tapai brings you from the nondescript streets of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to soup kitchens in Tokyo, Japan; from celebrating Christmas in Bangladesh to meeting the Darai of the band that accompanied the raising of the Jalur Gemilang on Merdeka Day. Yep, this book is not just about Rais satisfying his gastronomic desires, but it's also a collection of Rais's experience with food and culture from all over the world. What I l...

Title/Author: Rojak/Amir Muhammad Publisher: ZI Publications No. of pages: 314 ISBN 13: 978-967-5266-10-2 In a nutshell Rojak is a collection of very short fictional stories (63 altogether, plus the extended versions), all of which tell of Malaysia and its culture. The author quoted our beloved late Yasmin Ahmad, saying "What is a nation without the stories it tells itself?" I couldn't agree more! (We miss you, Yasmin...) What I liked ... Definitely the cover design and colour, the illustrations (I thought Liza and Chin Yew did a great job!) that make the stories come alive, and definitely, the humour! There were many that I liked. My top favourites are 'Lipstick Babi' (first read it in City of Shared Stories Kuala Lumpur ), 'Correspond ence' (Both versions talk about the common junk mails we receive that offer a large some of money by some unknown sender. I don't remember laughing so hard reading a story!), 'Dorm Horror Story' (reminded me o...

Title/Author: Funny Boy/Shyam Selvadurai Publisher: Vintage No. of pages: 314 ISBN 13: 978-009-9459-21-7 In a nutshell The story is set in the seventies, during the tumultuous times of Sri Lanka, when the Buddhist Sinhalese majority and its Hindu Tamil minority were at war (Sri Lankan Civil War). It's basically a novel in 6 short stories, told in chronological order ( Pigs Can't Fly; Radha Aunty; See No Evil, Hear No Evil; Small Choices; The Best School of All and Riot Journal: An Epilogue ), that revolves around a young Tamil boy's life growing up in Sri Lanka while confronting his own sexuality. The novel also explores other themes such as love, acceptance, relationships, racism and politics (I particularly liked this in See No Evil, Hear No Evil (p138) when Arjie's mother found out her lover had been killed: ' "We must do something," she said, breaking the silence. "We can't just sit by and act as if nothing has happened." She looked at m...

Title/Author: Inspector Singh Investigates: A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder/Shamini Flint Publisher: Piatkus No. of pages: 295 ISBN 13: 978-0-7499-2975-6 In a nutshell Inspector Singh from Singapore has been sent to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to solve the murder of a Malaysian heir, Alan Lee. His ex-wife, Chelsea Liew is on death row for for this murder, but she swears she didn't do it and Inspector Singh thinks so too. However, he couldn't find any other suspects who have a stronger motive that hers: Alan was taking her kids away from her and he was having an affair. What I liked Making the murder of a Chinese-turned-Muslim as its main story is a tricky one, especially when it touches other sensitive issues in Malaysia as well. But Flint managed to weave in the political and racial issues in Malaysia very carefully. She chose them very wisely too. A great eye opener to those who aren't familiar with the 'Malaysian culture' or what's happening in the country at t...